Compare Pressure Washers
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Yes...You really can get the most for your investment!
When you research a pressure washer purchase it doesn't have to be an intimidating task.
Relying on a pressure washer review done by others exposes you to their "bias" it is just a fact of life.
Learn to rate pressure washers based on your own research and do your own "unbiased" pressure washer review.
The following guidelines are designed to make you as knowledgeable as you need to be to make a good decision.
Step one is to:
Determine the "Cleaning Efficiency" needed
How much PSI and GPM are required to get your job done properly and efficiently? The cleaning efficiency of these machines is decided by calculating this formula (PSI times GPM). This simple calculation yields E.C.U. which stands for "effective cleaning units" this value is an excellent proxy for the true cleaning power of a machine. Most people only consider pressure and disregard the equally important GPM component of the pressure washers pump.
Pressure is expressed in pounds per square inch (PSI) and describes how much water pressure per square inch the unit delivers to the surface (substrate) being cleaned. PSI is all about breaking the bond between dirt and grime and the substrate. Some bonds will be much more difficult to break than others.
Some general cleaning guidelines for PSI are:
1000-1900 PSI - cars, boats, gutters, bricks, fences and decks.
2000-2900 PSI – Houses, airplanes, bricks, truck fleets, pools, patios, and sidewalks.
3000-5000 PSI - Stripping paint, Industrial uses, heavy grease stains, stubborn concrete spots, etc.
GPM
The water volume, also known as the GPM of the unit, is measured in gallons per minute. The GPM is the amount of water being applied to the surface being cleaned this is also referred to as the "flow rate". The GPM of the washer is critical to the time it takes to clean a surface. With a sufficient PSI for bond breaking a washer with a higher GPM will take far less time to clean than a lower GPM unit.
Most applications rarely need more than 3,000 PSI. A few years ago many contract cleaners were taking the 'Tim Allen' approach and purchasing 3,500-5,000 PSI units but today they are now opting for 2,000 to 3,000PSI units with much higher GPM (flow rates), some as high as 8 GPM and even more. This is because when contract cleaning,the bond of the grime being cleaned can be broken from most surfaces fairly easily, but must then be quickly washed away. In these instances Time really is Money. This explains why most professional contract cleaners employ bond breaking chemicals and carry reserve water supply tanks as most municipal water supplies rarely exceed 5 gallons per minute.
Step twois to: Determine your usage level
Most residential grade pressure washers are usually rated for a maximum of about 2 hours of washing per week. If this sounds like you and you don't plan on using your pressure washer any more than this then a residential model might be good enough. You can find residential models most anywhere in the lower price ranges. Click this link to view carefully selected Highest Quality Pressure washers for home and semi-professional use.
Remember most residential models use 3450 RPM direct drive engines/motors and axial type pumps (both warrantied for one year) these will not last as long as a commercial quality unit.
If you plan to use your new pressure washer more often than this then you will need to get a commercial quality pressure washer.
The manufacturers warantee will give you a big clue as to the quality of the component. Residential engines/motors and pumps typically have a one year warrantee against manufacturer defects. Commercial quality components are warranteed for much longer. Usually 2 years on the engine/motor and 5 years on the pump. When you stop to consider that commercial warrantees are 2 to 5 times longer on components that will be used three to 10 times harder you will get a feeling for the quality that is built in to a commercially rated component. Quality costs money and this explains the price differential.
Important Note: Even though commercially rated pumps carry a generous 5 year warranty against manufacturer defects all pump manufacturers warranties are voided in cases of pump cavitation. Therefore, It is important to understand what cavitation is and how to avoid it.
These typically feature higher quality components, have more e.c.u's (washing power) and will last much longer than the less expensive residential units.
Commercial rated pressure washers will come in gear, belt or direct drive models with higher quality components than those found in home use models.
There is usually a 90 day warranty on unloader valves, trigger guns and hoses this is probably due to the abuse these commonly receive more than quality issues.
The main difference in the price of residential and commercial pressure washers is the quality of components used in their manufacture. More than a few pressure washer manufacturers use the cheapest parts available so they can create the illusion of value.
What they're really doing is creating what's known in the industry as a "throw away unit." Service support is virtually nonexistant and purchasing a new replacement unit is the usual solution. So it is very important that you check the quality of all the components in the pressure washers you are considering.
Belt Drive washers are designed to power pumps that operate on lower than the typical 3400 rpms of direct drive washers. These pumps generally operate at 1450 and 1750 Rpms. It stands to reason that a pump working at half the rpms will last twice as long, this explains the popularity of these among professional contract cleaners.
Step three when you compare pressure washers is to:
Consider the power source:
Motors/Engines should be continuous duty. When the motor/engine is directly coupled to the pump they are referred to as direct drive washers and are much more compact, and far less complicated to understand.
When choosing to purchase a gas powered washer, choose a unit with a quality engine. In commercial grade washers we prefer the Honda GX series, Robin-Subaru and Kohler brand engines. For electric motors we prefer the Baldor and Marathon brands.
Learn about Pressure Washer Pumps
Step fouris to:
Evaluate the quality and replacement costs of the unloader valve, trigger gun, length quality and replacement costs of the pressure hose and the quality of service support.
About Unloader Valves
It is the unloader valve that is the root cause of many problems found in pressure washers. This may explain why top-tier pump manufacturers offer 5 year warranties against defects while unloader valves are typically warranted for 90 days.
DO NOT adjust your pressure down with the unloader valve and NEVER by Idling down your engine. These are great ways to prematurely wear out an unloader valve or damage a pump.
Instead:
1- Switch to a wider fan tip
2- Work further from the surface
3- Use a tip with a larger rated orifice
A tip with a larger orifice is the best solution but any of these 3 methods can achieve your objective without affecting the gallons per minute output of your pump or creating damage and premature wear to critical components.
Learn More About Unloader Valves
Is the trigger gun comfortable in your grip? Is it difficult to hold open when squeezed? You may consider an "easy pull" gun.
Special note about trigger guns:If you are planning to inject any kind of bleach or similarly harsh chemicals in your cleaning process it is wise to invest in a "chlorine" gun. Most manufacturers do not include these as standard. By using highly alkaline or acidic chemicals you can Kill a standard trigger gun in as little as 5-10 hours use!
Finally, make sure the psi and gpm ratings of the gun exceed those of the pump.
Learn More About Trigger Guns
We love GATES brand pressure hoses.
Purchase a hose rated slightly higher than the rated PSI output of your pump. The hose will last longer. The hose should also have bend restrictors on each end, these are plasticized sleeves that restrict excessive bending which could lead to kinking and premature hose failure.
More On pressure washer Hoses....
Decide on a pressure washer that has quality components and the cleaning power to get your job done. Next, be sure your washer supplier has a good service program. No matter what, there is always the possibility that something could go wrong with your washer, if an operator mistakenly runs the unit without water or fails to properly inspect, repairs will probably become needed. Purchase from a company that supplies replacement parts and can make repairs to your washer. If you use an out of area supplier make sure they can get you in touch with a good repair facility in your area.
If you do your own repairs Investigate the prices on pump rebuild kits such as pressure seal kits, valve kits, unloaders and unloader rebuild kits to be sure repair costs will be reasonable.
Buying an additional unloader as a "spare" is always a good idea.
Step six when you compare pressure washers:
Tie it all together and make Sure to Compare Apples to Apples
The major components all pass muster. The service situation looks pretty good and repair parts are reasonable NOW is the time to review the final filters. Calculate E.C.U. (effective cleaning units) then price when comparing units for purchase. Remember that simply multiplying PSI X GPM will return the e.c.u. value which is your measure of the true cleaning power of the pressure washers you are evaluating..
Evaluating component quality and e.c.u. will explain the wide variety of prices found in the market today. Follow these methods, they will provide you the edge you need to make the best buying decision possible.
Now you have the ammunition to get it right the first time.
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