Pressure washers are highly beneficial cleaning systems for virtually any residential, commercial, or industrial user. The more powerful pressure washers can accomplish tasks that most cleaning equipment can’t even touch, like stripping paint, degreasing heavy-duty equipment, and removing the most stubborn oil, dirt, grime, and soil residues from concrete, walkways, driveways, sidewalks, brick, building exteriors, and much more. Some pressure washers can even detail cars! But, when it comes to the various applications these machines can be used, pressure washer operators are often limited by the lack of power connection in working in external environments.

Facing this problem should not be a deterrent to purchasing pressure washer equipment, as a solution is here: gas powered pressure washers. Pressure washing machines powered by gasoline afford users a great deal more mobility than standard electric pressure washing equipment. By using gasoline to generate power, these machines allow users to work in areas where an electrical supply is not necessarily present or available. Just think of all the applications that will benefit from this ability: agricultural, marine, construction, and virtually any commercial or industrial pressure washing application in remote exterior locations.

Noise can be a concern when using gas pressure washers, as they tend to be louder than models powered by electricity. Yet, in light of the increased noise, gas-powered models produce a great deal more power. Many pressure washers powered by gasoline motors feature anywhere from 3 HP to 50 HP of sheer power. Even though the power options have been narrowed down, when purchasing gas pressure washers consumers must understand the different types of models available. Pressure levels, flow rates, and temperature options are the primary modes of differentiation. Pressure levels range from 1500 psi for lighter tasks to 8000 psi and beyond for the most powerful pressure washing available. Flow rates offered can range from 2 GPM to 8 GPM. Choosing the proper flow rate and pressure level depends upon the application at hand. Generally the more powerful the feature, the more quickly the user can accomplish the task at hand.

The greatest degree of delineation among the various gas pressure washers available lies within the temperature options. Gasoline-powered cold water pressure washing machines can be used for a range of lighter, residential pressure washing applications, but do not afford users the advanced cleaning power associated with heated machines. Models with heat come in two variations: hot water and steam. Hot water pressure washing equipment is much more powerful than cold water pressure washers, as it can dissolve substances much more quickly.

As cleaning power increases with temperature, hot water pressure washing equipment, with temperatures up to 210 ºF, cannot reach the advanced power of steam. Steam pressure cleaners reach astoundingly high temperatures up to 330 ºF, which allows operators to sanitize and disinfect surfaces while cleaning, degreasing, and quickly removing even the most challenging substances.

Despite the wide array of features and power options available on gas-powered pressure washer equipment, one thing is for sure: all gas pressure washers afford users maximum mobility and power for tackling any commercial or industrial pressure washing application.

About Author

Daimer is a major manufacturer, importer and worldwide exporter of the industry’s leading line of KleenJet® steam cleaners; XTreme Power® carpet cleaners, hard surface cleaning machines, floor buffers/scrubbers/burnishers; Super Max® and Vapor-Flo® pressure washers; and the line of Micro-Blasting® Eco-Green® ecologically friendly green chemicals that employ unique technologies and a patented, proprietary chemistry.

For more information, please contact a Daimer Product Specialist at 1-800-471-7157 or by visiting http://www.daimer.com.

 

Pressure washers are becoming increasingly popular as homeowners find all kinds of uses for them, and others start thriving business’s offering services from cleaning to stripping paint and unclogging drains.

The biggest choice is whether to power the washer with an electric or gas motor. For light duty, cleaning patio furniture, cars, etc., the typical homeowner is often better off with the electric type as they are quieter, lighter, and cheaper to operate. They also are cleaner than gas pressure washers. However, if you have larger projects in mind, or are going commercial, you will need the power of a gas pressure washer.

The unit used in determining power of pressure washers is cleaning units (CU). This is calculated by multiplying the pressure per square inch (PSI) by the water flow rate in gallons per minute (GPM). Most home faucets deliver 5-8 gallons of water a minute. This equals 10 pounds of pressure per square inch (PSI). When you add a spray nozzle to a garden hose, you increase the pressure about 4 times giving you 40 PSI. A gas pressure washer can boost this pressure exponentially to anywhere between 1,000 – 4,000 PSI. No longer are you simply pushing dirt around—with a gas pressure washer you have real cleaning power in hand.

Gas pressure washers are noisier and more polluting than electric powered washers, but the fact is that the smallest gas pressure washer is stronger than the largest electric models and can save you time on bigger jobs. Electric pressure washers can be used inside, don’t require oil, fuel, or spark plugs, while gas pressure washers can be used in any remote place and usually come with more durable pumps. Most Honda motors and some Briggs and Stratton models are already meeting the stricter emission standards due to go into effect by 2012.

How much pressure do you need? For light household items, you can do with 1000-1500 PSI. For patio furniture and decks, 1400-1850 PSI will get the job done faster. For large areas, and cleaning house siding, you will need 2000-3000 PSI to be happy with the washer. For commercial use, or heavy jobs such as stripping paint or cleaning concrete, a gas pressure washer that can deliver 2800-4000 PSI is needed.

Think of it this way, the difference from 1 GPM to 3 GPM will actually cut your cleaning time in half. Homeowners often over-buy and it is recommended to really consider your needs. If you are the average homeowner, you will only use your washer about 20 hours a year, for light cleaning. It may be more cost effective to buy a light duty electric washer and then rent a gas pressure washer on the occasion you may need one.

With a large array of pressure washer accessories available, gas pressure washers can do many jobs. Along with the basic cleaning applications of toys, cars, furniture, patios and decks, siding, and more, there is the removal of gutter debris, cleaning of bricks and concrete, flushing of clogged drains, and even paint removal. There are hot-water tank add-ons (check manufacturer’s specs), and chemical infusion kits as well as sand/water blasting kits all of which make your gas pressure washer more versatile than ever.