We all can agree, pressure washers change your life for good. Especially if you are one of those people who deal with tough stains like oil stains, deck or siding mold, building grime, etc. on a regular basis. Normally, there are two categories of pressure washers available i.e., professional and domestic pressure washers. Before deciding which pressure washer to buy, you need to calculate what kind of tasks you look forward to doing. If you want to do cleaning around the house, you need to choose from the range of domestic pressure washers.
Here is everything you need to know about pressure washers for the home.
1. Choosing power level
The first and most important thing you need to do is to select the power level. Power is calculated in pounds per square inch (PSI). If you are looking forward to doing simple tasks like washing your car or cleaning the windows, choose the pressure washer with low PSI. High PSI means power. Having high PSI doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be able to clean at a faster pace. For that, you need to check the volume of water the pump delivers in one minute, which is calculated in gallons per minute (GPM). More GPM means faster cleaning. If the pressure washer has slightly low power but GPM is higher, it will be able to provide you with the best results. All you need to do is to learn how to play with power.
2. Hot or cold water
Both of them are able to provide you with the perfect cleaning. The user preference can vary according to the target they are dealing with. Coldwater is excellent when you want to clean mud, dirt, and sand. Hot water pressure washers are only recommended when you are dealing with greasy targets. It’s best for cleaning oil spills. Coldwater pressure washers are comparatively cheaper than hot water.
3. Electric or gas pressure washers
Electric pressure washers are suitable for simple jobs. They make you restricted to a certain area, as you need to be close to the electric socket to make it function. Electric pressure washers are comparatively cheaper and the best part is that these are a lot quieter as compared to the gas ones. The power and GPM offered by these are comparatively less, but these are enough for cleaning effectively. These are proven best for washing stains off of outdoor furniture or cleaning vehicles. Before selecting any pressure washer make sure that you check pressure washer reviews, this way you will be able to get an honest opinion about the product.
Gas pressure washers come with 2,000 PSI and 2 GPM. This pressure is suitable for cleaning tough targets on hard surfaces. If you are looking forward to cleaning sidewalks or garages, these are recommended.
4. Selecting the right nozzle
Selecting the right type of nozzle is extremely important. Normally pressure washers come with 5 types of the nozzle.
The zero-degree nozzle is color-coded in red. It offers extremely high water pressure. It is not recommended to use on fragile targets.
The 15-degree nozzle is color-coded in yellow. The water pressure is comparatively less. It is suitable for cleaning paint.
The 25-degree nozzle is color-coded in green. It is suitable for cleaning around the house. It offers good pressure with a wide spray range.
The 40-degree nozzle is color-coded in white. It has low water pressure with a wide spray range. When you are cleaning fragile targets like windows, use them.
5. Customer or professional pressure washers
Even though both pressure washers are designed for the same purpose, there is a huge difference between them. Customer pressure washers are designed to be used occasionally whereas professional ones can be used on a daily basis. Professional pressure washers normally have more features. You can accessorize them for enjoying better cleaning.