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What Do I Need To Consider Before Buying A Pressure Washer?

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After deciding how much power you will need to get your job done, you should consider how often you would be using your pressure washer. Residential users of pressure washers will use their unit’s far less than agricultural or commercial users.

Most residential grade pressure washers are only rated for a maximum of less than one hundred hours of washing per year. If your washing requirements are lower and you don’t plan on using your unit one hundred hours in a single year then a residential model might be what you need. Most residential models use high 3450 RPM direct drive motors that will not last as long as a commercial unit.

If you plan to use the unit more than one hundred hours per year then you will need to get an agricultural or commercial quality pressure washer. They have higher quality parts, have more washing power and will last much longer than their cheaper residential units. Commercial grade washers will typically come with gear drive, belt drive, and some cheaper direct drive models available.

The main difference in the price of residential and commercial brand washers is the quality of parts used in the units. A common practice among some pressure washer manufacturers is to use the cheapest parts available so they can sell their units for the lowest price possible.

They then treat the washer as a throw away unit. This means as soon as there is a problem with your washer you will be told to throw the unit away and purchase another one. So it is very important that you check the quality of all the parts in the washers you are looking at.

Motors should be continuous duty with a service factor of 1.0 or higher. Directly coupled pump-to-motor units are much safer, more compact, less complicated and allow better use of available horsepower. When choosing to purchase a gas powered washer, choose a unit with a quality motor that has a gear reduction system to operate the pump. Some of these units have automatic throttle controls that extend the life of the pump.

Brass is the best choice for a pump head, as aluminum reacts to contaminants within water. All moving parts in a pump should be stainless steel for strength and durability.

Most problems that you will experience with pressure washers are caused by the unloader. Make sure the unit has an unloader that presents a no load condition to the motor when it stops washing. This is very important, many cheaper or older models present a load to the motor when it stops washing and this drastically reduces the life of the motor.

Look for valves that are one piece, instead of multiple pieces. They are much more easily replaced and are much more cost efficient.

Plungers should be constructed of ceramic, or stainless steel with a ceramic coating. Having ceramic plungers increases the life of both the plungers and the seals.

Carefully examine gun quality and the length of the hose that comes with the unit and be sure these accessories meet all of your needs.

Pressure washers can be easily adapted to complete secondary jobs such as disinfecting, sand blasting, sump pumping and clearing frozen or blocked drains.
Make sure to select a unit that can use all the accessories required to do those secondary tasks.

Pressure washers can range from about $100 to more than $2,000. With the proper research, you can find the right pressure washer that will fit your budget and perform the job you need.

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