What Do I Need To Know Before I Purchase A Pressure Washer?

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The work value of a pressure washer is decided by two factors, pressure and flow. Pressure washers can also be called power washers, since the ability of the unit to wash, or its power to wash, is determined by both pressure and water volume.

Pressure is measured in pounds per square inch, or PSI and determines how much power the unit has to clean surfaces. The PSI of a pressure washer determines how effectively it breaks the bonds of the debris to the surface being cleaned.

Water volume, also known as the flow of the unit, is measured in gallons per minute, or GPM, or liters per minute, LPM. Flow is the amount of water being thrown at the surface being cleaned. The water flow of the washer affects the time it takes to clean a surface. A pressure washer with a higher flow rate will take less time to clean than a lower flow unit.

You would need a pressure washer with a PSI rating of 700 to 1,000 to wash your car. To clean your decks or vinyl siding the PSI rating would need to be 1,000 to 1,500. A PSI rating of 2,000 to 3,000 would be needed for heavy-duty equipment and agricultural uses. Concrete surfaces and heavy industrial uses would need a rating of 3,000 PSI or more.



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