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Power Washers
Jobs like cleaning the house siding or washing
the car are made easier with a power washer,
a compressed-air device that sends a pressurized
stream that is much more effective than a
manual scrub brush.
The Right Power Washer for the
Job
When selecting a power washer,
you need to
consider these factors:
- The job to be done: cleaning house siding,
washing the car, cleaning concrete, stripping
paint, etc.
- The work area and scope: a whole house, a
small area, a spot far away from electricity,
etc.
- The GPM (gallons per minute) the unit can
deliver, and whether it can heat the water.
- The power source (electric or gas powered).
The pressure is generated by
either an electric
motor (so you have to plug it
in) or by a
gas-powered engine, similar to
a lawnmower.
The amount of pressure the unit
can produce
dictates the jobs it can handle.
For instance,
a garden hose can produce about
40 PSI (pounds
per square inch), while the most
basic pressure
washer models produce 1800 PSI
or more. The
following tasks require differing
amounts
of pressure:
| Washing and cleaning (cars, siding, washing
concrete) |
1800 – 2200 PSI |
| Heavy-duty cleaning (grease, oil, grime)
|
2300 – 2700 PSI |
| Prepping and paint stripping |
2800 – 3500 PSI |
| Models over 3000 PSI are generally considered
professional models |
The GPM the unit can deliver
translates to
the surface area that can be
worked easily.
For instance, a 2 GPM flow rate
can clean
approximately 6 square feet in
one minute.
But if the same unit had a 3
GPM flow rate,
it could clean 9 square feet
in the same
amount of time. |
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