RM Online - What your customers need to know about pressure washers

Know your nozzles

Pressure washing equipment speeds and simplifies difficult cleaning jobs by converting water from a standard hydrant into a pressurized spray.

Pressure washers quickly and efficiently clean exterior surfaces of buildings, mobile homes, windows, patios, decks, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and other paved surfaces, swimming pools, gutters, motor vehicles, trailers, campers and boats. Solvents also can be used.

In addition to routine cleaning projects, pressure washers are used to prepare surfaces for paint or other protective coatings. Pressure washers also are used to remove graffiti.

Both homeowners and professionals rent pressure washers. However, few households own pressure washers, and renting is an ideal solution for big cleaning projects. Professionals - including cleaning contractors, building maintenance personnel, landscape contractors, equipment distributors, crews who work for schools and other public institutions, auto and truck dealerships, automotive and marine repair shops, and food production and processing companies - use pressure washers.

"Customers want pressure washers that are easy starting, lightweight and portable," says Harley Sadlo, MCS Industries, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. "When renting, they look at water pressure and volume and for the correct accessories to get their cleaning jobs done."

Both basic types of pressure washers, belt- and direct-drive, come in a variety of sizes and capacities. Different nozzle designs produce spray patterns for various cleaning requirements

Belt-driven machines generally are larger than direct-drive models; belts, pulleys and other drive system parts add size and weight. Belt-driven units usually cost more than direct-drive models with comparable specifications, but many equipment owners consider them to be more durable. Many rental store owners prefer belt-driven models because they are less susceptible to damage due to misuse.

The pump on a piece of direct-driven equipment is mounted on the engine or electric motor, so these machines have fewer parts, weigh less and are more compact. A lower purchase price, small size and portability make direct-drive equipment attractive to many renters and, therefore, to rental store owners.

Many homeowner customers prefer lightweight electric or gasoline models. Larger electric- and gasoline-powered units are rented by both homeowners and professionals. Some big commercial units are powered by diesel engines.

Hot-water models heat the water supply, but they are larger in size, cost more to purchase and their heating system makes maintenance more complicated. But hot water cleans more efficiently than cold water, and hot water is needed to remove oil, grease and other hard-to-clean substances.

"Many people only look at pressure," says Jay Huntsman, Airlessco by Durotech, Moorpark, Calif. "But volume is just as important.

"Rental yards often have 1,500-psi units producing 3 to 4 gallons per minute for homeowners, who usually need a lower psi and higher gpm and who like units they can carry in a car trunk," he added. "This size machine is compact and can't do much damage if misused. For contractors, 2,500-psi/5 gpm and 3,000-psi/4 gpm washers can handle bigger jobs."

Counter personnel must be able to recommend the correct size, type and model of equipment and the correct nozzles to fit the needs of customers. Operating instructions and safety advice always should be given, as well.

"The real advancements in pressure washers have been in the field of accessories," says Richard Valentine of Simpson Cleaning Systems, Clearwater, Fla. "With the right selection of accessories, there is almost no limit to the type of work a pressure washer can do."

"Add-ons are especially popular with rental customers," says Crismon Lewis of Landa Water Cleaning Systems, Portland, Ore. "Rotary or turbo nozzles convert a medium-pressure unit into a super blaster. Other good items are extension wands for cleaning hard-to-reach areas, and chemicals for specialty cleaning."

Airlessco's Huntsman advises rental stores to replace pressure washers before increased maintenance costs eat into profits.

The market for used pressure washers is "insatiable," Huntsman says.