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Pressure Washers
Pressure Washers
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- Shop Pressure Washers & Accessories
Pressure Washers keep the Outside of your House Clean
For general or heavy-duty cleaning, pressure washers are the perfect tool to get the job done quickly and accurately. Combining a pump and a motor, along with the water from your garden hose, pressure washers emit a powerful stream of water that is capable of blasting away muck, grime, and filth from driveways, sidewalks, decks, fences, and outdoor patio furniture. This equipment allows you to easily clean large areas with less elbow grease.
Learn about pressure washer terminology, features, and options to give you a better understanding of which type of grime-blasting machine you need.
Pounds per Square Inch (PSI). PSI refers to the measurement unit of water pressure. In other words, it's the pressure from a one-pound force to an area of one square inch. Generally speaking, lower PSI power washers (1400 to 1700) are electric-powered, while higher PSI (1700 and higher) are gas-powered.
Gallons Per Minute (GPM) . GPM is a measurement of water flow. As expected, the larger the GPM, the more area a power washer can clean.
Cleaning Units (CU). The CU can help you compare pressure washers. The higher the CU, the more dirt and debris the machine can clean. CUs are determined by multiplying the PSI by GPM. The following is a rough guide to CU ranges and their corresponding task capacity.
- -Up to 3,000 CUs - Light duty (Examples: lawn furniture, grills, small decks, cars)
- -3000 to 5000 CUs - Medium duty (Examples: sidewalks, large decks, lawn mowers, boats)
- -5,000 to 8,000+ CU - Heavy duty to Industrial Strength (Examples: trucks, pools, exterior siding, store fronts, kennels, graffiti)
Cleaning Time
Generally, the time to clean your surface area varies by PSI. For instance, a light-duty pressure water with a PSI of between 1,200 to 1,900 takes about 10 minutes to clean an area of 10 to 40 square feet. On the other hand, a pressure washer with a PSI range of 3,800 can clean approximately 190 square feet in 10 minutes.
Types:
There are two major types of pressure washers: electric and gas-powered. Your decision between the two depends on the size of the projects at your home and how fast you want to get them done.
Electric Pressure WashersSince electric pressure washers have lower PSIs, they are great for cleaning smaller surfaces, such as grills, boats, and cars. They are also more lightweight than their gas-powered cousins. However, electric-powered models are not capable of cleaning large surface areas very fast. Electric pressure washers are typically less expensive to operate than gas-powered units. Unlike gas-powered models, electric power washers emit no fumes. However, they do contain an electrical cord, which means you do not have freedom of moving long distances without an extension cord. Lastly, electric units are quieter than gas-powered washers.
Gas Pressure Washers
All things considered, the smallest gas-powered pressure washer has more power than the largest electric one. They can help you clean large surface areas, such as driveways, decks, and fencing with less water, time, and effort than their electric counterparts. Gas-powered pressure washers are cord-free, giving you freedom to move as you wish. Because gas-powered models operate on gasoline, they can be heavier than electric power washers. Gas-powered units require additional maintenance costs, such as gasoline, oil, and spark plugs.
Industrial Pressure Washers. Industrial pressure washers are well-suited for commercial use or for larger jobs, such as pools, kennels, or trucks. They are rugged and extremely powerful to handle even the biggest and toughest jobs. These units can have power sources of 110 volt electric, 220 volt electric, diesel, or gasoline. They're available in cold water or hot water models. Hot water pressure washers clean more thoroughly and quickly than cold water units, and use less soap to degrease and sanitize.
Accessories. Most pressure washers come equipped with accessories, such as: replacement hose, pump saver, cleaning concentrate, turbo nozzle, rotating brush, water broom, and extension wands to help you reach high places. You can also adjust water pressure by purchasing a variable pressure wand or by changing spray nozzles. Hose reels also help to extend the life of your pressure washer hose.
From electric to gas to industrial strength, Sears has a wide collection of pressure washers with varying PSIs from brands such as Craftsman, Campbell, Black & Decker, Karcher, Stanley, Steele, Briggs & Stratton, & Earthwise.
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