pressure washers

Pressure washing or power washing is the growing practice of cleaning using high pressure water spraying. The high pressure water spraying is achieved by specially designed pumps. This type of cleaning is many times more powerful than the pressure that comes out of a typical garden hose. If you choose to use on concrete it removes mold and mildew, bubble gum, and other dirt stains. Also, pressure washing can make wooden decks look like new. Pressure washers are also commonly used by homeowners to improve the appearance of aluminum or vinyl siding by removing pollution, mildew, and other signs of neglect.

When choosing a pressure washer, your application will play a major factor in whether you need a hot or cold water pressure washer. Cold water pressure washers are ideal for removing dirt on most any surface. Additional accessories like, high pressure nozzles or rotating brushes, work with cold water pressure washers to increase the cleaning power and decrease your cleaning time.

However, if you are cleaning surfaces that have grease or oil on them, hot water is a must. You wouldn’t think of washing your greasy hands with cold water and the same applies to pressure washing. If you operate cold water equipment more than a few hours a week, you should consider the labor savings you could realize by switching to a hot water pressure washer.

Belt driven pressure washers are most commonly found on commercial/industrial style pressure washers. A belt driven pump is ideal for cleaning applications that require more than 20+ hours per week. On a belt driven unit, the high-pressure pump spins at a less RPM reducing the heat and vibration, which in turn, minimizes the wear and tear on the internal parts of the pump and leads to longer life.

If you will be using your pressure washer less than 20 hours a week, a direct drive may be better suited for your application. Direct drive units turn about twice the RPM as a belt driven unit. These units are usually more compact and easier to transport. They are also typically more cost effective.

Gas or electric is completely up to the consumer. There are pros and cons to both.

Electric is safe to use indoors because you don’t have harmful fumes. Electric motors are usually quieter and require less maintenance than a gas engine. Also, with an electric motor you do not have to have gas on hand and you do not need to fight the rising cost of fuel prices.

With a gas pressure washer you have a couple of different choices when selecting an engine. Also, gas engines don’t require a power cord which in turn allows more portability.

PSI and GPM are both equally important when choosing a pressure washer. The PSI refers to the amount of pressure and GPM refers to the flow. You must have the correct combination of PSI and GPM to have the most ideal pressure washing system for your needs.

To clean effectively, a pressure washer must provide a “stripping” action to scrub off the dirt and “flow” to move the dirt away. Think of the pressure (PSI) as the stripping force that is applied to the surface you are cleaning and the flow (GPM) as the rinsing power that carries the dirt away.

PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) refers to the amount of cleaning pressure that the unit can produce.

GPM (Gallons per Minute) is the amount of water that is coming from the unit.

Cleaning Units (CU) is the result of multiplying the PSI by the GPM. Cleaning units gives the customer a measure of unit performance (efficiency) to compare one unit to another. Cleaning units is calculated by multiplying PSI and GPM.

For example:

• A pressure washer with 3000 PSI and 2.0 GPM has 6000 Cleaning Units
• A pressure washer with 2000 PSI and 3.0 GPM also has 6000 Cleaning Units but the rinsing power is greater than the stripping power.

GPM is usually more important to contractors than PSI. Since most contractors use cleaning chemicals to do all of the cleaning, their job becomes one primarily of rinsing the dirt away.

YES! If you plan to pull water from a regular garden hose connection you can use a direct drive pressure washer with a standard filter that comes with your pressure washer. If you plan to pull water from a tank we recommend that you use a belt driven pressure washer. The pump on a belt driven pressure washer has better suction capabilities than a direct drive pressure washer.

The nozzle is what creates pressure. If you have the incorrect nozzle size on your pressure washer you may not get the full potential out of the unit. Always make sure that your pressure washer nozzle is clean and free of debris.

YES! Swift Industrial custom builds trailers to suit the needs of our customers in either single or dual axle models. Add reliable Mi-T-M equipment to suit your application and you are ready for the next job! Trailer units are used by heavy construction contractors, factories, well drillers, mines, military bases, road builders, contract cleaners, shipyards, municipalities and food services.

The first option is to store your pressure washer in a heated area and not let it freeze. If the unit cannot be stored in a heated area you will need to run RV Anti- Freeze through the pump. To do this, take a short piece of garden hose with a male garden hose connector and attach to the pump. Attach a funnel to the other end of the hose and fill the funnel with the RV anti- freeze fluid and pull the engine over until you see the colored fluid exiting the pump. It is also very important to drain the high pressure hose and the gun/wand.

If you are unable to store your pressure washer in a heated area you can purchase a 6 oz container of Mi-T-M pump saver, which comes equipped with a male garden hose connector. Thread the connector onto the pump inlet, remove the pressure washer high pressure outlet hose, and spray the contents by pressing the center cap of the canister. By allowing the entire contents into the pump, the water should be pushed out through the discharge quick connect. The pump saver provides longer pump life, prevents harmful build up of hard water mineral deposits, preserves seals, pistons and protects against freezing.