High Pressure - Why and how?
Every homeowner knows how difficult it is to clean paths, driveways and patio areas when using a garden hose and a stiff broom, this is because the water pressure from garden hose can only provide a very limited cleaning power. However, a pressure washer provides significantly higher cleaning power, with water delivered at pressures above 1,500 psi and a controlled water flow and is therefore perfect for most exterior cleaning tasks around the house, garden and for cleaning the car.
How does a pressure washer work?
Water from a suitable supply is supplied through a garden hose to the inlet of pressure washer. An electrical or gasoline driven high pressure pump generates water pressures in excess of 1500psi and in some commercial models as high as 4000psi. A high pressure hose delivers the high pressure to the pistol and the lance. With the trigger of the pistol open, the water leaves the nozzle of the lance as a sharp, concentrated jet with high cleaning power. Despite its remarkably better cleaning performance a pressure washer uses dramatically less water than a garden hose thus protecting the environment. Typically a garden hose with 60 psi water supply pressure uses up to 600 gallons of water per hour, whereas a pressure washer uses only about 180 gallons per hour but supplied at a pressure of 1500psi and upwards.
What can be cleaned with high pressure?
Cleaning can be fun with high pressure - cars, moss-covered garden paths, patios, shutters, decorative block walls, driveways, trash cans, lawn mowers, boats and pet exercise areas... Everything becomes clean rapidly and easily. Pressure washers are - multipurpose - multifunctional thanks to the availability of a wide range of special accessories. These special accessories allow for cleaning of blocked drains and gutters, removal of rust from gates and fences, pumping out ponds and a whole lot more. Exercise your creativity and you will find further applications for your pressure washer.
How do you clean patios, terraces, and other hard surfaces?
For general cleaning of paved areas and other hard surfaces outside the home the pressure washer is used with the high pressure nozzle or the "dirtblaster" (rotating pencil jet accessory). For lasting cleanliness the special accessory floor cleaning tool is applied, which comprises of three shrouded high pressure nozzles simply powering away the dirt. A curtain of bristles provides the shrouding around the cleaning head so protecting the user, walls and windows against splashback.
How do you clean moss-covered paving slabs?
Move the dirtblaster across the slab from one edge to the other. A special accessory splash protecting curtain of bristles is available which protects against splashback, when the dirtblaster is in operation. Moss not only covers the surface of paved areas and other hard surfaces, but also enters into the pores of the material. To tackle this cleaning problem the "dirtblaster" accessory is ideal, its pencil jet rotating at 2,000 rpm combine the cleaning power of the concentrated pencil jet with the area coverage of a broad fan jet.
How do you clean garden furniture?
Household garden furniture manufactured from synthetic materials may be brought to an "as new" condition after the winter using a pressure washer and its high pressure cleaning jet. If faced with stubborn dirt the use of a detergent at low pressure prior to high pressure cleaning is recommended or the use of a wash brush accessory may assist. (Before cleaning of wooden surfaces test a small area before cleaning the entire unit)
How do you clean shutters?
Totally close security shutters where fitted. Set the pressure washer to low pressure operation and use to apply detergent to the shutters. Allow 1-2 minutes for the detergent to work before removing the loosened dirt by changing to the high pressure jet of the pressure washer or fitting a wash brush accessory to the lance.
How do you clean boats?
Algae and barnacles on the sides of boats or dinghies are no problem for a high pressure washer. The jet should be used as close to the surface as is practical or where difficulty in cleaning is experienced the "dirtblaster" is recommended. For non contaminated surfaces the wash brush should prove adequate.
How do you remove rust & paint?
With the wet blasting kit railings, wrought iron gates and other metallic objects can be freed from rust and paint.
How do you clean blocked drains?
For blocked drains, roof eaves and guttering there is a special pipe cleaning kit available from www.PressureParts.com. Insert the brass cleaning head at the end of the hose into the blocked drain, operate the trigger gun and four backward firing high pressure jets propel the hose into the drain. If the cleaning head becomes stationary at the blockage squeeze and release the trigger several times until the blockage is cleared.