It's simply a measure of how much force the water hits with and helps you understand its ability to remove stuck-on debris. As you might guess, the higher the PSI, the more power the water has, so bigger is better in many cases.
Heavy-duty tasks like stripping paint or removing graffiti require 2,800 psi or higher and a gpm of 3 to 4 (8,400+ ECUs). Commercial-grade pressure washers, intended for regular use and built and powered accordingly, start at 3,100 psi.
The 3000 psi machine can put out 5 gpm while the 4000 psi machine has to be cut back to 3.5 to 4gpm in flow. The 3000 psi machine has 14.4 (lb) of impact force which relates to 10 to 20% faster cleaning than the 4000 psi while using a similar amount of horsepower and fuel.
Although many electric pressure washers produce a pressure of about 1900 psi, you should only use a water pressure of 1500 psi or lower on your car. You'll need to look for a low-pressure machine that's a bit less aggressive than the standard.
Generally, contractors or professional cleaners will find that they prefer a higher GPM machine over PSI since they use cleaning solutions to loosen grime instead of relying fully on PSI, their job primarily becomes one of rinsing the dirt away. The higher the GPM the faster it will be to clean large surfaces.
Concrete cleaning calls for powerful pressure washers featuring high pressure levels of 3000 PSI. However, if you will be using the power cleaner to maintain a range of surfaces in addition to concrete, choose one with adjustable pressure levels and set it to about 3000 PSI when you need to clean concrete.
Too much pressure (generally anything more than 1,900 PSI) can damage the paint job on your vehicle. If you're determined to do so, keep the following tips in mind. In addition to using the right pressure (1,000 to 1,200 PSI), make sure you use the correct nozzle.
For cleaning a wooden deck, you'll be best served by using the lowest pressure setting that's still effective. For soft woods like cedar or pine, this is usually about 500 to 600 psi. For harder woods, it can go up to 1200 to 1500 psi. Choose the right tip to use as well.
Vinyl siding can withstand a powerful gas pressure washer (2,500-3,000 psi). Aluminum, stucco or soft-grain wood homes will do better with a less powerful washer (about 1,200-1,500 psi). Determine whether you will rent or buy your machine.
Medium Duty 2000-2800 PSI
This classification ranges from as low as 2,000 PSI to as high as 2,800 PSI. You can use a medium-duty pressure washer for almost any surface. They're great for cleaning concrete, brick, and wood.
Concrete and asphalt require more cleaning power. You'll want to use the turbo nozzle on the 1600 PSI for hard-to-clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios as well as brick paving. For wood decks and painted surfaces, switch to the gentler 40-degree nozzle.
A 4000 PSI pressure washer is ideal for heavy equipment, concrete surfaces, brick walls, construction sites, stripping paint and lifting oil stains. Again, a 4000 PSI pressure washer should not be used on house siding; 4000 PSI is strong enough to cause some serious damage!
If you need to clean a two-story house, you'll need a heavy-duty or extra heavy-duty pressure washer. This will give you a water pressure of 2,800 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) or higher and three to four GPM (gallons per minute) of water.
PSI stands for pounds per square inch and is a unit of measurement used to measure the pressure of a liquid or gas. A 3000 psi pressure washer has the ability to produce up to 3000 pounds of force per square inch, making it an incredibly powerful.
The main difference is that power washing uses highly pressurized steam to do the cleaning while pressure washing just uses unheated tap water, without the help of a heating element.
This looks like very small raised wood grain fibers or hair on the decking boards. When you are prepping a deck you essentially remove a layer of oxidized or damaged wood cells. The more you need to remove, the greater the chance of making the wood look “fuzzy” or “soft”.
The answer is yes – you can power wash with just water! However, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when doing this. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of power washing with water, and we will also give you some tips on how to do it correctly.
Your pressure washer should have a minimum pressure rating of 3000 psi to effectively clean your sidewalk. There are a few situations where a higher pressure rating might be needed, but exterior cleaning experts all agree and recommend that 3000 psi is appropriate for residential use.
Electric pressure washers are the better option for low environmental impact. They run at about 80 decibels (dB), which is around the same level as a standard vacuum cleaner. These tools use clean electricity for power, so they don't produce emissions or rely on fossil fuels for operations.
You should also never set your pressure washer above 2,200 psi when washing your car. 1,500 psi is really all you need to get a good deep clean; any pressure higher than that won't make a noticeable performance difference.
Especially due to the current circumstances, pressure washing your car at home seems like the ideal option. Yet not fully understanding how to use a pressure washer can wreak havoc on your car, stripping off the paint, exposing the metal underneath and leading to potential rust damage.
PSI Pressure range for Different Surfaces
Different surfaces require different levels of PSI pressure. Generally, for most residential uses, an electric pressure washer (less than 2000 PSI) will suffice. Soft surfaces, such as decks and siding, usually require more cleaning power than harder surfaces such as driveways.
A stream just over 1,000 PSI can puncture human skin, while a stream just over 1,700 PSI can punch a hole in concrete. Typically, you control the PSI of the stream of water that your pressure washer emits by changing the pressure washer nozzle.
Medium-duty pressure washers produce 2,000 to 3,000 PSI and can be used to remove grease and grim from concrete, sidewalks, decks and siding.