When purchasing a gasoline powered pressure washer you first need to determine what size of a machine you need.
If you have a large concrete driveway or pavers that need cleaning every year try to get a machine with a GPM of 3.0 or higher. Many of the accessories such as surface cleaner or rotory nozzle have a minimum rating of 3.0 GPM.
These machines brand new will cost more than the gas units that are common in the stores. These machine are borderline commercial units and it's not uncommon to see a professional using a machine with a GPM of 3.0.
Whether or not your budget allows you to purchase a 3.0 GPM machine or not, use the CU formula to compare different machines.
PSI should not be the only determining factor when choosing one of these machines.
A machine with a higher PSI rating and equal HP has to compensate for the higher PSI by pumping less GPM. Take this into consideration when determining what machine to buy.
Example:
- PSI 2800 x GPM 2.5 = 7000 CU
- PSI 2500 x GPM 3.0 = 7500 CU
The PSI is what will remove the debris from the surface. The GPM is the water that will flush all that dirt and debris away.Generally you will be doing a lot of flushing when pressure washing the driveway or brick walkway.
All gas engines will require maintenance. If a gas engine is not serviced regularly it will not last.
Purchasing a brand name engine will come with a good warranty and will ensure that parts will be available well into the future.
Purchasing a machine without a brand name engine can save some money in the short term however, if the unit breaks down after the warranty period it may not be servicable.
It is important to understand how to care for you machine and it's included accessories. The manual will have very helpful information on assembly, operation, storage, and maintenance. Your pressure washer is not indestructable
and doing things like running the machine without water, storing the machine outside during the cold winter months or pumping solvents or chemicals can damage your machine. The do's and don't are covered in the operators manual included with the machine.
HELPFUL ACCESSORIES FOR GAS MACHINES
- Chemical Injector - This can be used to apply soap to you car or deck
- Rotating Nozzle - This is a powerful nozzle best suited for high impact cleaning such as grass / weed removal.
- Hose Reel - This can be used to keep you hose stored on a nice reel.
- Extension Lances - These can be helpful for reaching your gutters or soffits.
- Surface Cleaner - Speeds up cleaning flat surfaces and reduces operator fatigue.
- Telescoping Wand - Clean hard to reach areas from the ground
- Water Broom - Clean faster with up to 4 nozzles at once.
- Foamer Lance - Use less detergent and apply a thick foam to your surface. Allows for longer dwell time increasing the detergent effectiveness.
- Sludge Pump - Convert you pressure washer into a water pump.
- Gutter Cleaner - Attach to you extended lance to clean inside you gutter from the ground.
- Wet Sandblaster - Remove graffiti / pain and rust by injecting sand inro you water stream.
- Sewer Cleaning (sewer jetting), Kit - Clean and unplug pipe and drain tiles.
