One of the most common terms associated with power washers is PSI. But unfortunately, it is a foreign term for most people. This write-up seeks to explain this time and provide insight on power washer PSI requirements for common cleaning tasks.
What is PSI?
Before diving into the power washer PSI requirements, it would be wise to start by explaining this concept. PSI is a popular British and American unit of pressure expressed in full as Pounds per Square Inch. It is used for all pressure instruments, including power washers. PSI allows you to measure the pressure delivered by a pressure washer for various cleaning tasks in pressure washers. Therefore, the power washer PSI requirements differ depending on the task. It is also worth mentioning that various power washers feature varying PSI. Therefore, a pressure washer’s PSI depends on its intended applications, model, and manufacturer.
1. PSI requirements for common power washing tasks
When choosing a power washer, experts recommend that you consider its PSI. However, your choice of PSI usually depends on the applications. Therefore, it would be wise to understand the power washer PSI requirements for specific applications to make an informed decision. Below are some standard power washer applications and the recommended PSI;
a. Light household or residential applications
For light applications in your home, like cleaning your grill and vehicle, a power washer with a PSI range of 1000- 1900 would be perfect. With such PSI, you do not have to worry about getting injured or damaging your belongings when pressure washing them. Most handheld electric pressure washers provide this PSI range.
b. Heavier residential cleaning tasks
A higher PSI is required for heavier applications in your home, like cleaning gutters and sidewalks, removing paint from walls, and washing grease from hard surfaces. Professionals recommend a PSI range of 2000- 2900, a standard PSI range for most electric and gas power washer models. Such machines provide more power to handle harder cleaning duties.
c. Professional applications
Pressure washing is a paying profession. Therefore, some companies and individuals specialize in this area. These professional pressure washers usually use machines with higher PSI ranges of 3000-6900. People generally use higher professional pressure washers for heavier and more complex tasks. Therefore, they require machines that can effectively complete harder pressure washing tasks within the shortest time. Machines with such high PSI ratings are only safe for professional handling. Remember, the higher the PSI, the more dangerous the machine. Most electric power washers cannot deliver such high PSI.
d. Industrial and engineering applications
These tasks include larger tasks like cleaning big equipment and structures. For example, industrial and engineering pressure washers can clean bridges and dangerous yet extensive equipment in factories. Therefore, a higher PSI rating of between 7000 and 50000 is required. Power washers with such high PSI ratings are usually automated. This is because they are too dangerous to be handled by human beings. For instance, the pressure is high enough to blast off the handler and cause severe injuries or death.
Conclusion
Most, if not all, pressure washer manufacturers usually provide a power washer PSI chart. You can use this chart to determine the requirements for your pressure washing requirements. However, if the manufacturer does not offer the chart, you can always search the internet. Various sources provide this information.