Professional Pressure Cleaning Overview
Click HERE to see all of my Lenses 
Found within this lens is a basic overview of Pressure Cleaning Techniques and Pressure Cleaning Equipment.
This lens will serve as a hub for my series of Pressure Cleaning lenses.
By the way, even though some of you may know me as Squidoo's #1 "Bodybuilding, Nutrition and Fat-Loss Guy", I'm also an owner/operator of a small pressure cleaning business in St. Lucie County, Florida.
If you're in my area and you need my service or have questions related to Pressure Cleaning, feel free to call me during normal business hours.
See my business card below for more info..
For more information about me and what I've been up to lately, please visit MY BLOG..
Contents at a Glance
- What you need to know about Pressure Washing and it's related Equipment
- So, how does "high-pressure" cleaning actually work?
Table of Contents for My other Pressure Cleaning Lenses
I will be adding more Pressure Cleaning sub-topics to the list as soon as I finish creating them...
What you need to know about Pressure Washing and it's related Equipment
The easiest way to learn how to use a pressure washer is to first understand how the power washing systems work.There are four basics to the power washing process regardless of what machine or method you use.
The four elements are: amount of pressure, water flow rate, cleaning solution used and water temperature.
If we take out just one of these four elements, the cleaning characteristics will change.
For example, if you can only afford a cold water pressure washer instead of hot water washer, you will have to compensate for that loss. In other words, pressure washer basics tell you that you will have to add more detergents, apply higher pressure and use more water to achieve better results.
Therefore, you will always have to make adjustments combining these four elements in order to achieve the ideal cleaning atmosphere for your particular cleaning task.
Nevertheless, when learning how power washing systems work and how to power wash, keep in mind that detergents emulsify the dirt better and faster as the temperature increases. This is especially true when cleaning oil and grease from a concrete surface. That's why hot water power washing systems are perfect for such jobs.
So, how does "high-pressure" cleaning actually work?
It's all in the process of breaking the bond between the dirt and the surface being cleaned. As I mentioned earlier, for the best results you will combine the four essential elements.However, shortfalls do exist. Here is another example of how pressure washers work: let's say you notice you have a little detergent left and you decide to decrease the amount injected (down-streamed) through the pressure washer. A cleaning solution decrease in this case will have less effect on the debris being cleaned. Because of that, now you must work with other elements to make up for that loss.
You have to increase the pressure, water temperature and the water volume. Even though, you are less likely to reach the same level of efficiency (by decreasing the amount of detergent), you will somewhat neutralize that loss.
Some Things You Need To Know Before Purchasing A Pressure Washer
If you are going to buy a pressure washer, do yourself the biggest favor of them all besides getting educated on their maintenance and use...Please DON'T purchase a cheaply made residential unit.
Spend the extra money on a 9-13 hp / 3000-4000 psi @ 4-5.5 gallon per minute "COMMERCIAL" Washer. Also be sure to have at least 100 ft of matching high pressure hose and use a 3/4 inch garden hose Not a 5/8 inch hose, to feed the machine with water.
This is the #1 reason why people fail at pressure washing projects. Those cheap machines are nothing but unreliable, useless junk that take forever to even get a small job done!!
** The unit pictured in this module is a Hot Water - Skid Mounted - Belt Driven - Pressure Cleaning System rated at 4000psi @ 6gal per minute. It retails for about $5600 - $5900 depending on where you purchase it.
These types of units are great because they require virtually no detergents to get most surfaces clean due to the fact that the output water being very hot (just like using hot water to clean your laundry or dishes.. hot water always cleans better than ambient).
Again they are nice to have in this trade but NOT absolutely necessary to get the job done professionally.
It Does NOT Pay to Buy an Underpowered, Underrated Consumer Unit !
Seriously.. Why buy something that is underpowered, underrated and likely to last only 3 years, if that. The commercial grade units will last 4-5 times longer and provide you with the power needed to get any job done in much less time with much greater results.And remember if something goes bad on a commercial pump, the pump can be fixed, unlike a residential pump that uses mainly brass parts that warp in high temps and become completely ruined.
Commercial pumps can also come set-up with belt drives which distance the pump away from the engine to keep the pump much cooler, which in turn gives longer life if used correctly.
One last reason for going with a commercial washer is that they can run large accessories that residential units can't power, such as surface scrubber attachments like the one pictured above which are used for cleaning concrete and all other flat-work.
This concludes most of the basics on Pressure Washers.
Please see my Pressure Cleaning Series Table of Contents below the next module to continue.
A List Of Typical Equipment and Basic Supplies Needed During A Professional Pressure Cleaners Day
I've provided an average cost to purchase the item as (New) from a qualified dealer
* This is the standard equipment and supplies I use for doing typical residential jobs
- 4000 PSI @ 4 Gallon Per Minute "Belt Driven" Pump - Pressure Washer - $2,100
Includes: 50 ft of matching high-pressure hose + wand + 5 tips - Additional 150 foot length of matching - High-Pressure Hose - $150
- 150 foot length of 3/4" - Garden Hose - $160
- 20% fixed rate matching - Chemical Injector - $30
Includes: siphoning tube - 300 - 500 Gallon Polyethylene - "Leg" Tank - $400 to $700
* For storing the water that your "belt-driven" Pressure Washer will be drawing from (most of the time we use it to buffer the system) - 35 Gallon Polyethylene - "Leg" Tank - $85
* For storing at least 25-30 Gallons of Chlorine - 25 Gallon Polyethylene - "Leg" Tank - $70
* This will serve as a batching mixing/chemical draw Tank - At least a 6' x 10' duel axle - Utility Trailer - $2,250
* Don't forget to add a Truck that can pull & stop a maximum 6,000 lb payload (only that high if you're pulling 500 gallons of water to the job, which we don't normally have to do) - 20" to 28" wide - Surface Washer - $520 to $950
* They do come bigger.. but this size-range is all that's needed for residential flat-work - 30 Gallons of 10%-12% - Chlorine - $48
* Not Store-Bought Bleach - 3 Gallons of - General Purpose "House-Wash" - $21
- 5 Gallons of - Aqua-Rust or Equivalent - $40
* Yup it's a surface rust remover - 4000 PSI or higher rated - Ball Valve - $35
* used to close-off hose between changing out attachments - 5-8 foot length of matching - Extension Wand - $30 to $45
- 24 foot Class-1 rated - Fiberglass Extension Ladder - $315
* this comes in handy for doing Roof Jobs - 150 - 200 foot capacity - High-Pressure Hose Reel - $140 to $180
- 150 foot capacity trailer-mountable - Garden Hose Reel - $70
- 40-60 PSI @ 2-3 Gallon Per Minute - Electric Chemical Spray Pump - $100 to $150
* This pump is for spraying undiluted "Roof-Mix" - 150 foot of 3/8" Clear-Braided - Chemical Hose - $85
* For use with the Chemical Pump listed above - 4 foot long - PVC Spray Wand - w/ Shut-Off and 1/4 Meg Tip - $15 cost to make this wand
* For use with the Chemical Hose & Pump - 5 Gallon - Fuel Storage Container - $8
* Don't forget to keep it full of 89 octane gasoline - Having an Extra High-Pressure Wand and set of Tips is always a good idea too.. $40
* Unfortunately they don't last forever like some people think - 16 cubic foot ABS plastic - Storage Bin - $60
* For storing all of the smaller, loose items on-board the trailer, like extra pump-oil, motor oil, tools, safety equipment and your boots - Shin-High - Rubber "Chemical" Boots - $25
- Clear or Tinted - Safety Lenses or Face Shield - $6 to $20
Table of Contents for My other Pressure Cleaning Lenses
I will be adding more Pressure Cleaning sub-topics to the list as soon as I finish creating them...
Loading poll. Please Wait...
Great Stuff on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Pressure Washing Stuff on Amazon
Reader Feedback / Questions & Answers
Ask questions about Pressure Cleaning ( check back for my answers )
|
Pantherart
My first business was washing mobile homes that was way back in the early 70's great lens 5 stars Posted October 13, 2008 |
|
ahashim
Bill I think this subject is interesting and useful info Posted September 23, 2008 |
|
marymc
Bill, this is going to my son in law--I know he will be interested. Posted September 21, 2008 |
|
AndyPo
Useful information. Thanks. 5* Posted September 13, 2008 |
|
JaguarJulie
My hubby has done so much pressure washing about our home and patio that he finally decided to get quotes to enclose the patio so that eliminates one more area to pressure wash. What might improve your lens is to add a few more focused text modules to break-out all the info from your longer text module. 5***** for an informative lens! Posted August 26, 2008 |
