Anything over 3 gpm will work quite well in the house, but 3, 5 or more is a serious PW that will work well in larger inlets, etc. The ideal flow rate for a pressure washer depends on the specific application and the specifications of the pressure washer. In general, a flow rate of 5.2 liters per minute is suitable for light tasks, such as washing cars, boats and outdoor furniture. For medium tasks, such as cleaning patios, decks and fences, a flow rate of 6 is recommended at 9 GPM.
According to technical experts at Goodway Technologies, the fact is that pressure will only help you to a certain extent, and that water flow plays a bigger role in determining the performance of a pressure washer. On the other hand, if you're never going to exceed 2500 PSI for your projects, you can save some money if you choose a 2600 PSI pressure washer instead of a 4000 PSI pressure washer. Powermate pressure washers have been used commercially for years to clean buildings, remove paint and remove graffiti. This is the amount of water that the pressure washer is capable of using when it is in operation and the trigger is pulled.
The term “cleaning unit” has been developed to help you understand flow power (gpm) and pressure (psi) combined. That's good advice, but for those of us who work in a well or have a low pressure and a low supply flow, a higher windshield washer flow can, as I understand it, be detrimental to performance if the supply can't keep up with production. If you have a 3.5 gallon per minute pressure washer and you don't have a nozzle in the lance, it will flow 3.5 gallons per minute at about 40 psi, just as it will flow 3.5 gallons per minute at a couple of thousand psi. However, it is important to note that the use of a high flow rate without adequate pressure may cause poor cleaning performance.
When considering what size pressure washer to buy, keep in mind that the name “pressure washer” may be a misnomer, as both pressure and flow rate are important factors to consider. For example, you'll need much less pressure to clean dirt and salt from your vehicle than to clean oil stains from your garage floor. Flow rate is important in a pressure washer because it affects cleaning performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of the machine. With more than 100 models available, Hotsy Water Blast has the portable or stationary pressure washer to meet your cleaning needs.
But understanding why requires understanding how pressure and flow contribute to cleaning efficiency. Gas pressure washers usually have a higher cleaning capacity, from 1800 to 4000 PSI, allowing a wider spray pattern to be used, speeding up the cleaning work. Keep in mind that the more pressure a machine exerts, the more physically demanding it will be for the operator, who will have to compensate for the force of the water flow.
