Is it safe to use electric pressure washers with hot water?
During the course of your pressure washing endeavors, you could come to the conclusion that it would be more beneficial to make use of hot water as a means of assisting in the removal of dirt or debris from the surface that you are cleaning. It’s possible that using hot water will make the task simpler, particularly if you’re also going to be using soap or detergent.
Sadly, it is not recommended to use hot water in a standard electric pressure washer since it may cause damage.
The makers of electric pressure washers simply do not construct their products to be able to tolerate high temperatures. Despite this, there is still a chance that something good may come of it.
There are pressure washers available that use hot water. You have the option of purchasing or renting these devices to perform any and all of your tasks involving the cleansing of hot water. The following is essential information about the operation of this equipment.
Why Can’t I Use Hot Water with My Electric Pressure Washer?
I Really Need to Clean Something!
To begin, it is essential to have an understanding of the reason why the vast majority of electric pressure washers are unable to do the same tasks as hot water pressure washers.
Electric pressure washers are designed to be relatively inexpensive, and one way they achieve this goal is by constructing many of its components out of thin plastic. However, when subjected to high temperatures, plastic that is of a thinner gauge is more likely to melt.
Components that have melted offer a significant threat because they may expose the electrical components to water. This might cause severe damage to the pressure washer, rendering it unsalvageable.
Alternately, it may result in the possibility of an electrical shock. If you try to use hot water in a pressure washer, you run the risk of suffering major injuries or being burnt.
Is There a Risk-Free Method of Operating a Pressure Washer With Warm Water?
The owner’s handbook for every pressure washer needs to provide information on the highest safe operating temperature.
You may test your own to discover whether or not you are able to use hot water in it. Some types, like the Karcher K5 Premium, really depend on the temperature of the water that you use to maintain the correct temperature for the engine to operate at while it is running.
Other types of pressure washers are able to work with hot water. One example may be found in the instructions for the Martha Stewart 1450 Max pressure washer, which specifies a maximum water intake temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (or 40 degrees Celsius).
Therefore, you should only use warm water while using the electric pressure washer. However, you must exercise caution since it is relatively simple to inadvertently exceed the temperature restriction that has been set.
In addition, getting hot water into an electric pressure washer in the first place might be difficult if you do not have an outlet for a hose that can accommodate hot water.
You may use high pressure by turning the hot water faucet on if you have a pressure washer that is attached to your sink. On the other hand, you could discover that your pressure washer uses up all of the hot water in your hot water tank in a rather short amount of time.
Also, you may run into temperature concerns. The temperature of the typical hot water tank, which is what the vast majority of people use to heat the water in their homes, is set to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
For reasons of health and safety, the temperature of the tank should not be lowered to a level lower than 120 degrees Fahrenheit, or else you run the risk of allowing bacteria to grow inside the tank. Therefore, in most cases, you will not be able to lower the temperature of your tank in order to satisfy the needs of your pressure washer.
You may give the warm setting on the faucet a go rather than the hot one. However, it might be difficult to check the temperature of the warm water coming from a tank to make certain that it does not exceed the maximum temperature that the pressure washer is rated for.
You can’t merely test the temperature of a thermometer by spraying it with a pressure washer. When you finally recognize that the water is excessively warm, it may be too late to save the pressure washer from the damage it has already caused.
In general, it is recommended to purchase or rent the appropriate instrument for the task, which is a hot water pressure washer.
What exactly is a pressure washer that uses hot water?
A hot water pressure washer is similar to a cold water pressure washer in that it draws cold water into its tank, rapidly heats it, and then forces the water out of the nozzle at a high rate of pressure.
You have the option of purchasing a gas- or electric-powered hot water pressure washer to meet your cleaning needs.
However, the cost of purchasing a hot water pressure washer is often out of reach for the majority of private homes. Because they are required to produce and manage water at a high temperature, they are composed of superior materials, their construction is much more cumbersome, and their cost is significantly higher.
Even the one with the most reasonable pricing that we were able to locate for a hot water pressure washer would still set you back about two thousand dollars.
Buying a hot water pressure washer is usually not a sensible investment unless you are a business buyer who often cleans objects that are really dirty and who wants the cleaning process to be as quick as possible.
In this case, you would need the washer to be as effective as possible. Household pressure washers that utilize cold water may complete any job. Although they are more laborious than hot water pressure washers, they are nevertheless effective in cleaning surfaces.
In light of this, you should give some thought to renting a hot water pressure washer for those occasional but labor-intensive cleaning jobs.
What is the Rental Fee for a Hot Water Pressure Washer, and How Much Does It Cost?
When searching for a pressure washer to rent, you will discover that one with hot water is far harder to come by than one with cold water.
Even at home improvement retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s, hot water pressure washers are not always readily accessible in all regions. If you are able to hire a hot water pressure washer in your region, you can normally anticipate paying close to two hundred dollars per day or close to five hundred dollars per week for the privilege.
It’s possible that you’ll also need to buy the gasoline for a gas-powered model, which is an additional expense that may quickly pile up since these machines use a lot of fuel.
When compared to the cost of renting a conventional pressure washer that uses cold water, this one is, without a doubt, rather pricey.
Renting a cold-water model that has the same PSI and GPU as a hot water model might cost half as much as renting the hot water model. To get the job done while keeping costs down, you should utilize a pressure washer that operates with cold water whenever it can.
When Would It Be Appropriate to Opt for a Hot Water Pressure Washer?
In spite of the fact that a cold-water pressure washer is well suited for the majority of projects, particularly domestic ones, there are a few jobs that may be significantly improved by using a hot-water pressure washer instead. The following is a list of some of those projects:
In the automobile industry, removing oil completely may necessitate the use of hot water while cleaning engines and other components. Trucking firms and other businesses that make use of heavy equipment often buy hot water pressure washers, whereas homeowners who like doing home improvement projects may get away with only renting one.
Waste management: It would be an arduous and time-consuming task to clean dumpsters on a regular basis without the use of a hot water pressure washer. On the other hand, if you just want to clean it once, you can get away with using a pressure washer that uses cold water.
Food services: If you operate a small company that provides food services, you may be required to sterilize your equipment using a hot water pressure washer in order to comply with requirements.
In the construction industry, the usage of a hot water pressure washer is often required for the cleaning of heavy equipment.
Product creation in manufacturing may be a very chaotic process. When it comes to cleaning their facilities, manufacturers often invest in industrial-grade pressure washers that make use of hot water.
Choosing the Right Model for Your Hot Water Pressure Washer
What characteristics should you seek for in a model of a hot water pressure washer if you do decide that it would be financially beneficial to make the investment? The following are a few points to keep in mind:
Gas power, as opposed to electric power: If you need really high-pressure equipment, gas will turn out to be the most cost-effective option. On the other hand, they are not as handy.
If you need to add detergent to the stream of water that you are cleaning with, you should look for a pressure washer that has the capacity to do so already built in to it. When using a commercial pressure washer, it is not necessary to scrape the surface to be cleaned prior to the pressure washing process. This is not the case with residential pressure washers.
Easily transportable and compact: Because they have to store water for heating before using it, hot water pressure washers are likely to be on the larger side. Not every type will be easy to maneuver inside or be controllable in any given space.
When you acquire a hot water pressure washer, you will be making a big investment in your business. As a result, having a lengthy warranty that covers everything will be to your advantage.
If you do decide to buy a hot water pressure washer, you should exercise extreme caution. Because the machine applies more pressure and heat, the cleaning procedure for many typical domestic surfaces will need to be modified in order to account for these factors.
Suitable Pressure Washers For Newbies
How Should I Handle A Smoking Pressure Washer?
Can An Electric Pressure Washer Overheat?
This Is The Cause Of Your Pressure Washer’s Difficulty Starting.
Are Pressure Washer Tips Replaceable?
Are Wands For Pressure Washers Universal?
