Factors to Consider When Choosing a High-Pressure Cleaner

Often, the best way and, sometimes, the only way to ensure something is thoroughly clean is to use a high-pressure cleaner. For those who have not yet joined the vast number of people who already own one of these invaluable devices, there are a few things you will need to consider before you part with your hard-earned cash. To ensure the system you end up with will be suitable for your intended cleaning tasks, probably the first and most important of these considerations should be just how high is likely to be high enough.

At the heart of these systems is a pump. Its task is to supply water at sufficiently high pressure for the cleaner to cope with its most challenging task. However, ideally, it should also be adjustable to permit its use in less demanding situations. A unit with the power to blast the barnacles from the hull of a boat could do some serious damage if you should decide to use it to clean a greenhouse.

In practice, the flow rate, usually expressed in gallons per minute (GPM), will also influence the system’s performance. Accordingly, when making your selection, the best course of action will be to look for a high-pressure cleaner with the combination of flow rate and water pressure that will best suit your proposed use. Of these two parameters, the latter determines the cleaning power, while the flow rate indicates the rinsing capacity. Those with the necessary knowledge can base their choice on the pump’s performance curve that shows how the relationship between pressure and flow rate varies with the speed of the pump motor. The ability to generate and read a performance curve can also be of

help when carrying out maintenance on a pump or testing it.

A high-pressure cleaner is a perfect tool to clean concrete surfaces, and the most effective model for this purpose should be able to deliver three gallons per minute at a pressure of 3 000 psi (pounds per square inch). By contrast, a device capable of operating at between 400 and 600 psi will be suitable for washing the family. However, a higher flow rate will be preferable to ensure efficient rinsing.

The choice of power source is also significant. A model with an electric motor will be the best option for use solely in locations with easy access to mains power. However, where mains power is not available, a petrol-driven model will be the only option.

Bestline Manufacturing specialises in the design and production of pumps for use in high-pressure cleaners and numerous other applications.