Any company that sells pressure washer knows that one of the most commonly asked questions by clients is whether they should choose a hot water pressure washer or a cold water pressure washer. The answer can in some situations it’s easy to choose one over the other but that isn’t always true. Read on for advice from the pros and then reach out to Hydro Tek at 800-274-9376 with additional questions.
Many aspects are the same
Cold and hot water pressure washers have quite a few things in common, which is one of the reasons people sometimes have trouble deciding between them. for example, they have models with identical flow rates, identical pressures, and identical capabilities of cleaning either outside or indoors. With these factors relatively identical, there must be some other factors taken into consideration to choose.
The three key elements to hot water pressure heaters
Hot water pressure washers are much better at cleaning grease, thanks to the three elements that propel it: Heat, soap, and agitation. Heat creates a molecular action that’s very fast and that helps the cleaning agent work much better. It also lowers the surface tension of water, which further allows for penetration of grime right down to the molecular level.
The agitation comes from the water volume and pressure. Think of this is the force of your hand scrubbing a bowl in your sink. Finally, there’s the soap, which is typically called detergent when used in pressure washers. Its chemicals work to break down the bond that’s formed between the surface of what’s being cleaned and the dirt, grease and grime that’s clinging to it.
The bottom line: Hot water works best on some things and cold water is better on others
If you’re cleaning something that has a lot of oil or grease then you’re going to want a hot water option. This would include engines, auto parts, etc. Once again, think about cleaning your own dishes in the sink. Do you want to clean a greasy pan with cold water? No – because the heat essentially melts the grease while cold water just pushes it around.
Cold water pressure washers work just fine on things like sand or caked on mud, or even if you’re trying to strip paint. When you combine it with a high quality soap (or detergent) then a cold water unit can be quite effective. However, anything that a cold water pressure washer is capable of cleaning is going to be cleaned faster and better by hot water.
Why wouldn’t everyone choose a hot water heater?
You may be wondering why everyone wouldn’t choose a hot water heater. After all, it supposedly works better – right? Yes, it does – but it also costs more. In some cases (depending on the model) it will cost more to buy a hot water unit but it will always cost more to use hot water than cold water.
Do you have additional questions? Reach out to Hydro Tek at 800-274-9376 to get the answers you need.
