Sometimes cold water just doesn’t cut it, regardless of how much pressure is behind it. Those stubborn grease stains just need a bit more, so you use soap or a detergent, it does a good job, but there’s still some grease left in your concrete, this is where a hot water pressure washer comes in.
Work in a greasy kitchen? A hot water pressure washer will strip away all the grease every evening turning what took an hour or two with soap and a cold water pressure washer to a task that takes minutes I’ve put together a list of hot water pressure washer reviews narrowing the list down to just the best hot water pressure washers to hopefully aid your buying decision.
In a hurry? As a homeowner, I personally love the Dirt Killer H3612 Gas Hot Water Pressure Washer, it has a huge amount of cleaning power and is incredibly portable. Though it is gas-powered, so not ideal for indoor use.
In these reviews I’ll show the best and worst traits, giving you my honest and unbiased opinion. I’ve also put together a buyers guide, I want you to purchase a hot water pressure washer that really suits your needs.
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NorthStar Gas Wet Steam and Hot Water Pressure Washer - 3000 PSI 4.0 GPM |
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Best hot water pressure washer reviews
Hot Water Pressure Washer | Industrial Grade | Gas and Diesel | H3612 | Dirt Killer Pressure Washers brand
- Advanced Kränzle pump design gives multi-hour bypass and run-dry capability preventing accidental pump damage
- Portable hot water capability is provided by reliable 12V burner system
- Adjustable Kränzle forged brass unloader
The Dirt Killer H3612 is a really powerful gasoline-powered hot water pressure washer producing 3500 PSI at 4.2 GPM giving this machine a cleaning power of 14700.
That’s an incredible number add to that this produces hot water, dried in grease and oil aren’t going to stand a chance.
This pressure washer is powered by a 12-volt 13 HP Honda OHV engine, which starts with a turn of a key.
It has a Kranzle pump, which gives you multi-hour use and prevents run-dry so you can rest assured that you’ll get a long life out of this machine. This is a protected steel frame mounted on pneumatic tires.
You get a professional gun-jet lance, 50-feet wire braided hose, four flat tip nozzle set (0 degrees, 15 degrees, 40 degrees, soap).
Pros
- German design pump which self primes and is freeze proof
- 4 quick connect nozzles
- Massive amount of cleaning power
- Battery-powered burner
- My #1 choice
Cons
- You don’t get the 5th quick connect nozzle, the turbo nozzle
- It doesn’t have a proper hose storage hook
- It’s rather expensive
EASY-KLEEN PRESSURE SYSTEMS LTD Commercial 4000 PSI 3.5 GPM Gas Driven Hot Water Pressure Washer Lifan Engine/EK Pump 110/120V Burner
- 15 HP Lifan Gas Engine - EK Pump Direct Drive - 3.5 GPM @ 4000 PSI - 12 Volt Oil Fired Burner - 350,000 BTU - 10 Gallon Poly Fuel Tank - Rugged Heavy Duty Frame - Fully Welded & Powder Coated
Another impressive hot water pressure washer, this produces a cleaning power of 14000 from it’s Kohler Engine. It has a triplex plunger pump, which is regarded as the best type of pump for pressure washers.
The Kohler engine produces 4000 PSI at 3.5 GPM.
The frame is welded and powder coated so it can handle even the abuse you may give it, the frame is mounted to 13-inch pneumatic wheels.
You get 5 quick-connect nozzles which have specific storage slots on the frame. You also get a 50 foot-long high-pressure hot water hose.
Easy Kleen offers a 3-year warranty for the engine 5-years warranty for the pump and another 90 days for manufacturer warranty.
Adjustable thermostat, so you control the temperature of the water.
Pros
- 3-years warranty for the engine, 5-years warranty for the pump,90 days manufacturer warranty.
- 5 quick-connect nozzles
- One of best hot water high-pressure hoses
- Adjustable thermostat, so you control the temperature of the water
- Heating coil is completely covered with a ceramic blanket for heating efficiency.
Cons
- This is a bulky unit so make sure you have space to store it
- Hot soap cleaning isn’t compatible with the high-pressure gun
Shark SGP-353037 3,000 PSI 3.5 GPM Honda Gas Powered Hot Water Commercial Series Pressure Washer
- Hot Water, Direct Drive
- Gas Powered/Diesel Heated
- Commercial Series
It’s not often that you come across a hot water power washer that’s designed for consumer use, but that’s exactly what this is, the Shark SGP-353037 has been specifically designed for use by consumers in the residential market.
It’s powered by an 11HP 337CC Honda GX engine and a Karcher triplex pump producing 3000 PSI at 3.5 GPM, which results in 10500 cleaning power!
It’s built with heavy-duty compounds, and the chassis is made of rugged steel to protect the motor and pump.
The pneumatic wheels provide easy maneuvering in all types of terrain and has leak-free schedule 80 heating coil surrounded by a stainless steel wrap
Pros
- Warranty: 7-year pump, 1-year parts, 3-year coil
- Amazing cleaning power of 10500
- Designed for residential use
- 11 HP Honda GX Engine
Cons
- Difficult to carry due to its large size
- It’s a pricey pressure washer
AR Blue Clean Pro, AR630TSS-Hot Pressure Washer, 1900PSI, 2.1GPM, 20AMP. Detergent Suction System, Induction Motor, Pressure Gauge & Unloader, 82℃/180℉ Max Temp, Total Stop System, 25' Br...
- 1900 Max PSI Rating
- 2.1 Max GPM Rating
- Professional Trigger Gun & Metal Lance with Adjustable Nozzle
Unlike the other hot water pressure washers we’ve reviewed so far, this is an electric model and differs quite a lot in that it only weighs 69 pounds, but as this is mounted to a surface, that shouldn’t be a problem.
There are no wheels, so it is static, but if you were purchasing this for a hospital, kitchen, or garage, that wouldn’t be a problem.
This unit is designed to be mounted onto a wall or a work surface. It’s powered by a 19-amp motor that provides 1900 PSI at 2.1 GPM giving you a total cleaning power of 3990.
Pros
- You can use hot water for pressure washing, all the way up to 180° F
- For its size, it provides a lot of cleaning power
- The spray wand can be extended, and the head allows you to change the angle of water spraying.
Cons
- The unusual design of this pressure washer is rather unique and limits its use
- While you can use a 15-amp breaker, experience has shown this works best with a 20-amp breaker
SIMPSON Cleaning KB3028 King Brute 12 Volt Burner System Hot Water Pressure Washe, 3000 PSI at 2.8 GPM
- Briggs and Stratton Intek 1100 Series engine
- Cat industrial Triplex plunger pump
- 3/8 in. X 50 ft. Armor Steel braided hot water hose w/ quick connect fittings
This pressure washer is powered by a Briggs and Stratton intek 1100 series engine, and a triplex plunger pump. The result of this is an output of 3000 PSI at 2.8GPM, giving you a cleaning power of 8400.
You get 5 quick connect nozzle tips: 0°, 15°, 25°, 40° and soap, the frame is welded steel mounted on 13” pneumatic tires, which will tackle any terrain.
The burner is fuelled by diesel and can heat the water to 100 degrees above the starting temp.
Pros
- Can produce hot soapy water
- 5 quick connect nozzle tips: 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°
- Huge cleaning power
- 13” pneumatic tires
Cons
- Very expensive
- Incredibly heavy
- The belt driving the pump has been known to fail
SIMPSON MB1518 1500 PSI at 1.8 GPM Diesel Fired Hot Water Pressure Washer
- 120 Volt heavy duty induction motor system plugs into any 3 prong, grounded and 15 amp circuit
- Industrial triplex pump
- 3/8 in. x 50 ft. Armor steel braided hot water hose w/ quick connect fittings
This pressure washer is perfect for dealing with tough dirt, stains and debris, the heated to 140 degrees. Oil, grease, mold, mildew, and any type of stain will be cleaned at ease.
Coming in at 239 pounds, this is a hefty unit.
It’s electric powered industrial triplex plunger pump with pistons coated with ceramic for improved durability produces 1500 PSI at 1.8 GPM giving you a cleaning power of 2700.
This is both a gas and electric pressure washer… the pump is powered by electricity, but the heater is powered by diesel or kerosene.
Pros
- Excellent cleaning power from an electric pump
- Massive 12” pneumatic tires
- 4 quick-connect nozzles: 15, 25, and 40-degrees as well as a soap tip nozzle
Cons
- Need both electricity and gas to fully power this unit
- Very heavy to move around
No 0-degree nozzle
Northstar Electric Wet Steam and Hot Water Portable Pressure Power Washer - 2750 PSI, 2.5 GPM, 230 Volt, Model Number 157308
- Sold on Amazon
This hot water pressure washer works amazingly at eliminating grease stains, it’s also convenient for general purpose cleaning such as your car or your patio.
It will heat water to 250 degrees F. The pump is made from brass manifold with ceramic plungers.
The electric pump products 2750 Psi at 2.5 GPM, giving you a cleaning power of 6875.
Pros
- 50-foot high-pressure hose
- switch between hot and cold water with a switch
Cons
- It is expensive
- specially designed for the heavy-duty work in the commercial areas
NorthStar Gas Wet Steam and Hot Water Pressure Power Washer - 3000 PSI, 4.0 GPM, Honda Engine
- Uses 1/2in. schedule 80 extra-heavy pipe
- Forged brass manifold gives improved strength over cheaper aluminum
- Easy Start stops pressure build-up during start-up
NorthStar has produced an amazing gasoline powered hot water pressure washer with this one. It produces 3000 PSI at 4.0 GPM giving you a cleaning power of 12000.
It can heat water up to 250 degrees F while at a full flow of 4.0 GPM.
You get a 50ft steel-plated rubber hose, so you can reach all areas of your yard or workplace.
It’s a hefty machine though coming in at 600 lbs!
Pros
- 12 HP engine producing 12000 cleaning power
- Handles tough cleaning tasks with ease
- Able to handle LONG hours of cleaning without any issue of wearing down
- Steel frame with big wheels makes moving this around with relative ease for such a large, heavy machine
- Able to generate hot soapy water
Cons
- Very expensive
Why Use Hot Water When Pressure Washing?
Having spent years cleaning by hand and with a regular garden hose, using a pressure washer to clean just about anything was downright amazing. However, should you encounter a greasy patch on your garage floor, you are soon going to realize that cold water and detergent simply just don’t cut it. Regardless of how much pressure your pressure washer produces.
This is where you will start to consider which is best hot vs cold water pressure washers
It’s in these situations that there really is only one way to go, and that’s a hot water pressure washer. The mechanics behind these are simple, just as you would use soap and warm water to clean your greasy dishes after cooking with oil or grease. You need that warm water to dig under and loosen the grease so that the dish soap suds can grab ahold of them, then all you need to do is rinse, making dishwashing scrub-free.
Grease and oil repel cold water, so higher temperatures are great for removing oil and replacing elbow grease (yes, pun intended).
It’s these same mechanics that are applied in pressure washing. If your surface has oil, grime or grease on it, cleaning with cold water is going to be challenging. Not only that, but along with the oily substances, road salt, chewing gum, and tire marks on your driveway is much easier to remove with a hot water pressure washer.
Ok, so who should get a hot water pressure washer? The answer is simple, anyone who regularly cleans automotive parts, engines, construction equipment and machines, garages, removes chewing gum from stained concrete, and even food preparation equipment.
Yes, that’s quite a range, but all of these tasks involve substances that can resist cold water, even when blasted under high pressure. Still, those substances have got nothing to protect themselves from being blasted by a stream of hot water, especially if you combine it with a few drops of a good surface-appropriate detergent.
Hot Water vs Regular Pressure Washers
Ok, so you now know the different types of dirt that you need a hot water pressure washer for, let’s go over the differences between the two types of machines.
If you are already familiar with a regular, domestic-use gas power washer, then it’ll be easy to understand how a simple temperature difference can make for a radically different machine and cleaning result.
1. Temperature Difference
A hot water pressure washer will heat up the water to around 130 to 140 degrees before they blast it out of your spray nozzle. When you combine the starting temperature of the water from your tap, which is typically in the range between 40 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, this results in an output temperature being produced by a hot water pressure washer being typically just below the boiling point.
The main difference between a hot water pressure washer and a steam cleaner, though they are both hot, the water coming from the pressure washer doesn’t evaporate, it stays a liquid, giving you the benefit of high temperatures and the kinetic force of pressurized water.
A regular cold water pressure washer can only handle water temperatures of up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Still, most manufacturers only recommend using a water source that’s colder than 60 degrees. High temperatures can severely damage the water pump, the valves, and the other equipment your regular pressure washer, simply because they aren’t made with materials that are designed to handle high temperatures.
2. Disadvantages of Hot Water Pressure Washers
Before you jump in and purchase a hot water pressure washer, you need to know its disadvantages, as while it sounds like it’s the end-all, the all in one, it does have some drawbacks.
Hot water pressure washers have an on-board water boiler. This makes the units a lot bulkier and much heavier, even when you compare them to the biggest gas-powered washers. The complex structure and large size also make these much more expensive, so even a commercial pressure washer will typically cost less than a domestic-user hot pressure washer.
3. Which Should You Pick?
You may have guessed this already, but there isn’t a universal answer to this. It really depends on what you need from your pressure washer.
3.1. Greasy Business
If you are one of those who has to regularly work with oil and grease stains, for example, you may be a mechanic, work in the food industry or perhaps you operate large construction machines and vehicles, you will most likely need the power of hot water to degrease the tools of your trade.
Perhaps you have a cleaning business that takes care of chewing-gum, which is littered on walkways. You will greatly benefit from getting a hot water pressure washer because it will melt away any chewing gum and reduce the amount of time you or your workers spend scraping away the muck.
3.2. Simple Cleaning Jobs
If you need a pressure washer to take care of vinyl siding on our home, or to washer your car, clean your patio, or even clean your concrete driveway, you will get very satisfying results just by using an electric pressure washer. A regular pressure washer will do a great job for the vast majority of domestic tasks, so you really don’t need to pay the higher price for a hot water unit unless you deal with greasy stains regularly.
3.3. Portability
If you have a large property, or you are going to be using your pressure washer at several different properties, then you really should go for something small and easy to move around. In this case, I suggest that you pick up a strong degreaser and an amount of patience using a portable pressure washer. These cleaners are usually smaller and made to be used with cold water only. Still, they are very portable, you can easily pack them up and carry them away, this is a feature that no hot water power washer will have.
If you are struggling with a very greasy stain, you can try pouring some boiled water with degreaser over the stain, then after letting it dwell spraying it with cold water for from residential pressure washer, or you could simply rend out a hot water washer to get rid of it.
Hot Water Pressure Washer Buying Guide
Purchasing a hot water pressure washer is going to be a rather large investment, so you need to be sure that you’ve chosen the right model for your household or your business before going through the checkout.
I’ll try and cover all the details you need to know about hot water pressure washers before you consider your final pick in this buying guide.
1. The Heating System
It’s the water heating system that increases both the price and the washing power of hot water pressure washers. The heating system usually consists of a water boiler and a fuel tank that provides the energy for the whole heating process. The majority of regular-sized pressure washer water heaters will make your hot water instantly. Then they can feed you warm or hot water over 4 hours of more while you are continuously spraying.
The heating units will heat-up the water until it’s just below the boiling point, most models will put out somewhere between 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that the boiler actually has a rather difficult job, and that is to heat the water up by around 140 degrees from its initial temperature in an incredibly short time.
Because of the amount of intense temperature needed to achieve this, the majority of models will put out cold water only for the first couple of minutes, until the system has fully heated up and is ready to work.
The majority of hot water pressure washers come with a dial or control that lets you set the output water temperature, now this will be an approximation, it’ll vary by a few degrees, they will also give you the option to use cold water without heating it at all. If you don’t already own a cold water pressure washer, I suggest making sure that the model you are interested in has that feature.
1.1. The Boiler
The boiler itself is the most significant and heaviest part of your hot water pressure washer. Typically having a cylindrical tank which is made out of sturdy stainless metals. Inside, the water is heated by a wrapped coil and a burner.
There are two options you can choose from a vertical and a horizontal boiler. There isn’t much difference between the two when it comes to performance. So I suggest looking at where you intend to store it, as space is going to be the deciding factor between the two.
If you’ve got plenty of headroom or vertical space, then a vertically set water boiler is going to be the right choice, please this is the more common of the two, so you’ll have more options to choose from.
However, if you lack the vertical space, i.e. you need to store your power washer under a shelf or a lower corner under a slanted roof, then go for a horizontal model.
1.2. The Coil
The way the water is heated is by a burner which warms up a coil, the water itself travels through this coil and is heated as it travels along. If you are a very savvy buyer, you can get into more detail and choose the coil wrap type that you think will best suit your needs.
Most commercially available models will use schedule 80 coils, these are usually made out of stainless steak, while 80 is the most common pipe schedule, you can get others, but they’ll depend on your required output pressure, you can also file schedule 40 and 160 pipes available on the market. The inner diameters are usually 3/8, 1/2, or 3/4 inches.
Choosing a coil that has thicker walls will improve the longevity of the coil. However, the coils themselves are usually well protected inside the boiler.
1.3. Burner Fuel Tank
The burner warms up the coil, which then, in turn, heats up the water. But something needs to fire up the burner, the burner needs an energy source, and this is the job of the fuel tank which is located outside the water boil.
Do note that if you are using a gas pressure washer you will have two fuel tanks, one for the pressure washer motor and another for the water boiler burner.
Hot water pressure washer burners will usually use either diesel, kerosene, natural gas, or liquid propane as their fuel. So you should make sure to pick a fuel type that you can easily access, you can’t mix and match fuels, so you can’t just use whatever is readily at hand, if a burner is designed to use diesel, you can chuck in some leftover kerosene.
Once you’ve chosen the type of fuel, you should then consider the size of the fuel tank. Most Hot water pressure washers will have a burner fuel tank that ranges from 4 to 10 gallons. The bigger the tank, the less frequently you’ll need to fill it, but also, the bigger the tank, the heavier your power washer is going to be.
If you have a large property and your pressure washer needs to be portable, a good trade-off would be to get a smaller fuel tank that you need to fill more frequently.
2. Construction Frame
A hot water pressure washer can be extremely heavyweight, which is why these beastly machines, need a might construction frame to carry their hefty weight.
2.1. The Frame
The frame is similar to what you would see in a gas pressure washers, the construction frames for hot water washers are commonly made out of sturdy metals, usually steel or aluminum.
The frame needs to be rugged and sturdy enough to bear the weight of the washer. As such, you should never ignore or brush off any defect no matter how small. A small weak point in your frame could wreak havoc and destroy your entire unit.
2.2. The Wheels
With the weight of these machines, the wheels attached to the pressure washer frame are especially important when it comes to hot water washers. These are so heavy that they are hardly portable at all, so a good set of wheels goes a very long way when you need to transport your washer in and out of your garage and more it around your property.
When picking the right type of frame for your purposes, make sure to consider two additional things specifically about the wheels, firstly the type of the wheel and how many wheels there are.
You need to ensure that you pick the ideal type of wheel. Ideally, you’ll have a choice between pneumatic or a never-flat wheel. Pneumatic wheels are the most common option, these are filled with air and made out of very thick layered rubber. While they can burst, they rarely do. Pneumatic wheels offer fantastic suspension, which protects the essential parts of your pressure washer. Unlike never-flat wheels, which will cause the unit to shake much more when you are moving it around. This is because they are made entirely out of plastic material. So while they can’t burst, they are solid.
An important consideration for your wheels is how many you have, is it two or four wheels attached to the frame? Since either type can stand just fine, the four-wheeled version sitting on four wheels and the two-wheeled version has two metal legs.
The main difference will be felt when you are transporting it around. Models with two wheels tend to be easier to steer, but you need to lift the unit up/tilt it back and support some of its weight to move it.
The heaviest units tend to come with four wheels, these are more difficult to steer, but you don’t have to try and lift them up to move them. A hidden advantage of not having to tilt/lift these is that tilting can, depending on the design, cause leakage from the fuel tanks if they are completely full. This isn’t a problem when there are four wheels.
3. Water Pressure Output
The water pressure output is a feature that all types of pressure washers will have, including hot water power washer. This represents the strength of your washers, or rather how much it can blast out as a stream of water. There are two main measurements that you need to know about PSI and GPM.
3.1. PSI
Firstly, what does PSI actually stand for? Well, it stands for “Pounds Per Square Inch”, and this number represents the amount of pressure that your washer can generate. A portable pressure washer may produce around 1100 PSI, which is perfect for regular cleaning maintenance of cars, garage doors, or even vinyl siding.
A commercial pressure washer, on the other hand, can blast water out at 7000 PSI, which is enough to strip paint and rust without the need of a pressure washer sand blast kit.
Though you don’t need to have a beast of a machine do strip rust or paint, you can use your 2000 PSI pressure washer to strip paint and rust if you pair it a pressure washer sand blaster.
3.2. GPM
PSI isn’t the only number that matters when determining the power of a pressure washer, another metric that you should keep in mind is the GPM, this stands for “Gallons Per Minute”. GPM represents how much water volume that will come out of your pressure washer every minute, and it matters just as much as how pressurized the water is. The same principle applies to GPM in that the bigger the number, the more powerful the washer.
However, the higher the GPM, the more water you will use.
3.3. CP – Cleaning Power
Cleaning power, this is a magical number. Trying to work out what PSI and GPM ultimately represent is difficult, even more so when you are looking at several pressure washers, which is better 1100 PSI and 2GPM or 2000 PSI and 1.1 GPM?
To find out the cleaning power of a pressure washer, you take the PSI and the GPM and use them to calculate the PSI. This number is cleaning power or CP. You simply take the two numbers and multiply them together to get your pressure washers total CP.
This allows you to compare units in the simplest way possible, take the example about 1100 x 2 and 2000 x 1.1, they both result in a cleaning power of 2200.
You shouldn’t just look at the CP though, it’s not about picking the most powerful pressure washer you can find. If you plan on using your washer around your home and yard, chances are you’ll destroy more than a couple of items if you have a 7000 PSI pressure washer. In fact, the most you really ever need for domestic use is around 4000 PSI. Though most households are fine with just 2000 PSI. A powerful model will require more electricity or gas to run, it’ll also use more water and detergent. So it’s running costs are going to be higher.
You need to carefully consider your needs and requirements, I do recommend that if you can, pick up a model which has adjustable power settings, not every model offers this, but it is handy for dealing with delicate items and only using the amount of fuel you actually need to get the job done.
4. Hose, Spray Wand, and Spray Nozzles
When you are blasting gallons of pressurized water which has been pressurized to a several thousand PSI, you need to take into consideration the equipment attached to the pressure washer, it needs to be able to handle that force and for a long time. This is especially true for your commonly weak links, those being the hose, spray wand and nozzles.
I suggest having a long pressure washer hose, especially if you own a heavyweight model, as the portability isn’t going to be great, so you will be relying on the hose.
Though a longer hose increases the liability of it bursting, also, the longer the hose, the more pressure the pressure washer needs to produce to ensure you high pressures are your spray gun.
You should look for a hose that is designed to handle not only the extremely high pressures but also the very hot temperatures. Many hot water pressure washers will come with a hose that has been reinforced with steel braids. While the hose itself will get hot, it’s unlikely to burst thanks to the steel braid reinforcement.
There are a few different types of spray wands, these are usually made out of sturdy stainless metals. But you should keep in mind that you need to hold this wand with your hand, so make sure to pick one with a plastic gun or another material that won’t get overly hot during operation.
4.1. Spray Nozzles
Ah, the spray nozzles tips. These are what control the shape of the water stream the comes out of the hose and with that the pressure.
These need to be able to withstand not only the pressure of the water but also the heat, which is why you should look for a pressure washer which comes with a range of nozzles, and a way to store these on the pressure washer itself. These are tiny accessories that are easily lost when not in use if not stored correctly.
Most pressure washer nozzles are made to work with a quick-connect system, this lets you switch out the nozzle tip quickly and easily, this can take a mere matter of seconds.
The majority of pressure washers come with five different spray nozzle tips, these are usually in an industry-standard color-code:
- Red = 0-degree opening
- Yellow = 15-degree opening
- Green = 25-degree opening
- White = 40-degree opening
- Black = 65-degree opening for Soap
The smaller the opening, the more directed the stream of water, which results in a more direct and more highly pressurized jet of water.
This is why it’s only advisable to use the red nozzle tip when you need a very powerful and very focused stream that doesn’t get dispersed, so its contact area is incredibly small.
You would usually use this the low degree openings for tough cleaning tasks, like removing paint.
The 15-degree opening is slightly wider, but still is very focused and incredibly powerful, this one is usually used for tough stains and grime build-up.
The green 25-degree nozzle tip is the most commonly used, this lets out a stream that’s in the shape of a fan. It’s typically used for household chores like patio cleaning and car washing because it allows you to clean a large area within compromising the pressure.
The white 40-degree tip lets out a wider fan shape and is best when you need to cover large areas quickly that are lightly soiled, it’s great for rinsing away detergents and soaps.
Finally, we come to the 65-degree blast soap nozzle, this is very different from the others in that is has a large opening and is usually around 65 degrees. This tip has been designed for creating suds as your spray your pressure washer detergent from your pressure washer. The design of the nozzle gives you a cracking amount of foam.
Hot Water Pressure Washer Maintenance Tips
When it comes to hot water pressure washers, these bad boys aren’t cheap, and they certainly aren’t disposables pieces of technology, once you purchase one, you’ve made an investment, so you want your machine to serve you well for many many years to come. This is why you should leave how to do some basic maintenance.
While we’re considering hot water pressure washer in general, these guidelines may not be complete or may not apply at all with the model you’ve purchased. For the most accurate and up to date maintenance information, you should consult the user manual that came with your pressure washer.
That aside, here are some important tips that I feel you should know about so you can take care of your hot water pressure washer.
1. General Precautions and Maintenance
- Always check your pressure washer pump and engine oil levels before you start the machine
- Before firing the boiler, make sure that you get a steady stream of water out of your spray wand, only then is it safe to turn the water heating on, never start the washer with the heating switch already turned on, it’s not safe for the unit.
- Always turn the heater off before you stop spraying water. Actually, I recommend that you make sure that only cold water flows out and that the metal part of your spray wand is cold before you turn off the machine. This way, you let the heating coils that sit inside your boiler cool down after use, which reduces your maintenance costs.
- Never leave your pressure washer turned on and not spraying water for more than a few minutes. Doing so will cause damage to your pressure washer pump, which will make a replacement pump necessary. Instead, if you need to stop spraying for a while, turn the machine off before you step away.
- You should occasionally clean up any soot buildup. The most common locations where you’ll find the soot has built up is on the pipe exterior surfaces. This is a result of the burner. Remove the burner assembly from the coil jacket every few months and check to see if you need to remove the soot. In general, for fuel tanks that use kerosene and number one oil, you won’t get many soot issues. It’s the other fuels which are prone to soot build-up.
- Drain any moisture from the heating coil regularly. To do this just open the drain valve on your boiler, leave it open for 15-20 mins to let it fully drain, I suggest doing this weekly.
- If you know you aren’t going to be using your pressure washer for a while, then you should remove all the water and chemicals from the system fully. In fall, you should do this and then fill the machine with an anti-freezer.
2. Fuel, Oil, and Filters
- You should change the oil in your pressure washer pump every 250 hours of work. Or after three months regardless of the machine’s use. Though I suggest immediately changing the oil after you’ve received the machine.
- You should change the engine oil every three months or 100 working hours, whichever is hit first, and make sure to use an oil that has been recommended by the manufacturer to retain warranty and also to not break the engine.
- Check the air filter every month and make sure it isn’t dirty of closed with dust, replace every six months so.
- Every three to six months it makes sense to replace the burner fuel filter
- Only use the correct fuel type recommended by the manufacturer and only use clean, fresh fuel.
- If you see any condensation or water build up in your fuel tank, you should drain the tank entirely, and leave it open for a while before refilling.
FAQ About Hot Water Pressure Washers
1. Can I use cold water with my hot water pressure washer?
Most hot water pressure washers on the market give you the option to leave the heating system off while still be able to produce pressurized water.
The way you would do this will vary from model to model, with some it may be as simple as leaving the burner switched off, others you would turn the temperate control dial turned all the way down. Though there may be other ways to keep the water temperature as low as possible.
Always check the user manual to find out how to operate your model of hot water pressure washer.
2. Why shouldn’t I leave my pressure washer running without spraying?
The majority of pressure washers come with a spray trigger that lets you control when the water flows out, while this is a great option as you can leave the machine running without spraying, you should never let this happen for more than a few minutes.
The reason being that the water doesn’t flow out of the spray nozzle, this water is instead redirected through a loop and using a part called a bypass valve. The water will continue to travel in this loop until you release the pressure by depressing the spray trigger.
As the water goes through the loop, it passes through the pump over and over, getting hotter and hotter as the majority of pressure washers use the cold water coming into the system to cool the pump. If the temperature of the water get’s too hot, it will no longer cool the pump, which can cause the seals to fail and, ultimately, the pump to fail. This is the same regardless of if you are using a cold or hot water pressure washer.
It’s because of this that you should only let your pressure washer work without releasing the pressure for a maximum of three minutes. Check your user manual as some manufacturers will recommend more or less time in the bypass loop. My recommendation is that if you need to move something or take a phone call, or even step away from the machine, turn it off. This will save you maintenance costs and also costly pump replacements or repairs.
3. Can I convert my regular pressure washer into a hot water model instead of getting a brand new hot water pressure washer?
If you have a cold water pressure washer that is powerful enough, you might be able to convert it to a hot water model by attaching a heating module.
The modular water heater can be attached to your cold water pressure washer to give you the same benefits as having a hot water version.
However, since these are usually very heavy, you need to figure out how to install one onto your pressure washers frame, I advise seeing professional help if you are considering this option.
Hot water pressure washer comparison chart
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT (POUNDS) | DIMENSIONS (INCHES) | PSI | GPM | CLEANING POWER |
| Dirt Killer H3612 Gas Hot Water Pressure Washer | 430 | 46 x 30 x 41 | 3500 | 4.2 | 14700 |
| Easy Kleen Commercial Gas Hot Water Pressure Washer | 400 | 46 x 32 x 48 | 4000 | 3.5 | 14000 |
| Shark SGP-353037 Hot Water Pressure Washer | 550 | 46 x 28 x 44 | 3000 | 3.5 | 10500 |
| AR Annovi Reverberi AR630TSS-HOT Commercial Pressure Washer | 69 | 14 x 14 x 20 | 1900 | 2.1 | 3990 |
| SIMPSON Cleaning KB3028 King Brute | 335 | 32 x 44 x 51.5 | 2000 | 2.8 | 8400 |
| Simpson Mini-brute Electric Powered | 255 | 34.5 x 25.75 x 46.75 | 1500 | 1.8 | 2700 |
| NorthStar Electric Wet Steam and Hot Water Pressure Washer - 2750 PSI | 415 | 38 x 26 x 43 | 2750 | 2.5 | 6875 |
| NorthStar Gas Wet Steam and Hot Water Pressure Washer - 3000 PSI | 600 | 64 x 33 x 43.5 | 3000 | 4.0 | 12000 |
Wrap up
When you are dealing with greasy or oily stains, using cold water, not matter how much pressure that washer has, it’s not going to get the job done. To truly get rid of chewing gum, grease, gunk and other oils you need to use hot water. Combine that with high pressure and you’ll be wiping away caked on grease, you can only achieve that with the best hot water pressure washer.
Hopefully, my hot water pressure washer reviews having helped you pick out the ideal model for your household or business needs. It can be difficult to find the perfect model so i hope that my comprehensive but simple buying guide has covered everything you need to know.
If you do need further help, I think the best hot water pressure washer is the Dirt Killer H3612 Gas Hot Water Pressure Washer . It’s the perfect combination of power, weight, and hot water for residential use.
Trust me, your car will never be as clean as when it’s been washed by a hot water pressure washer. If you have any questions or have a pressure washer that should be on this list, please comment in the comments section below.
