Is It Safe to Use Hot Water While Pressure Cleaning?

There are many advantages to using a pressure cleaner. They can help you to remove stubborn stains from your driveway, can improve your home’s curb appeal, and can even help to keep your family safe — the decking in your yard, for example, can contain contaminants that can compromise the quality of the air that your family breathes. A power washer can remove them.

However, if you’re going to get the most from your water pressure, then it’s important that you know how to use it correctly. If you don’t, then not only will you not get the results that you desire, but you could end up causing damage to the pressure cleaner. One question that many people wonder is whether they can use hot water while they’re pressure cleaning.

So is it safe to use hot water?

Let’s jump straight into the answer, which is: it depends. In some pressure cleaners if designed for it, hot water will work exceptionally well. In others, it could potentially destroy the washer. These are washers that have been specifically designed for use with hot water. If you try to run a regular cold water pressure washer using hot water, it will cause problems.

That’s because regular water pressure washers are designed for use with water of a cooler temperature. If you’re using water that’s above 40 degrees in those, then you run the risk of damaging the interior. If you’re committed to using hot water when you’re washing your driveway, then you should invest in a hot water pressure washer.

The power of hot water pressure washers

So what are the advantages of using a hot water pressure washer, anyway? To put it simply: they’re tough on the substances that cold water would struggle to remove. They work especially well on grease and oil stains, for instance, two substances that you typically find on driveways and vehicles. And when we say that they use hot water, we really mean it — the water in the unit boiler is around 200 degrees, discharging at the lance nozzle around 90 degrees. Though for some jobs, a cold water cleaner will work just fine, those that have more difficult tasks will find that washers that use hotter water are more appropriate, because they’re more effective.

How to choose

So how do you choose which type of water pressure washer is right for you? It depends on various factors, including what you’ll be using the washer to clean, how much storage space you have in your home, and the features you require. As we said earlier, hot water pressure washers have more capabilities than cold water options. If you’re looking to really go to town with your cleaning, or you’re dealing with difficult substances, then the hotter options will suit you better. If you’re just doing some light cleaning, then a cold water option will probably be fine.

If you’re in the market for hot water pressure washers, be sure to check out the selection that we offer online.