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The Eternal Question: Is a Cold Water or Hot Water Pressure Washer the Right Choice?

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The Eternal Question: Is a Cold Water or Hot Water Pressure Washer the Right Choice?

The Eternal Question: Is a Cold Water or Hot Water Pressure Washer the Right Choice?

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.

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  • Hot Water Pressure Washers

    Hydro Tek hot water pressure washers are designed to tackle the toughest messes wherever they may occur. Our products feature high-quality stainless steel construction, simple controls, and an innovative Spiralast™ heating coil that improves efficiency and reduces your fuel costs. We manufacture the Spiralast™ coils right here in our facility using a proprietary cold rolled process and robotic welds for exceptional strength and unimpeded flow. Our Spiralast™ lifetime warranty is the ONLY lifetime heating coil warranty in the industry.

  • Advantages of a Hot Water Pressure Washer

    Simply by heating up the water, a hot water pressure washer delivers dramatically improved cleaning power compared to a cold water machine. Hot water pressure washers are especially useful for cleaning sticky, greasy, or oily surfaces, because they will loosen the dirt much faster without the large amounts of soap, detergent, or other cleaning chemicals that must be used with a cold water system.

  • Hot Water Pressure Washer Applications

    A hot water pressure washer is essential for any cleanup job involving a sticky, greasy, or oily mess, as well as for applications where a surface must be sanitized. With a variety of models available, including self-contained mobile units with gas, diesel, or electric power, Hydro Tek hot water pressure washers can go anywhere and clean anything. Some common applications include heavy equipment cleaning, vehicle cleaning, graffiti removal, restaurant hood vent cleaning, and livestock facility cleaning.

Quality & Innovation Since 1985

Hydro Tek

From simple beginnings in 1985, Hydro Tek has grown to become the most trusted name in the pressure washer manufacturing industry.

How did we do it? By continually focusing on quality and reliability as the key to customer satisfaction, and by incorporating the latest technologies into our design and manufacturing processes.

By 1991, we were using computer-aided drafting systems to refine our product designs and improve efficiency. In 1997, we brought the power of computers to the shop floor by incorporating laser-cutting and other CNC manufacturing machinery, and in 2001 we began focusing on improving efficiency through the latest manufacturing techniques. The end result has been superior products delivered at a superior value to our customers. Through the next decade, we look forward to fulfilling our vision of making our products the "obvious choice" for all your industrial and commercial cleaning needs.

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