I currently have a 3.5gpm pressure washer and now that I am starting to scale I am looking to get a bigger unit to get jobs faster.
I am trying to compare 8gpm just honda gx690 or going with the Bandit Ultra Hot Water Belt Drive 8 GPM 3500 PSI Comet Pressure Washer. I have found a few different types of company that makes the 8gpm hot water tank and wasn’t sure which ones to trust.
I plan to only do residential and maybe get into commercial housing but nothing really with oil stains like gas stations or anything.
I wasn’t sure if I really need the hot water but if it can clean faster and better results then it’s worth it to me. I plan to use a 28" surface cleaner with it. Currently I have been post treating after each clean and read that hot water would almost eliminate having to do that.
For just a standard house driveway is there anything wrong with always using the hot water to clean instead of the cold?
Hello, and welcome to the forums. There is a newbie section for introductions where you can list what area (you don’t have to specify a town) you will be working in, and what your primary jobs would be E.G. rubber scrubber, house washer, commercial washer, etc. If you do any kind of commercial work like dumpster pads and concrete, you may want hot water. If you are only washing houses you may not need it. I only do this as a side hustle, it isn’t my primary income. If you want a more specific answer you may need to ask one of the full time washing gurus on here who have a lot more experience than me.
The reason I mention your area is that the southwest, northwest, northeast, and southeast face slightly different environmental variables and need some different items from time to time. I deal with coal soot, which most washers in the southeast and west don’t deal with too often. The other reason I mention area is that if you are in a large urban area, you may be able to rent a unit when needed. In my case, because I live in the boondocks, renting a hot water unit would not be practical.
I would encourage you to read a little more on hot water before rendering a decision. I have a hot water unit on my rig. I bought it after weighing the pros and cons extensively. I don’t use it often, but I am glad I have the capability when needed.
We have a 36” ss we use on a 8gpm@3900. It’s our favorite toy for large concrete. For around houses, we like the 24”, unless they have a big driveway. Hot water cleans a little better in general than cold water, but the difference on houses is pretty small. For commercial concrete, hot water is an absolute essential. So much safer and more effective to clean oil, stains and remove gum
We really don’t use it on residential much. I mean, it works just as well as our Classics in my limited experience with both, just covers a wider path of real estate along the way. We don’t see all that many non-asphalt driveways here. We might use it on the occasional pool deck, but that’s about it.
