While choosing the right pressure washer for farm use might seem complex, it’s much simpler if you know what to look for. Think about it – farms require lots of heavy equipment and machinery that needs to remain clean to work properly, but what exactly does that require?
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This is what to look for in a pressure washer for farm use
Essentially, a pressure washer made for farm use should be a commercial-use pressure washer because those are the ones that can best accommodate farm equipment of different types. As a general rule, this means looking for one with a PSI of 3,000 or maybe even higher.
In addition to a high-powered pressure washer, you’ll want to look for one that allows you to use hot water instead of tap water, which is what most of the washers with lower power offer. These are a bit more expensive than standard pressure washers but are definitely worth the price in the end.
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What Factors Should You Look for?
Here are some factors that make a perfect pressure washer for all of your farm equipment:
- An electric one. Skip the gas-powered pressure washer because you’ll need one that is able to heat the water and keep it hot, and this will require an electric pressure washer in most cases.
- A pressure washer with a PSI of 3,500 to 4,000. This will ensure the washer is powerful enough to get into every crack and crevice of those heavy-duty machines that you’re using on your farm.
You should also check to see how high the water temperature gets with each pressure washer you research. One that gets the water up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit won’t need as high of a PSI number than one that gets the water up to 250 degrees. Therefore, you need to check both of these factors before making a final decision.
You can, of course, get pressure washers powered by either diesel or kerosene to get the water heated up, but depending on the prices of these fuels at the time you’re using the washer, it may actually be less expensive to get an electric pressure washer instead. That choice will be up to you; however, you really can’t go wrong with an electric pressure washer, especially if you get one with a cord that’s long enough to allow you to use it on extra-large pieces of equipment.
That last point is important because some equipment – for instance, agricultural machinery – needs to be roughly 100 feet from the pressure washer to protect the well’s wellhead from contamination. In these instances, a fuel-powered pressure washer might be just what you need.
In short, you’ll have to take all of these points into consideration before you decide whether to purchase a pressure washer that is electric or fuel-powered. The important thing to remember is that you need a commercial-grade pressure washer, which means the minimum PSI should be 3,000 to 3,500.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some frequently asked questions regarding pressure washers made for farm use are below and should help you make the right decision in the end.
What’s the best way to operate a pressure washer for farm equipment?
First, spray the equipment from two to three feet away – never any closer than that. To avoid streaking, start at the bottom and work your way up. Finally, make sure you leave the detergent on before rinsing it off because it often takes 5 to 10 minutes for this detergent to work.
How do I rinse the water off properly?
Make sure no detergent is in the water – you’ll want to use clean water only for rinsing the equipment. Also, be prepared to use a lot of it, starting at the top and working your way down and using a wide-angle spray such as 25 or 40 degrees.
Is it necessary to wash farm equipment and machinery?
YES! If you don’t clean it regularly, not only can it affect the way the machinery operates, but it also directly affects its longevity. This is why cleaning farm equipment after each use is so important.
What are some other good reasons for cleaning farm equipment regularly?
One of the main advantages is the ability to catch problems before they become too complicated or expensive to repair, simply because you’ll be handling the equipment on a regular basis so it’s easier to notice that something has gone wrong. This alone saves you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Conclusion
Running a farm takes a lot of work, but finding the right pressure washer to keep all of your farm equipment clean doesn’t have to be complicated. Just do your due diligence and make sure you get a commercial washer that is able to operate with hot water. Once you do these things, the rest should be easy and you should have a high-quality pressure washer that you can use for a variety of farm tasks.
