Water saving and effective cleaning with high pressure cleaners

Water saving and effective cleaning with high pressure cleaners

March 29, 2022 | by digital@lkda.co.za

To the public, pressure washers are both practical and time-saving, but they have also come under critical scrutiny. Concerns about water usage and the sustainability effect, as well as the handling of sensitive surfaces, are raised.

Pressure washers have a long, and illustrious history. These adaptable machines are all-rounders that have proved indispensable in a wide range of applications, whether powered by an electric motor or a combustion engine, mobile or stationary. Roads, public spaces, and buildings are frequently cleaned with pressure washers. They assist in the maintenance of vehicles and machinery, as well as the cleaning of animal stalls, in agriculture.

High-pressure cleaners are frequently found in places where hygiene is extremely critical, e.g. swimming pools, medical facilities, and food and beverage industries. No other cleaning process is as adaptable in its uses as this one.

Aside from flexibility, the pressure washer has the following advantages:

  • With the appropriate mix of pressure, water volume, temperature, and detergent, stubborn dirt can be eliminated.
  • The high-pressure jet reaches difficult-to-reach areas and adjusts to uneven surfaces.
  • Because cleaning is done without contact, dirt and bacteria are not spread.
  • Mechanical cleaning is a safer, ecologically friendlier alternative to chemical cleaning, and it often produces better results in less time.

Both cold and hot water pressure washing are utilized in practice. With cold water, you can reliably remove a lot of dirt. Brushes and scrubbers that are directly linked to the pressure washer lance help to improve the mechanical cleaning effect. Detergents can help speed up the procedure or improve the end result. Most cold water machines can be used with hot intake water up to 60°C, which improves cleaning performance. When it comes to removing oil, fat, and proteins – especially when they’re encrusted – hot water proves useful.

Yet, there are some concerns, particularly with regard to water consumption and the prevention of damage to incongruous surfaces. To answer some of these questions, let’s look at the following.

The nozzle’s constructional design has a significant impact on how quickly and thoroughly it cleans. Even minor modifications in geometry have a significant impact on the impact pressure. This is what loosens and lifts the dirt layer. The shape and size of the nozzle profile have a significant impact on the influencing aspects of nozzle pressure, water volume, and jet geometry.

It’s important to note that the impact pressure decreases as you get further away from the object. The impact is just a tenth of its original value at a distance of 30 cm. For effective cleaning and optimal outcomes, the distance between the nozzle and the object should be no more than 10 to 30 cm.

Pressure washers save water

Pressure and pump output capacity are the key decisive criteria, in addition to nozzle geometry. Many users are concerned with the maximum pressure and the resulting dirt-busting impact. However, in many cases, the volume of water and its washing performance are more important to the cleaning outcome. This is especially significant in industries where a lot of dirt needs to be removed from machines and floors.

A high water flow volume is also required for a high cleaning effect. High-capacity machines can produce 1,000 litres per hour. That may appear high, but it pales in contrast to a normal water hose, which can deliver up to 3,500 litres per hour. This means that pressure washing saves a lot of water.  Cost saving increases because, the job can be completed faster thanks to the high water pressure.

Many machines may run on recycled or conditioned water, which is excellent for the environment. When utilized at gantry car washes, for example, this method is highly effective. Water recycling systems can be implemented here, saving up to 98% of fresh water and costing a fraction of the price.

Hot water pays off

There are a number of advantages to using cold water pressure washers. If they are regularly utilized in diverse regions, universal machines are generally compact, easy to handle, and transportable. Pressure washers that use hot water have even more advantages. Heat energy is an important aspect in influencing and speeding up cleaning processes in a long-term manner. When you raise the temperature, you get:

  • The same cleaning performance with lower impact pressure
  • Better cleaning outcomes while maintaining the same impact pressure.

The engines on modern hot water pressure cleaners can be operated using standard biodiesel. Machines with an electrical hot water boiler are used where exhaust gases need to be avoided – for example in industrial kitchens, swimming pools or other enclosed spaces.

Hot water machines can help in the reduction of stubborn dirt faster and more efficiently. In particular, the combination of hot water with high pressure improves efficiency. In fact, employing hot water cuts down on operating time by about 35%, usually with much better outcomes.

Cold water machines normally only deliver satisfactory results when used in conjunction with additional detergents. The environment benefits from using less or no detergent. When heat is introduced, dirt and grease residues are broken down and released more quickly.

Oils, fats, and embedded coatings of soot melt away when heat is applied, making them easier to remove completely. The faster drying time is a big benefit of using hot water pressure washers. Cleaning surfaces using hot water allows them to warm up more rapidly, dry faster and be ready for use in less time.

In hygienically sensitive regions, hot water pressure washers play a vital role in decreasing bacteria and germs. Machines in the steam mode produce water vapour at a temperature of up to 155°C. Even before disinfection, efficiently decreasing hazardous microorganisms. Applications include, food sectors, industrial kitchens, medical facilities, indoor swimming pools, and agriculture.

Hot water pressure cleaners can also handle difficult cleaning jobs. The steam setting is ideal for delicate surfaces, as it achieves complete cleaning performance with a lower operating pressure and less water. This allows materials that are sensitive to too much water, such as sandstone façade elements, mineral plaster, and other porous natural materials, to be cleaned gently. Even tough dirt and deposits, such as layers of grease, paint residues, rust remnants, mildew, and algae, can be lifted in an environmentally acceptable manner using this procedure.

The most significant benefit of hot pressure washing is, improved cost-effectiveness. They excel when utilized in routine industrial applications; the more frequently the equipment is used, the more noticeable the cost savings become. The lower labour and operating costs offset the greater purchasing price. The huge reduction in water and detergent usage quickly offsets the energy heating expenses.

Pressure washing continues to be a cost-effective and water-saving alternative to manual cleaning using brushes, scrubbers and a water hose. In industrial and commercial use, hot water models offer added benefits, particularly due to shorter working times, their gentle treatment of surfaces, their ability to loosen and remove residues of oil, fat and protein, and to reduce the transmission of germs.