In this next installment in my pressure washer series, I want to go over the various options that are available in pressure washer wands. Many people believe that these wands only come in the form of a stick that connects to the end of a hose. While this is certainly one option, these devices come in a surprising variety, good for a wide range of uses. In this article, I’ll go through some of the different pressure washer wand formats as well as a couple of places where you can get the best deals.
Telescoping
First on the list are the pressure washer telescoping wands. While the traditional wand design is limited to a specific length, telescoping wands are adjustable through a range of different lengths. As one might imagine, these units are extremely versatile, well suited to both close-up applications as well as harder jobs which involve cleaning hard-to-reach places.
Many telescoping wands are extendable anywhere from a few feet up to lengths exceeding 25 feet. While this level of flexibility is extremely useful, one important thing to consider is pressure loss due to the height of the wand. The basic idea at work here extends from basic physics: Water is lifted through the system using pressure, measured in “PSI” or pounds per square inch. This pressure reduces the higher you hold the tip of the wand over the source of the pressure (the washer). With pressure washer extension wands, this principle is even more important because the tip of the wand is going to potentially be much higher than it would be with a traditional unit. Therefore, you need to carefully consider how much pressure loss will occur as a result of height. If you would like a guide for pressure loss with height, the folks over at Ultimate Washer have an extremely useful page here: Pressure Loss Guide.
Here’s a telescoping pressure washer wand in action:
Gutter Cleaner Attachments
While telescoping pressure wands are great, they are still limited by their straight line shape. This means that while they are great for washing surfaces areas that are in your direct line of sight. However, you need something a little different when you’re trying to access places like gutters, around corners, or any other area with sharp angles.
The solution to this problem is an attachment that will bend in order to accommodate these angles. Luckily, there are many companies that product such a device. If you’re looking for one of these attachments, be sure that it includes both the correct coupling in order to successfully attach it to the rest of your pressure washer system, as well as a sufficient PSI measurement for your cleaning job. Combine this with the information about pressure loss due to height (above) in order to make sure that your overall system is outputting enough cleaning pressure!
More Pressure Washer Information
I’ve been doing a lot of pressure washer research lately, writing posts with what is hopefully useful information as I go. Those resources are located at the following links:
- A comprehensive guide to pressure washer nozzles,
- A guide to choosing a steam pressure washer, and
- A beginner’s guide to the Excell pressure washer features and operation.
Buying Pressure Washer Parts Online
Here are some of the most popular pressure washer parts on Amazon.com:
Want more water dispenser and water cooler information? Head to the front page!