Gpm ?

[rj242 16]

If using the house water supply, what is the largest GPM machine you can use on average? The homes may have city or well water.

[We Wash Concrete 64]

You don't want to dip below 4 gpm for housewashing and most any other kind of washing. If the house is only putting out 3 gpm you will need a water tank to at least serve as a buffer. If you live in an area where a lot of your customers will have a well, a 300 or larger water tank would be a good investment. You don't want to let the customer's water supply dictate how fast you can go because you can change there gpm by adding some of your own water and greatly increase your speed. By the way, welcome to the forum!

[Deck Guy 14]

I have never had a problem getting enough water to feed my 4 GPM machine from a well or city water. I don't use a buffer tank.

[Palmetto Home and Deck 167]

I wouldn't go below 4 gallons a minute and probably not over 5 1/2 gallons a minute if you are using city water. Eight gallons a minute would be wonderful, but you would most likely need to carry a water supply with you all of the time.

Most houses I do are on city water and I have never run into a problem until yesterday. I tested the water supply at this house when the customer said he had bad water pressure and found I was getting less than one gallon a minute. I can't imagine how you can even take a shower, wash clothes, or even how long it must take to even fill the toilet with that kind of water supply. I mean this guy needs a plumber worse than he need his house cleaned.

Anyway, I have a storage tank inside my trailer that I converted to roof cleaning since I had never run into a water supply problem before, but now looks like I need to re-think this and add at least a buffer tank to my 4 gallon a minute machine just for these situations.

[We Wash Concrete 64]

You'll run into low GPM when you lease expect it. And if you don't check the water supply before you connect at every spigot you can damage your pump. Having a buffer tank save you a lot of problems. I got a new 275 gallon tote tank for 125 dollars so it's well worth the cost. If you don't have the room for one however you will just need to check your gpm at each house, and the best time to do this is while giving your estimate. I would imagine like Len said most houses will supply a 4 or 5 gpm just fine, just be extra careful with the well water and older homes.

Len it's good to meet a pressure washer close by that's on the board. I actually live in Anderson as well. How is the business going for you? Business is good for me, but I stay primarily in the flatwork cleaning, and I travel a good bit too.

[Anthony G 14]

I second the buffer tank idea. Most of the houses in my area have underperforming wells and I can load up at the fire hydrant for little of nothing. I currently run 2-325 gallon tanks for the extreme areas. I have gotten several jobs from painting companies in the area due to them trying to use a pump very similar to mine but the well couldnt keep up. One of them called me because he had severely damaged his Cat pump with cavitation from the low water flow. I make sure that if I am hooked to customers water directly to keep an eye out for the feel of cavitation. If you squeeze the trigger and everything feels normal for a minute or so them you get the vibration feel in the hose and gun (should be able to see this in the line) then please stop washing. If this continues everytime that you squeeze then shut down. The air cavitating the pump will kill your pump in a very short time and that is a costly expense that we dont need.

Good Luck,

Anthony

[rj242 16]

Thanks guys for all the replies. But I now have another question. How does the buffer tank tie into my system? Other than the tank, what will I need?

[scpressure 14]

most water bibs put out 8-12 gal per minute. as far as hydrants i have used them and will in the future with caution, heavy fine if caught.

[snickter 14]

just a reg water bib ??? how do you tie it in to the bottom of the tank and make it water tight ?? thans guys

[Palmetto Home and Deck 167]

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Len it's good to meet a pressure washer close by that's on the board. I actually live in Anderson as well. How is the business going for you? Business is good for me, but I stay primarily in the flatwork cleaning, and I travel a good bit too.

Micah,

Good to meet someone else from Anderson too. I have been on this board for a few years now and post every once in a while. Business is good for me too. We do a lot of deck cleaning and sealing along with a lot of deck repair. Sometimes if we can schedule such work we will even take on new deck construction in the fall and winter when everything else gets slow. Lately residential pressure washing has taken off and we are keeping pretty busy between that and the deck preservations. We do a little concrete, but mostly residential driveways and patios while we are there washing a customer's house. If I get any leads on larger concrete jobs I'll steer them your way.

I think I saw you pass my house a couple of times on E. Calhoun Street. Give me a call and stop in sometime.

[whytewash 14]

I run 8 GPM with a 65 gal tank and have relatively few problems. There are some areas of the Jax area that just have poor, poor water flow. Most of my jobs are from phone estimate so I do not get to consider the water flow before residential jobs. Commercial jobs I quote on inspection always include finding and testing the water supply. I have some sites that require about a 300 ft. hose run to the water supply. I have done jobs using well supply but almost all I have used have sand issues. Make sure you are running a filter on your supply feed to avoid pump damage.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Joe,

You might want to add an extra filter if you just have one.....I believe we have two - I'll have to double check with Rod and ask him to share.

Beth