A pressure washer nozzle plays an important role in making sure that the washer can clean better and at the right pressure. As a result, it is important that you pick the right pressure washer nozzle. If you pick the wrong one, then you are likely to end up with some problems. They include damaging the paint of your car, punching through the concrete, among other things.
It does not matter what your pressure washer delivers in terms of PSI and GPM as the nozzle will function relatively the same from one machine to another. You have to understand that the nozzle is what creates the pressure, so picking the correct one helps you achieve the rated pressure of the machine.
Importance of Nozzles
Consider using a garden hose without the nozzle for cleaning the car. You will notice that the water stream coming out of the hose is weak and will not do much to strip the grime. However, that changes a lot when you use a thumb to block at least ¾ of the hose’s opening. This will lead to having more pressure in the hose to create a stronger stream. That is what happens whenever you use the nozzles.
Depending on the type and design of the nozzle, it will deliver the water under a high pressure to meet your needs. Some nozzles are designed to restrict water flow more than others. It is the reason you have to switch from one nozzle to another depending on your cleaning needs.
Types of Nozzles for Pressure Washers
- 0-degree nozzle
This type of nozzle is best for those applications that require maximum blasting. It is not the best to use all the time as the force can be too high for most surfaces. It might also take too long to clean a large surface area.
The nozzle is often used when you have to remove tough stains or caked mud on a surface, construction equipment, rust, or many other types of grime that seem hard to remove with other nozzles.
You should find that this type of washer is delivered red in color. This makes it easy to differentiate among the other nozzles.
- 15-degree nozzle
If you need to do some medium stripping, then this is the nozzle for you. When used at the right distance, it should be great for removing the tough mud and dirt from your car or any other surface. Do not use it too close to the surface.
It will be yellow in color.
- 25-degree nozzle
For gentle lifting and cleaning, then you can always go for this type of nozzle. It is probably the most common nozzle type that you can use for most applications. It is seen as great for car washing, boat, patio furniture, and driveways. Since it offers a wide sheet of water, then it should be perfect when you want to clean a large area faster.
It will be green in color
- 40-degree nozzle
This type of nozzle is designed to work great for the fragile surfaces. This includes cleaning windows and blinds.
This nozzle is supplied as a white nozzle.
- Soaping Nozzle
You will find this nozzle having the widest water sheet. This is because of its wide angle of 65 degrees. It will also have a larger orifice. The larger orifice is essential to help decrease the water velocity and thus increasing the pressure in your hose. This increase in pressure will pull the detergent into the line for you to apply the soap with ease on the surface. Expect it to be black in color.
- Turbo or Rotary Nozzle
Even from the name, it is easy to know that this will be the most useful and powerful nozzles that you can use right now. It combines the working and design of the 0-degree nozzle and the 25-degree nozzle. You now end up with a wider spray area, but it also delivers the water at a high pressure. The pulsing action of the nozzle will be rotating the water at a rate of 1800 to 3000 RPM.
Bottom Line
From the guide above, you now have an idea of which nozzle would be best for which application. You should now end up buying the right nozzle depending on your needs. Always use the correct nozzle to ensure you do not end up with problems with the cleaned surface.