Renting a pressure washer can be a money-saving game-changer for your businesses. Sometimes you may need extra cleaning power to tackle a big job, or perhaps you need a temporary unit to replace a machine that is in for repair. Maybe you’re ready to buy but want to try out the features on different models before you commit to purchasing a new machine,
No matter what your need for renting a pressure washer, here’s everything you need to know about the process and the benefits that a rental pressure washer can provide you with.
Why Choose to Rent a Pressure Washer?
Flexibility & Convenience
Renting a pressure washer gives you the flexibility to add extra cleaning power to your fleet when you need it. Whether it’s a seasonal deep clean or a one-off project, having the option to rent means you can quickly scale up your cleaning capabilities when you need it most. Plus, the ability to rent accessories such as surface cleaners, extension wands and turbo nozzles with the machine ensures you always have the right tools for the job at hand.
Cost-Effective for Short-term
If you only need a pressure washer for a short period or one-time job, renting is a highly cost-effective way to acquire a machine. Commercial dealers, like Northstar Clean Concepts, generally offer daily, weekend, weekly, or monthly rates. These options allow you to complete the required job while ensuring you remain within your budget.
Try Before You Buy
Renting provides an excellent opportunity to try different models and features before committing to a purchase. This hands-on experience can be invaluable, allowing you to test the power, ease of use, and functionality of various pressure washers to determine which model is best for your application. It’s a risk-free way to ensure you’re investing in the right equipment.
What Kind of Pressure Washer Should You Rent?
Choosing the right pressure washer to rent depends on the specific requirements of your project. Here are some key specifications to consider when selecting which pressure washer to use:
Hot vs Cold Water Pressure Washers
- Hot Water: If you need to clean oils, greases, animal fats, or other similar residues, you’ll want to choose a hot water pressure washer. This is because heat helps to break down and dissolve tough oil, petroleum, and animal-based grime making hot water perfect for industrial and heavy-duty cleaning tasks.
- Cold Water: On the other hand, if you’re regularly cleaning dirt, soil, and other common debris, a cold water pressure washer is going to be the right tool for you. Cold water units are often smaller, more cost-effective, and easier to operate and they are just as tough when it comes to completing everyday cleaning jobs.
Gas vs Electric Pressure Washers
- Gas Pressure Washers: If you require portability, are cleaning outdoors, or away from a stable power source, renting a gas pressure washer is the best option for your needs. The thing to consider when choosing a gas pressure washer is they can be quite noisy, and they release carbon emissions, so they are not recommended for indoor use or in areas where loud noises are regulated or prohibited.
- Electric Pressure Washers: If you’re cleaning indoors, at a stationary job site, and have reliable access to power, an electric pressure washer will be an excellent option for your job. Much quieter than gas-powered models, electric pressure washers are also generally easier to start and operate.
PSI & GPM Requirements
- PSI (Pounds per Square Inch): Indicates the pressure output of the washer. The higher the PSI the more intense the water stream is; the more intense the water stream, the easier it is to clear away the dirt and grime you are trying to clean. If you’re generally cleaning delicate components, or softer surfaces like wood or stucco, you’ll want to operate at a lower PSI so as not to damage the surface you are cleaning. However, if you have a tough mess on harder surfaces, or you are trying to clean hard to reach places like a roof or second story of a building, a higher PSI machine will be a better option for the job.
- GPM (Gallons per Minute): Measures the amount of water that flows through your nozzle each minute. A higher GPM means more water is used, which can speed up cleaning tasks by allowing you to clean more and faster. For example, a 4.0 GPM pressure washer will generally clean twice as fast as a 2.0 GPM machine.
Where to Rent a Pressure Washer
It’s well known that many big-box hardware stores offer relatively cheap pressure washer rentals. However, the thing to keep in mind when considering renting from these stores is the term “cheap”, because you get what you pay for.
While the machines the big hardware stores rent can be decent for home use, they are often lower quality, lower power units that don’t stack up to the standards required for business or industrial use. Furthermore, these rentals frequently pass from one use to the next with little maintenance in between, meaning the condition of the machine you’re getting can’t be guaranteed.
Rent From A Commercial Dealer
That’s why renting from a commercial dealer, like Northstar Clean Concepts, makes much more sense for businesses requiring tough, reliable, cleaning power to complete their next job. Here’s why:
- Large Fleet of Higher Quality Machines: Unlike a big-box hardware store, Northstar Clean Concepts and similar commercial dealers offer higher quality, commercial grade machines. Depending on your requirements, you’ll get greater PSI or GPM than you will from the other guys. Plus, we also rent time-saving accessories for specialty jobs, and our machines have unique features, such as down-stream detergent injection, that don’t come on those other rentals.
- Lower, Flexible Rates: Go ahead and compare the rates of commercial dealers to the hardware stores. We’re confident that the majority of the time your dollar will go further when renting from a commercial dealer like us. In fact, the base cold-water pressure washer in Northstar’s rental fleet not only outperforms the cold-water models offered by those big hardware stores, it will usually cost you less to rent as well.
- Better Maintenance: Commercial dealers typically maintain their machines to a higher standard than the big box stores, ensuring you get reliable, high-performing equipment every time you rent. In fact, Northstar’s factory trained service technicians complete a 24-point inspection after every rental to make sure it’s in prime working condition for the next renter.
- Training and Support: Northstar Clean Concepts and most other commercial dealers will provide training on how to use the equipment when you pick up your rental. We’ll also take the time to show you how to properly use any accessories you rent with your pressure washer as well. This is something that big box stores don’t offer and can ultimately be a crucial factor for ensuring user safety and efficiency.
- Equipment Delivery: Don’t have a free truck to pick up your pressure washer rental? Commercial dealers like Northstar Clean Concepts can work with you to provide delivery and pick-up options at your job site.
There are any number of reasons why your business might need to rent a pressure washer. Next time you need to boost your cleaning capacity, we hope these points have helped choose the right pressure washer for your needs and make the most of your rental experience.
If you still have questions about renting a pressure washer from Northstar, our product specialists are always happy to help, so give us a call!