A pressure washer is an impressive machine that removes almost 90% of the effort from conventional ‘scrub-and-clean’ cleaning methods.
They make cleaning easier, quicker, and way more fun.
However, a pressure washer can pump 2-8 gallons per minute (GPM), depending on the model.
As a local company in Washington State, a common question is, how much water does a pressure washer use?
In this article, we’ll answer that question, plus a few other frequently asked questions.
Let’s get started!
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Hey there, I’m Cody.
A decade of residential and commercial pressure washing led me to start JCS Refresh. Now I can share my knowledge with folks like you.
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Quick Answer
The amount of water used by a pressure washer depends on its pump. Some models can use between 1.2 to 4 GPM.
In comparison, a regular garden hose spends water at 8-9 GPM, and your kitchen sink runs at about 2 GPM.
Different pressure washers (gas vs. electric and various brands) come with GPM specs; some are more efficient than others.
What is GPM on a pressure washer?
GPM stands for Gallons Per Minute, and it describes the amount of water (in gallons) consumed by the pump in one minute.
More extensive and tougher jobs require a higher GPM, and low-power cleaning jobs can be done with a low GPM.
Pressure washer water usage FAQs
Here are a few commonly asked questions about pressure washer water consumption.
How many gallons of water are needed to pressure wash a house?
Suppose your pressure washer runs at 2,000 PSI and uses 3 gallons of water per minute. It usually takes about a couple of hours to pressure wash an average-sized house, so that turns out to be a total of 360 gallons of water in two hours.
For comparison, a standard-size bathtub holds about 80 gallons of water.
This might sound like a lot, but it saves you water because pressure waters can control water output via the trigger, unlike a constantly flowing hose.
How many gallons per minute does a pressure washer use?
Pressure washers differ in efficiency and come with different GPM capacities.
Depending on their power (light, medium, or heavy-duty), a pressure washer can consume 1.2 to 8 gallons of water per minute. However, most residential models max at around 4 GPM.
How many gallons of water are needed to pressure wash a driveway?
Driveways are usually faster than washing a house. So a 4 GPM for 30 minutes will need 120 gallons of water. This number can fluctuate based on the driveway’s condition.
How many gallons an hour does a pressure washer use?
The water consumption per hour depends on the model’s GPM. For example, a pressure washer operating at 2 GPM of water consumption will use 60 gallons in an hour.
Does pressure washing increase my water bill?
It depends on how long and often you use the pressure washer and at what flow rate. However, your water bill for personal use will remain the same.
Is pressure washing a waste of water?
Pressure washing generates wastewater, but it is not a waste of water.
In fact, it uses a lot less water than what would be needed to clean the same amount of area with a regular garden hose.
Conclusion
A pressure washer for washing a house can use between 1.2 to 4 gallons per minute. The exact value depends upon the washer’s efficiency and the pressure (PSI) at which it will operate.
Overall, a pressure washer doesn’t use as much water as a garden hose and won’t impact your water bill by washing.
We hope this article served you well. Thanks for reading!
