Understanding The Versatility of Your Pressure Washer

A pressure washer is a tool that can be adapted to the job at hand. By understanding the differences in pressure washer nozzle sizes and the tasks they were designed to accomplish, you can get the most out of your investment in a pressure washer .

Why Different Pressure Washer Nozzles?

The option to change out the pressure washer nozzle on your pressure washer wand helps you get the precise angle and pressure for the job you need to complete. From the end of the wand, pressure washers spray water in a “V” shape. Each pressure washer nozzle type you add to the wand changes the width of the spray—in a wider or narrower “V”—depending on what degree angle the nozzle is designed to provide.

For example, selecting a pressure washer nozzle with a narrow spray (a low-degree nozzle) will give you more PSI in your spray, but over a smaller area. With a wider spray (a higher-degree nozzle), you’ll get less PSI but more coverage. Seeing as some surfaces are more difficult to clean than others—say, removing old paint from a house compared to rinsing dirt off a car—selecting the right pressure washer nozzle can be critical. Indeed, you can damage surfaces by blasting them with a super concentrated stream of water. Soft wood and plastic may be scarred or broken apart with a powerful, focused stream.

Understanding Pressure Washer Nozzle Sizing And Applications

Pressure washer nozzles are typically sorted by color and number. Each color represents a different stream intensity, and the degree number indicates the width of the spray. The pressure washer nozzle color coding makes selection quick and easy, especially if you know what you need. For the first-timer, know that it is the pressure washer nozzle angle that will indicate the stream intensity each nozzle is designed to supply. As stated, the smaller the degree of spray, the narrower the fan of water, and the wider the degree of spray, the wider the fan of water.

The standard pressure washer nozzle types and colors are:

• 0° Red Nozzle: This nozzle will provide the most focused, intense stream of water. It’s best used for blasting stubborn, dried-on mud, tar, glue, and stains from very hard surfaces like concrete or metal.
• 15° Yellow Nozzle: This nozzle provides a slightly less focused and intense stream. It’s best used for heavy-duty pressure washer cleaning techniques —removing dirt from heavy equipment, cleaning boats and marine equipment, etc.
• 25° Green Nozzle: This nozzle provides a broader spray with a much less focused and intense stream. It’s used for standard pressure washer surface cleaning on surfaces that don’t require a more intense flow. This nozzle is the standard choice for pressure washer detergent application as it provides the right levels of GPM and PSI.
• 40° White Nozzle: This nozzle provides a very broad spray and a stream of water great for light cleaning of delicate surfaces like stucco, siding, windows, etc. It is a great all-purpose pressure washer nozzle that will work well for any surface.
• 65° Black Nozzle: This nozzle has the widest degree of spray and a large orifice. Because this top has a low PSI , it is not useful for pressure washer cleaning techniques . This one’s best used to wet surfaces and for making soapy, sudsy environments.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all pressure washer nozzle for all tasks, and it’s the intensity of the spray that’s important. The spray intensity is determined by the width of your spray. The higher the degree number, the wider and gentler the spray.

How to Size Your Pressure Washer Nozzle for Your Pressure Washer ?

Every power washer is designed differently. Each has a different PSI rating and gallon-per-minute output. These two numbers will determine the “size” of the orifice of your nozzle. They have sizes that start as low as a #3.5 through #12 and even higher for specialty nozzles. These arbitrary numbers have nothing to do with gallon output of your pump; they are just that—arbitrary numbers. Failure to properly size your nozzle can cause your tip to not function properly in a worst-case scenario; can cause major damage to the pump itself.

Consult Your Dealer

Your dealer or representative will need to know the PSI and GPM output of your pressure washer pump to help you size your pressure washer nozzle correctly. The most important thing is to leave the store with the right pressure washer accessory for your job. Pressure washer nozzle color coding takes a lot of the mystery out of selecting the right pressure washer nozzle , but don’t be afraid to ask your dealer for guidance—they have all the information you’ll need and will be more than happy to get you the right part.

Did we miss any important information? Tell us in the comments section!