How to Buy a Replacement Pressure Washer Gun

The first step is to know your pressure washer.  It will be helpful for you to understand the specifications of your pressure washer before buying replacement parts.  First, you should know the Gallons per minute (GPM) of the pressure washer pump.  This is how many gallons of water flow through your pressure washer pump every minute.  The more GPM's the faster and better your machine will clean.  Remember that the water is what does the cleaning.  Second is know the (PSI) pounds per square inch of the unit.  PSI is what most people look for when shopping for pressure washer equipment.  They believe the more pressure the better the machine, Not True.  It is the measure of how much pressure is discharged through the orifice of the nozzle.  Your typical self serve car wash creates3 (GPM) at 1000 PSI at the end of the wand.  An Industrial unit for cleaning buildings and concrete uses 5 (GPM) at 5000 PSI powered by a 20 HP Gasoline engine.   A pressure washer that produces up to 1200 PSi is designed for the homeowner while the 5000 PSi machine is used for commercial cleaning.   Third is the Horsepower of you pressure washer.  Look and see what size gasoline engine or electric motor is powering your pressure washer.  Now that you know your machine it is time to choose the correct trigger gun, wand and nozzle sizes.  

It is important to understand a  few factors before buying your replacement pressure washer gun.  First, will it connect to my existing hose?  Professional contractors use a 3/8" quick release hose and fitting system similar to the hose below.  It is much faster than unscrewing the hose.  This is the choice of the professional contractor. 

Many pressure washers with a brand name like Briggs and Stratton, Campbell Hausfeld, Generac,  etc.. use the hose pictured below:   This has a 22mm thread on the outside of the coupler and 15mm thread inside the coupler.  You must screw the hose on and off after every use.  The second picture is our 22mm x3/8" adapter and gun used on these style pressure washer hoses.

Second, look at the overall quality of the gun. 

Case:  Most guns are broken by dropping it on the ground.  If you have a cheap plastic case it will break.

Ball, Seat, and Spring:  This is what keep the gun from leaking when the trigger is released.  Make sure they are made from Stainless Steel!  If your pressure washer is cycling or surging,  it is leaking water here or at your unloader valve.  WARNING!!! cycling and surging will dramatically lower the life expectancy of you pressure washer!

Brass Internals:  You want an all brass gun for durability.  It just works better with water and chemical than steel.  Brass lasts longer!

Third,  the pressure washer gun must be comfortable in your hand.  This is more important than you think when using the gun for extended periods of time.  Look for a gun with a "fatigue free trigger".  Professional contractors carefully choose the most ergonomically friendly gun they can buy so their cleaning productivity increases.  It is to do a good job if you hand starts cramping.