Hot water machines cost more to buy, more to run and more to maintain. On the right work they pay for themselves quickly. On the wrong work they are an expensive way to do what cold water already did.
What heat actually does
Heat breaks down fats, oils and grease. It changes their state so they lift instead of smearing. On anything organic or oily, hot water cleans faster and with less chemical. On dirt, algae and general grime, heat adds very little, because the cleaning there is done by flow and chemical.
Jobs where heat pays
- Restaurant and drive-through concrete, where the stain is grease
- Fleet, plant and heavy equipment
- Workshop and garage floors with oil
- Gum removal
- Food processing and anything with a sanitation requirement
Jobs where it does not
- House washing and roofs. This is chemical work, and heat can make some solutions less effective rather than more
- General residential driveways and patios
- Fencing and decking
If you are mostly residential, put the money into GPM instead. See pressure washers.
All-in-one or add a hot box
Two ways to get heat.
A hot water machine is one unit, simpler to run and move. See the Smokin Hot Bandit 5.5 GPM and the 8 GPM.
A hot box is a separate heater you run your existing cold machine through. It turns the cold setup you already own into a hot one, and you can take it off the rig when you do not need it. See the Dragon hot boxes in 5 GPM, 8 GPM and 10 GPM.
The hot box route usually makes sense if you already have a cold machine you are happy with, or if only some of your work needs heat.
What it costs you
Heat means a burner, a fuel tank, a coil and 12 volt power. That is diesel or kerosene to buy, a coil that needs descaling, and a burner that needs servicing. Budget for that before you commit, and size the heater to your machine, because a heater rated under your GPM will not get the water hot enough at full flow.
Not sure which way to go? Talk to a builder.