Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Our "Quick Ship Pressure Washers" are already boxed up and ready to ship out! These typically take 1-2 business days to leave our facility in Barberton, OH from your time of order. If you're local and prefer to pick up your machine, we ask that you give us approximately 1 business day to unbox and prep your machine. If you require expedited assistance, please contact our office at (800) 824-8252 or (330) 753-8394 and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
"Out of Stock" pressure washers are machines that we don't currently have in stock at our location. These are units we've sold out of and have either placed an order for and are awaiting its arrival, already have a shipment headed our way, or require a custom order. For the most accurate lead times for machines, please call our office at (800) 824-8252 or (330) 753-8394. Every manufacturer provides different lead times, and they change frequently.
All of our in stock products ship directly from our facility in Barberton, Ohio.
All of our small packages (anything with a flat rate shipping cost of $19.99 or anything that qualifies for free shipping) ship via UPS Ground or USPS. For any of our pressure washers or larger pieces of equipment, we use various carriers for LTL shipments & provide the tracking number via email after the item has been picked up at our facility by the carrier.
If you need an item that's going UPS shipped to you faster than the UPS Ground method, please contact us in the office before placing your order at 330-753-8394 and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Please note that any expedited shipping does require a higher shipping cost, so this may be a transaction we need to process over the phone rather than on our website.
No, we only have one facility in Barberton, Ohio. We started in 1995 as a small family-owned business in a 3,000 sqft facility with 4 pressure washers in stock, and have grown into a 39,000 sqft facility with over 200 pressure washers in stock! 3R Sales & Service is still owned and run by the same family, just with more excellent employees to fill out our team and to offer great service!
Yes! Ashley is our Sales Manager and Trailer Build Specialist. She's been with 3R Sales & Service for over 20 years, and is a great wealth of information when it comes to machinery and trailer builds. If you end up doing business with us and Ashley is taking care of you, you're in great hands!
A direct drive pressure pump is mounted directly to the engine shaft which makes the pump spin at a normal engine speed of 3450 RPM. A belt drive pump has a pulley mounted to the pump shaft, driven by a belt attached to a pulley on the engine shaft. This allows the pump to turn at a lower RPM, typically between 1100-1750RPM.
Benefits of a Belt Drive Pump: Lower RPM, Lower Operating Temperature, More Vibration Absorption, Draws from Water Tank. These three factors result in an overall longer life on a belt drive pump.
Benefits of a Direct Drive Pump: Lower cost, More Compact, Less Weight
- To calculate what size quick connect nozzle you need, check out our Nozzle Size Chart. You will need to know your machines PSI and GPM to determine the proper size.
- To determine what degree nozzle you would need, here is a short break down:
- 0 Degree (Red Collar): This nozzle has the narrowest spray pattern and should only be used on very resilient surfaces (concrete, pavement, masonry, etc) with heavy dirt or debris.
- 15 Degree (Yellow Collar): This is the most common cleaning nozzle and is great for most heavy to moderate cleaning purposes.
- 25 Degree (Green Collar): This nozzle also works well for most cleaning projects with a lighter amount of dirt and debris.
- 40 Degree (White Collar): This nozzle has the widest spray pattern and works well for rinsing or softer surfaces like wood.
- If you have a nozzle that you’d like to replace with the same size, but you’re not sure what size it is, check out our Quick Connect Nozzle Sizing Diagram for help figuring out the size.
- For determining the size of your quick connect fittings (plugs and sockets/couplers), most 3-8GPM washers have the following sizes:
- Pump Outlet - 3/8" QC Socket or 3/8" QC Plug. Depends on manufacturer.
- High Pressure Hose - 3/8" FPT QC Socket on one end & 3/8" FPT QC Plug on the other.
- Inlet on Trigger Gun - 3/8" MPT QC Plug or 3/8" MPT QC Socket. Depends on manufacturer.
- Outlet on Wand Assy - 1/4" FPT QC Socket
It depends on what you are cleaning and how fast you want to get the job done. If you need to clean grease, oil, gum, tar, asphalt, soot, etc. then hot water does a better job of breaking down the grime. For both commercial & residential applications, hot water can decrease cleaning time and help detergents and chemical cleaners work better. They also sanitize in areas where bacteria is a problem. In many locations, you will need a hot water washer if you plan to clean during the cold winter months.
Hot water pressure washers heat water to temperatures above 120 degrees, with an average of 180 degree output but some models will reach up to 250 degree wet steam at full pressure. Industrial Steamers heat water to 300 degrees at approximately 250 PSI.
Cleaning Units (CU) is the result of multiplying the PSI by the GPM. Cleaning units gives the customer a measure of unit performance (efficiency) to compare one unit to another.
Other than the obvious color, the difference is that gray hose is considered non-marking, where black hose is not. Gray hose is great for cleaning driveways and sidewalks so you don’t leave black streaks on the concrete surfaces from dragging your hose around during the cleaning process.
If you’re using bleach or other corrosive chemicals in any of your applications, you will need stainless steel fittings or poly fittings to prevent corrosion. High Pressure rated stainless steel is the most heavy duty, therefore requiring fewer replacements over time. Brass and steel fittings work well for standard pressure washing applications, but will be replaced more frequently.
For equipment over 4000 PSI, most fittings will be stainless steel for the higher pressure rating.
You will need to know what the PSI (Pound-force per Square Inch) and GPM (Gallons Per Minute) of your machine to properly calculate what size nozzle you need in the Nozzle Size Chart.
No, we do not repair damaged hoses.
We sell several different kinds of detergents for many uses. Check out our Detergents page with information on each to determine which would be best for your application.
In short, soft washing is washing with low pressure – typically less than 500 PSI. A true soft wash system is a chemical application system for higher concentrates of chemical that a pressure washer is not capable of applying.
Soft Washing with a Pressure Washer: Applying chemical through your downstream injector at low pressure & rinsing with low pressure. Aluminator and JROD assemblies are commonly used for this technique.
Soft Washing with a Soft Wash System: Applying chemical through a completely separate system with a low pressure / high volume diaphragm pump. This allows you to apply your solution at a stronger ratio (vs. the pressure washer chemical injector that dilutes your concentrate) and remove staining from heavily saturated or hard to reach areas. Used commonly for roof cleaning.
These soft wash systems come in electric powered or gas powered. Electric systems are typically 60-100 PSI at 5.5-7 GPM. Gas systems are typically 150-300 PSI at 9-11 GPM. Gas systems can spray up to twice the distance of an electric powered soft wash system.
Lastly, soft wash systems are built to be corrosion resistant, made with mostly poly & stainless steel components to handle heavier concentrates & corrosive solutions. Applying chemicals with your soft wash system will save major wear & tear on your pressure washer and pressure washer accessories such as the hoses, triggers, injectors, reels, etc.
A 20” surface cleaner with 2 nozzles works best with 4-6 GPM while a 24” surface cleaner with 3 nozzles operates best with 5.5-8 GPM. 30" surface cleaners are ideal for 8-10 GPM. Minimum pressures and max temperature ratings vary by manufacturer.
To sum it up, here are the general steps*:
- Contact us via email, our website, or phone and fill us in on what you're looking for.
- We will send you a quote that you can modify to your liking with one of our team members until the trailer build, skid assembly, or install is exactly what you'd like.
- If you're financing the build/install/equipment, you'll need to apply for financing at this time if you haven't already. We work with a great leasing company that you can apply with online through the "Financing" tab of our website.
- Once your finance application is approved (if you're financing), and your down payment is secured by us or the finance company (down payments apply for all transaction types), we schedule your build/install.
- We get to work building your rig or installing your equipment!
- Once your rig is close to completion, we will contact you to schedule a pickup day and time. At pickup, one of our service technicians will go over your rig with you and help answer any questions you may have in regards to it. This is when the remainder of your balance (if you're not financing) is due, and when you sign any paperwork involved in the process.
- Enjoy your new build!
**Unique circumstances or builds that require additional steps may change the process. This is to be used as a general guideline for most builds & installs.
Yes! This isn't a way to try and dupe anyone for advertising purposes - we have a 39,000 sqft facility that we like to keep stocked with tons of equipment and accessories so we have something for everyone! This also helps us build custom trailers & installs much faster because we don't have to wait on pieces of equipment to get started or finish up. We do our best to keep the online inventory updated daily, but if you're looking to double check if we have an item in stock, feel free to call us at 330-753-8394 and we'd be happy to physically check our inventory for you!
We work with open trailers, enclosed trailers, van installs, truck bed mounts, box trucks, flat beds, aluminum pallet assemblies, aluminum deluxe truck bed skid assemblies, and more! We've even outfitted a pontoon boat before! Have a project in mind? Give us a call and we'll see if we can make it happen!
No, we do not supply the vehicle itself. However, if you're looking into a custom trailer unit, we do provide the trailer. We can even look into custom colors, sizes, styles, etc if you don't see one that you'd like your install done in.
Yes! If you head over to our financing page here, you can check out the two companies we use for financing.
While shipping trailers or deluxe truck bed skids can be done, we highly recommend the customer coming to our location for pick up for a few reasons:
- Shipping a trailer or hot-shotting a deluxe truck bed skid is expensive. Many times, depending on location, this service can add several thousands of dollars to your total. Hot-shots start out at around $3,500.
- If you come to pick up your custom build, we can provide you with your FREE training. This includes how to use your new rig, how to maintain it, best practices, and more. Since many of these trailers are customized, they're all different, and getting to go over your trailer or build with one of our technicians provides great insight into how to best use and maintain your rig. You can also ask us any questions you may have!
- You can do all of your paperwork at our facility. This includes signing documents, final payments, and obtaining your Certificate of Origin (if applicable).
- For skids & deluxe truck bed skids, we offer installation as an additional service so you don't have to worry about it when you get back home. Many times customers do not have a way to get a skid assembly off the hot-shot and into their vehicle or trailer if it was shipped.
- You get the opportunity to shop while you're here! We stock a ton of different accessories, parts, and detergents at our store. Many times, customers find it helpful to pick up some of the necessities while they're here or check out accessories that they never knew existed.
- Last but not least, we love getting to meet our customers. A lot of time, communication, and work goes into our custom builds, so it's always nice to put a face with the name and get to see you.
If you decide to pick-up your unit, we can schedule a pick up date and time that works with your schedule. If you'd still like to explore the shipping option, we can always get an up-to-date shipping estimate to your location for you. Just give us a ring at 330-753-8394.