Structural Pest Control Applicator Practice Exam

If a sprayer delivers less spray than desired, what is the best way to increase the rate?

1. Decrease the pressure

2. Increase ground speed

3. Change to a larger nozzle

4. Any of the above

The correct answer is: Any of the above

To understand how to increase the spray rate from a sprayer, it's important to recognize the various factors that influence it. The correct answer identifies that changing to a larger nozzle is the best method. When you switch to a larger nozzle, it allows more liquid to flow through, resulting in a higher spray output. This direct change significantly impacts the amount of solution delivered per unit of time, helping achieve the desired application rate more effectively than any adjustments related to pressure or speed. While decreasing the pressure would typically reduce the flow rate, and increasing ground speed may also lead to less product being applied over a given area, changing to a larger nozzle directly targets the issue—allowing for more product to be sprayed in a shorter amount of time. This nuanced understanding of nozzle size and flow rate is critical for pest control applicators to effectively manage their applications.