The right way to store your pressure washer is very important. Because it’s the only assurance to keep the warranty valid. No matter if you have a medium or heavy-duty power washer, if you’re not putting enough effort into winterizing it, there might be some negative outcomes to deal with when you bring it out for usage. And that’s something nobody would like to happen.
So, today let’s chat about how to winterize a power washer and avoid the bad consequences.
How to Winterize a Power Washer with Everything Else You Need to Know
We will talk about two methods to winterize pressure washer. One is for a gas-powered variant while the other method would discuss an electric version. If you are still not sure why winterizing process is so crucial, then probably talking about the importance will be a good way to start this.
Why Bother the Process?
Spring cleaning is a very crucial matter to you, right? Consider the winterizing of this particular equipment equally important as well. The major reason behind this is to secure seal. This is in charge of lubrication inside when not in use. And if you don’t bother about winterizing the pressure washer before storing or simply due to cold weather’s arrival, then there’s a good chance of messing up with this lubrication.
And the most alarming news here is that, even if you have a warranty covered, you’ll not receive any benefit when washer goes off. Well, at least for the most cases, if a pressure washer owner fails to winterize it properly, manufacturer’s warranty won’t be eligible anymore. And you’ll get no cover for the damage. I hope that much is enough for you to get motivated about this whole boring but important process.
1. Winterizing a Gas Pressure Washer.
You should always start by checking the owner’s manual of your pressure washer to get right directions. Buy a pump saver and also a fuel stabilizer for this step. The owner’s manual will help you get the ones from right brand. The fuel stabilizer is for tank. Running the engine for a couple of minutes will get the system well circulated.
Just, as usual, you need to attach the hose from your garden to washer. Now bring a bucket and let the detergent feed hose get into it. You need to flush all the detergent out from system. So simply use a trigger with a low-pressure nozzle. Next, you need to disconnect the water supply that is coming from hose. To get out all the remaining water from lines, simply pull trigger once again.
You need to detach every hose next. You want water out from all the extension, gun and hose drained out completely. Now following the manufacturer’s direction, insert pump saver into appropriate inlet. Finally, you need to cover the washer and prepare for storing it. Choose an area that is clean and dry to store it safely.
To completely drain the spray gun, you should engage trigger lock. This will keep all the valves open to make this process easier. Also, once you are done draining washer hoses, make sure to wipe them well with a rag. This is to ensure there’s no water left that can cause mildew or freeze later on.
You should also pull the starter cord for a total six times. So that there’s no residual water left in the pump. While choosing the fuel, it’s surely best to follow manual recommendation. But you should try to use fuel that is ethanol free. You should be able to find detail about ethanol inclusion in the label.
In case you are using regular fuel, then go for premium 93 octane. This one is known for having the least amount of ethanol. Another note you should keep is about adding fuel stabilizer. If you add it during the very first startup of spring then there’s a good chance of getting smooth flowing throughout whole season.
2. Winterizing an Electric Pressure Washer
An electric pressure washer is definitely a bit faster with zero fuel system it worries about. You’ll need some hot water, a pump sprayer bottle or can and the access to clean it. Start by filling a gallon container with water. You may have to fill the onboard detergent tank with hot water. Or instead, you’ll need to stick the hose of detergent siphon into water. This will depend on your machine actually.
Next, you need to fix the garden hose into inlet. Simply turn the tap and pressure washer on. By squeezing the trigger, next, you need to allow lines to flush out all residual detergent. Let it run for at least a couple of minutes. Now to get rid of any remaining water from system, simply detach garden hose and pull the trigger for one more time. Then get the high-pressure hose out. You also need to detach the trigger gun and wand. Allow them to drain as well. Follow the manufacturer’s instruction to next add pump saver to system. Finally, you need to store the washer in a dry and safe space.
When you detach all the hoses, let pressure washer run for ten seconds. You need to rock the equipment back and forth during this time. This will help to eliminate all the residual water out of system effectively.
Also, try to store the pressure washer inside your house’s basement area. If you have an attached garage, then store it there. Since it’s a lightweight version, storing it in those areas will not be a hassle. Also, there will be lesser chances of any freeze-related damage.
The Cover is Important!
To protect your pressure washer from webs, moisture, mice, dust, bugs, and many other elements, you should think about getting a storage cover. This becomes even more important if you need to keep the machine outside of your house. The sun, bird poop, and rain are going to be trouble-causing factors for the machine. You should go for covers that are made from cloth and include a water-resistant coating.
Also, Keep in Mind:
If you have mounted the washer to a vehicle that needs to stay outside of your house, then try putting an electric heater nearby. So that there’s no chance of letting your pressure washer freeze. If you can’t buy a cover, then for the very least use a tarp. So that some of the heat can be preserved to keep machine protected. It’ll also help to fight against the wind as well.
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Wrap Up
Now you have a good idea about how to winterize a power washer. Don’t skip this process and end up meeting damage later on. It is surely a method that nobody enjoys. But when you think about saving the extra cost of repair and having your pressure washer working fine for a long time, this won’t feel that much of a hassle anymore. So Give It Some Thoughts Before The Cold Hits & Ruins Everything.