How to Winterize a Power Washer & Keep It Going Well!
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The right way to store your pressure washer is very important. Water left in the pump can freeze and crack it, and many warranties don't cover damage caused by improper storage. 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 is to protect the pump. Water that stays inside can freeze and crack it, and seals can dry out over a long storage period. Briggs & Stratton says pump saver helps prevent rust and freeze damage and keeps pistons and seals from drying out.
Warranty coverage is another reason. Many manufacturers exclude freeze damage or damage from improper storage, so a cracked pump may not be covered. Check your own warranty terms. 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 goes into the tank with fresh fuel. Running the engine for about 2 minutes circulates the treated fuel through the system.
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.
Before you disconnect anything, point the spray gun in a safe direction, squeeze the trigger to release pressure, and then engage the trigger lock. 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.
Before adding pump saver, pull the starter cord about six times to push out any residual water left in the pump, as Briggs & Stratton's guide describes. 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, keep in mind that a higher octane rating does not mean less ethanol; most pump gas, premium included, is an ethanol blend. Briggs & Stratton notes that about 90% of U.S. fuel contains ethanol, which can lead to gum, varnish and corrosion in stored engines.
Another note is about fuel stabilizer. Add it to fresh fuel before storage, and keep using it in your gas can through the season so stored fuel stays fresh.
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, tip and rock the machine gently to drain residual water out of the pump. Some manuals allow a few seconds of running to clear the lines, but never run the pump dry longer than your manual allows.
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 the washer is mounted to a trailer or vehicle that stays outside, draining it fully and filling the pump with pump saver or pump antifreeze is the best protection against freezing. If you can't buy a cover, at least use a tarp to keep out rain, snow and debris.
Watch This!
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.
Sources
- Winterize & Store Your Pressure Washer, Briggs & Stratton
- How to Store and Winterize Outdoor Power Equipment Properly, Briggs & Stratton
