“Winter is coming.” Many among you know this world-famous dialogue from Game of Thrones. Like the thrilling Tv series, where everyone tries to protect their family and loved ones from that “deadly winter” in the real world you need to protect your favorite tools from the harsh effects of winter.
So that means it’s time to winterize your pressure washer until next summer. Thinking of how to winterize your pressure washer properly? Don’t worry! This article will tell you how to do it by following easy steps.
What Is Winterizing
Winterizing a pressure washer is an important step that will definitely prolong the life of your machine. It is a maintenance process where you take steps to prepare your pressure washer for the cold climates of winter. All this hassle makes it work properly in the next season.
In the wintertime, most people have a tendency to hibernate their houses from any outside elements that may cause damage. This is true with your home and it is also true with your lawn equipment as well. Though they are designed to stand up to harsh weather conditions, sometimes damage can occur if not properly taken care of.
These tools and machines include your pressure washer too. Sometimes people just throw away their power washer and that is a shame because winterizing the power washer is easy and can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs.
Why Winterizing a Pressure Washer is Important
The main reason for winterizing a pressure washer is to avoid any damage from the effects of freezing or condensation which causes rusting. If your electric or gas pressure washer has any metal part in it then it needs to be winterized. Otherwise, you will most likely have rusting problems when spring arrives.
Another reason for winterizing is to avoid damage from water getting in places where it does not belong. For example, water can cause corrosion inside an engine. So if you have a pressure washer that has an engine block, it should be winterized to prevent any water from getting in the wrong place. Moreover, if your pressure washer is not lubricated properly during cold weather then there may be problems with the engine next spring.
In short, winterizing a power washer just makes good sense overall. It costs less than the repairs and it is extremely easy to do.
Steps To Winterize Your Pressure Washer From Harsh Weather
- The first step in performing winter maintenance on your gas pressure washer is to inspect the engine.
- When working with engines, use a shop rag to wipe off grease and oil from all parts of the engine that come in contact with fuel or fluids.
- Also, be sure to drain all gasoline out of the fuel tank. Run it until there is no more gas coming out.
- If you want to keep the fuel in the tank then you need to add a fuel stabilizer into the gas tank and run the engine for about 10 minutes. This process allows for any water to be purged from the engine, which prevents corrosion from occurring.
- Take a look at all of the hoses associated with the machine and also check for any signs of damage. Since you are inspecting the hoses, this is an excellent time to change out any that are dry or cracked.
- While you are inspecting the hoses, make sure they are completely free of any residue and oil. If your pressure washer has a water filter, then it is good to remove the filter and clean it. Soak it in hot soapy water overnight then wash it off with clean water before putting back into place.
- After you have done this, it is time to prepare the machine for winter storage. You want to remove as much debris as possible from all parts of the pressure washer.
- Next, remove sediment and other harmful residues from the detergent tank. Open up the detergent tank and run water through the tank and soap nozzle to clean it thoroughly.
- If your pressure washer has a universal quick connector then it needs to be removed from the machine. This way you can flush out any gunk or sediment that may have made its way into that connection point.
- Protecting the unit from any animals that may want to eat on it or nest in it during the winter is necessary. Moreover, covering your pressure washer is important so that water cannot get on any part of it. You must cover your pressure washer with a tarp or another type of waterproof material. If your unit does not have its own storage area then it needs to be covered up properly.
Once you have done all this, then your pressure washer is ready for winter and should be kept somewhere cool and dry until spring arrives again.
