November 16, 2023 by Dean Dean

The Ultimate Guide to Winterizing Your Pressure Washer

The Ultimate Guide to Winterizing Your Pressure Washer is crucial to ensure it remains in good working condition during the winter months and beyond. Proper winterization helps protect the machine from potential damage caused by freezing temperatures and extended periods of inactivity. Here are some tips on how to winterize your pressure washer.

Draining the Tank: Begin by draining the water from the buffer tank. This step is essential to prevent freezing, which can cause serious damage to the pump and other components.
Blowing Out Plumbing and Hose Lines: Use compressed air, from an air compressor, you can blow out any remaining water from the plumbing, pump, and hose lines. This will help ensure that no water is left to freeze and potentially cause damage.
Using Antifreeze: I prefer to run a solution of antifreeze through the system to provide protection against freezing. I prefer using a fully concentrated Anti Freeze. Some guys will use RV/Marine Anti Freeze or Non Concentrated Anti Freeze. But there are reports of machines still freezing using this. Be sure to run the anti freeze through the bypass hose as well. So you’ll need to turn your ball valve off, so that it goes into bypass. Once done, leave you ball valve in the open position.
Cleaning Filters and Nozzles: This is also a good time to remove and clean the filters and nozzles to prevent any debris or mineral buildup that could affect the pressure washer’s performance when you get back to work.

MORE STEPS TO TAKE

Protecting from Rodent Damage: If you have an open trailer or truck rig, inspect the pressure washer for any potential entry points for rodents and take measures to protect the machine from nesting or damage.
Disconnecting the Battery: If your pressure washer is equipped with a battery, disconnect it to prevent drainage and potential damage during storage.
Fuel tanks: For gas-powered pressure washers, it’s important to follow additional steps such as stabilizing the fuel. If you have a machine with a fuel shut off, I recommend while running the machine, with water coming out of your ball valve, turn the fuel supply off. This will drain the Carburetor of gas. Any excess gas in the tank should be treated with a fuel stabilizer.
Cleaning Exposed Surfaces: Thoroughly clean the exterior of the pressure washer to remove any dirt, grime, or chemical residue that may have accumulated during use.
Storing in a Dry Location: Find a dry and secure location to store your rig during the winter months, such as a garage or shed, to protect it from the elements.
Following Manufacturer Recommendations: Always consult the manufacturer’s guidelines for specific winterization procedures and recommendations tailored to your pressure washer model.

By following The Ultimate Guide to Winterizing Your Pressure Washer, you can help prolong its life. In addition, you will ensure it’s ready for use when the warmer weather returns. Remember that proper maintenance and care are essential for keeping your pressure washer in optimal condition, especially during periods of extended storage.

In conclusion, winterizing your pressure washer is a proactive measure that can prevent costly repairs and downtime in the future. Whether you have a gas-powered or electric pressure washer, taking the time to properly winterize it will pay off in the long run by preserving its performance and functionality. We hope The Ultimate Guide to Winterizing Your Pressure Washer is helpful to your business. For a video on this subject, click here. For more training opportunities, check out The Pressure Washing School.

May 21, 2023 by Dean Dean

PRESSURE WASHER O-RINGS

It’s very important to make sure you are maintaining all of your PRESSURE WASHER O-RINGS for all of your fittings. This includes thing like quick connect or sockets which might also be couplers. There are two different sizes which are 3/8 and 1/4 inch. Anything from the bottom of the gun going back back to the machine will require 3/8 inch o-rings. Then everything from the top of the gun going out will require are 1/4 inch fittings. In order to properly maintain PRESSURE WASHER O-RINGS, you’ll need a set of picks.

REPLACING O-RINGS

At 4:39 in this PRESSURE WASHER O-RINGS video, I show how to replace them. The O-Ring I remove is slightly worn, or shredded, so this will negatively impact your spray flow. Depending on how often you use it, you may need to replace them every two weeks or perhaps monthly. I also demonstrate how to place the new O-RING into the small seat with the blunt end of the pick. It’s always a good idea to keep a package of each O-Ring size on your truck at all times. This way you will be prepared on the job and can easily replace them if they fail. Occasionally you can hear a unique out of rhythm sound the machine is making which indicates there is a seal breakdown somewhere. Many times water may be dripping or spraying out from the end of your wand, which is most likely an O-Ring problem that needs attention. An altogether different fix for particular leaking issues would be to make sure you have teflon tape and loxeal on the threads for a tight seal. Even though Pressure Washer O-Rings are such small parts, they play a big part in overall success on the job.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

For addition training opportunities, be sure and check out our pressure washing school events page. I have monthly hands on training in Houston which is ideal for anyone starting out in the pressure washing business. I also host a “Difference Makers” small business growth conference and would love to see you there!

March 23, 2023 by Dean Dean

Oil Changes

OIL CHANGES

Several viewers recently asked about oil changes for pressure washing machines. So in this video post, I have three difference machines that I provide step by step instructions for oil changes. First, for the demonstrations I’ll use a 5 GPM skid pressure washer. Then I use an 8 GPM machine and also a 4 GPM portable machine. You need to remember that you have to change oil for both the pump as well as the engine itself. Refer directly to the owner’s manual for recommended oil change intervals which is usually based on a number of hours. For the most part, there is an initial “break in” oil change recommendation interval for the first oil change. After that first change which is pretty quick, you’ll have more time. The engines usually need changing far more often than the pump. So it’s very important to read the owner’s manual interval recommendations.

DRAIN PLUGS

Locating the DRAIN PLUGS is the first step to completing pressure washer oil changes. They can be difficult to reach so I have a few hints and tips you’ll want to watch for each machine. I also mention how helpful is to have an oil vacuum from Harbor Freight or Northern Tool or similar store. You can use this to change the oil in cases when the drain plug is nearly impossible to get to. On any pump, you will notice a sight glass that helps provide the proper amount of oil. You want to fill only to half way up on that site glass and avoid over filling. For the engine, there is no sight glass. It is a matter of watching the actual oil level reach it’s maximum point to avoid over filling. At the 4:00 time stamp, I actually show you what drained oil mixed with water looks like. Some machines make it much easier by providing drain hoses.

HIGH PERFORMANCE LUBRICANTS

I always only use HIGH PERFORMANCE LUBRICANTS for all my oil changes. I use them not only for pressure washing machines and pumps, but I also use them for all of our trucks and personal vehicles. This is the highest quality oil that you can get, and I have found increases longevity and engine performance. For more training, be sure and check out all the training options at PRESSURE WASHING SCHOOL. In addition to my YouTube channel, I also have an online video school and monthly training events in Houston. Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way!

December 14, 2022 by Dean Dean

PRESSURE WASHER MAINTENANCE

This PRESSURE WASHER MAINTENANCE video post deals with water inlet issues. If you ever experience a pulsating hose or not enough water coming through, the water inlet should be the first thing to check. There could be a clog or an air leak there. The water inlet usually has six check valves which require a breaker bar and the right size socket. Be very careful because these valves are made of brass, and as soft and therefore easy to strip. I do not recommend using any sort of impact power tool for this. At 3:55 of this PRESSURE WASHER MAINTENANCE video, you’ll see the open valve and o-ring.

CHECK VALVE

Using needle nose pliers, I am able to gently remove the check valve. There is also another o-ring deep down below where the check valve sits. You can usually look closely down through there with a flashlight. (see time stamp 9:45) But generally, the issues are never with the o-rings but with the check valves. I do provide instructions for replacing the o-rings if that is something you would prefer to do. You will need a dental pick set for this part of pressure washer maintenance repairs. But the main issue is checking out the small spring inside the check valve. You want to make sure the spring is completely free of any dust, dirt, or debris and that the spring is not broken. Again, there are six check valves so it’s important to examine all six check valves carefully. Of course, always check and replace all fittings regularly. It’s important to keep all fittings clean and well maintained.

PRESSURE WASHER WON’T START

There are a variety of reasons why a pressure washer won’t start. Just this week, my nephew was asking my why his machine would start, but then shut down within minute or two. The most likely fix for this scenario is to clean out the carburetor. But what if the unit simply won’t start? We found the solution for this problem when a Honda GX690 simply would not start.

FAULTY FUSE

If you’re Honda GX 690 pressure washer won’t start, it may be a faulty fuse. If you do get the click sound upon turning the switch, this is a good thing and means your fuel valve is in good shape. Upon pulling the throttle assembly off, you will find 30 amp fuse. You’ll need to trouble shoot whether you have a faulty fuse using an ohm meter and comparing results with a new fuse. Then you would clean corrosion from the fuse itself and from the fuse socket. Follow the step by step instructions here in this video:

Don’t forget to also clean and reinstall the rubber gasket. Obviously, you will want to unhook the battery on any machine that you are working on for maintenance or repairs. This applies to working on any pressure washer won’t start project. In addition, this might be a great opportunity to change the oil.

EASILY ACCESSIBLE PRESSURE WASHER WON’T START

In the process of correcting this faulty fuse issue, it was extremely difficult to remove the throttle housing unit. Rather than reinstalling it back the way it was, we improvised a new solution to make this fuse and fuse socket much easier to access for future maintenance. We drill a small hole in the housing assembly so that the fuse and socket can remain outside of the throttle housing assembly. Be very careful and cautious when drilling so that you don’t cause more damage to the machine by drilling wires or other components. Again, always remember to DISCONNECT THE BATTERY so that you don’t short anything out with metal tools touching wires.

8 GPM Skid Pressure Washer – Doug Rucker Store

HONDA GX690 Pressure Washer