November 01, 2015

7 steps for winterizing and storing a pressure washer

7 steps for winterizing and storing a pressure washer.
7 steps for winterizing and storing a pressure washer.

The brutally cold winter months can wreak havoc on your pressure washer, causing expensive and sometimes permanent damage to the pump and fuel system.  You can prevent freezing temperatures from damaging your pressure washer by following these simple steps.

  1. Shut the pressure washer off and disconnect it from the water supply hose.

  2. Disconnect the pressure hose from the spray gun and the high-pressure outlet on the pump. Drain any water from the hose, the gun and the nozzle extension. Wipe these items dry with a soft cloth.

  3. Pull the recoil on the pressure washer about 6 times to remove any liquid in the pump.

  4. Coil the pressure hose around the hose wrap on the pressure washer accessory tray.

  5. Use Pressure Washer Pump Saver to keep the pistons and seals lubricated and to minimize freezing in the pump. Follow the instructions included with the product.

  6. Drain the gasoline from the fuel tank—your owner's manual has instructions—and run it to burn off any remaining fuel. An alternative is to add fuel stabilizer to the tank of gas, which prevents the fuel from becoming stale and forming gum deposits that can damage the fuel system.

  7. Store the pressure washer in a dry area.

Symptoms for gas pressure washers

Choose a symptom to see related pressure washer repairs.

Main causes: faulty unloader valve, bad pressure regulator…

Main causes: stale fuel, gummed up carburetor, engine needs tune up, throttle and choke controls need adjustment, bad re…

Main causes: dirty air filter, stale fuel, clogged or dirty carburetor, bad unloader valve…

Main causes: broken recoil spring, damaged recoil starter…

Main causes: overfilling engine with oil, improper fuel/air mixture, choke system problems, dirty carburetor, engine nee…

Main causes: pump running for more than 5 minutes when the spray wand isn't being used, faulty pressure relief valve, ba…

Main causes: insufficient water supply, clogged water inlet screen, clogged pressure hose, faulty pump check valves, stu…

Main causes: using a high-pressure spray tip when applying detergent, clogged siphon tube, chemical injection system fai…

Main causes: damaged recoil starter, oil inside cylinder, locked up engine piston…

Repair guides for gas pressure washers

These step-by-step repair guides will help you safely fix what’s broken on your pressure washer.

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Articles and videos for gas pressure washers

Use the advice and tips in these articles and videos to get the most out of your pressure washer.

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7 steps for winterizing and storing a pressure washer

7 steps for winterizing and storing a pressure washer

Follow this advice to winterize your pressure washer.…