With autumn already here and winter not too far away, what better time than to get your pressure washer ready for winter storage!? Now you think this may be a simple case of it's already in the garage it will be fine BUT this is not the case!
Just storing your pressure washer in the shed after its last use isn’t always the best storage area for your machine!
Before storage you should turn on your pressure washer and blow out any left-over water in the machine, so this is drained completely to avoid any residual soap - it also helps to clean the inside of the machine too!
Next remove the any nozzles and the hose and drain the water which is left within. If water is left in the hose during the colder months it can cause the internal pipes to crack and can also damage the seals as it can freeze and expand within the internals of the parts. Once all the water has been removed from the hose this should then be coiled up for storage - a little rope or a cable tie can help keep this coiled! Also the power lead can be coiled and fixed too for storage.
It is recommended the pressure washer in stored somewhere a little warmer where the cold weather wont affect the machine or cause damage - you can of course also cover the pressure washer with an old blanket for the winter for protection from the cold but also accidental damage or debris.
Pressure Washer Trouble Shooting Guide
Pressure Washer NOT working out of storage
Sometimes when you haven’t used your pressure washer for a while the piston can stick - this is an issue often found with machines stored for longer periods of time. Like humans they don't like to be ignored for long!
To un-stick the piston, connect the machine to mains water and turn the tap on. Unravel the hose fully, removing any kinks as you go. Connect the power lead to a mains power socket (NOT extension lead), turn the mains power on and then the pressure washer on - the water should always be turned on BEFORE the power! Once the pressure washer is on, feather the trigger for around 5-10 minutes and you should find the piston is released and the pressure washer will be back to full working order.
Pressure washer will not turn on
The first part to check when a pressure washer will not turn on is the fuse - simply change the fuse and try the correct starting procedure again (remember water should be turned on BEFORE the power!).
If the fuse has been changed but the pressure washer will still not power up, the next question is has the machine being used on an extension lead? If the answer is yes then it is not recommended that pressure washers are run from a light-duty everyday extension cord as this can cause fuses to blow and/or internal damage to switches and/or the motor. The pressure washer should always be plugged into a mains socket directly OR refer to the owners manual where you will find information on the correct specification for an extension lead. Pressure washers do require a large surge of power upon start up therefor a domestic extension cord is not suitable, if you must use an extension lead, then we would advise to use a heavy duty commercial one. If you have used the machine on an extension lead, we would advise to change the fuse as this may have blown and then plug directly into the mains socket.
