Winter Storage of Pressure Washers

Winter Storage of Pressure WashersSUMMARY: If you store your pressure washer during the winter months, make sure you properly prepare it. Here are some simple steps to take before closing down for the off-season that will ensure your equipment is ready to go once the temperatures warm up.Antifreeze your pressure washer as described in the Freeze Prevention Tips section, using automotive antifreeze for storage of your pressure washer. I have personally seen units stored over five years with automotive antifreeze with no problems except to pop the pump inlet valves.Get a fuel stabilizer from an auto parts store and add it to the fuel tank to keep your fuel from turning into varnish and to prevent the gaskets in the carburetor from going bad. An even better practice is to drain the tank and run the unit until it is out of gas.Remove the spark plug wires and spray WD-40 into the carburetor while turning over the engine to coat everything with oil.Remove the spark plugs and spray WD-40 into the cylinders or put in some “Marvel Mystery” brand oil. Turn the engine over a few times to coat the cylinder walls.Change the engine oil, oil filter, and fuel filter. If you do not change the engine oil, the sludge will collect on the bottom of the oil pan and solidify. If there is any water in the fuel filter, it may freeze and break.Top off the fuel tank to keep moisture from condensing inside the fuel tank. This will prevent steel fuel tanks from rusting and keep water out of the fuel.Disconnect the battery to avoid a trickle discharge.Preventing your Bay Doors from Freezing If the doors have steel rollers, change them to magnesium-type rollers Install proper weather stripping around the doors Make sure the doors are well lubricated and serviced Insulate doors with Styrofoam panels Install a heater at the threshold of the door. Keep only one door open at a time to avoid a creating a wind tunnelIn the spring, put in fresh fuel, replace the spark plugs, and start your pressure washer. If it is hard to start, spray WD-40 into the carburetor intake the same way you would starting fluid. This makes ignition easier than using fluid. When reconnecting the battery, clean and apply an ample supply of grease to the connections to prevent corrosion.In the spring, de-lime the coils with Scale Away Deliming Acid and add Red Devil Soot Remover to the diesel or kerosene used for your burner. Put a trickle charge on your battery for a couple of hours to assure a full charge before starting, and use WD-40 when starting to help establish fuel flow.