If you've invested in your very first pressure washer from a place like Boyce Industries, you may love how easy it is to transport it everywhere and get all of the tasks done that you need. What you may not be prepared for, however, is the special care that your pressure washer will need throughout the winter months. Here's a look at some of the things you will want to be attentive to as you move and use the pressure washer this coming winter.
Daily Storage Recommendations
Since pressure washers are often stored in the garage or other unheated areas, they are prone to freezing during the cold overnight hours in winter. You'll want to reduce this risk by keeping the water flowing in the pressure washer tank while the unit is sitting overnight. Water won't freeze as easily if it's moving. It's the same concept as leaving your faucets on slow flow overnight to keep your pipes from freezing. A small circulation pump should be all you need. While you're setting up the pump, take time to wrap the tank and the hoses with heat tape so that you add extra warmth.
Transportation Tips
If your schedule requires that you travel to job sites even through the winter, you need to be attentive to your pressure washer's condition in transit. Short trips may not require much concern, but trips over a mile or so need a bit more attention. Remember that temperatures can shift rapidly, so while it may be 35 degrees at your shop or at home, it could be below freezing in areas nearby.
The best thing you can do to protect your pressure washer in these situations is to insulate the cargo area of the truck. Add foam insulation panels or something similar along all of the walls inside the cargo area. Connect a water heater and a recirculation pump to the tank, place the pressure washer wand into the tank, and let the system keep water warm and flowing while you travel.
Long-Term Storage Advice
If you are a warm-weather kind of person and you take the cold season off from working outside, you will need to put your pressure washer into storage condition for the winter. It's essential to make sure that nothing freezes during the winter, though. Empty the tank of the pressure washer and then fill it completely with antifreeze. Once it's filled, turn the unit on and engage the nozzle to flush all of the water out of the lines. It'll take a couple of gallons of antifreeze to do this in most cases. Once the water is flushed out, put the wand nozzle into the tank. Let the pressure washer run for a few minutes to continue circulating the antifreeze. This will ensure that the whole system is protected.
Share28 June 2017
Hello, my name is Candace Hunt. Welcome to my site about safety equipment used in the industrial field. Equipment operators must pay close attention to safety while operating industrial machinery. The safety techniques and tools used in this industry are purpose-built and designed to protect workers doing a specific job. I will cover the different types of safety equipment and the correct ways to utilize the supplies. My site will help you understand how employees stay safe while operating large machinery. Please feel free to visit my site daily to learn all you can about these industrial safety supplies. Thank you.