Pressure Washer Troubleshooting And Best Practices

Whether you're renting a pressure washer system, buying a system, or hiring a team to handle pressure washing for you, there are a few performance issues that need to be understood. From efficiently using cleaning fluid to avoiding damage caused by erosion and caustic materials, there are a lot of different techniques and products to keep in mind. If you're having problems with your pressure washing system or would like to understand what different service professionals are doing, here are a few pressure washing troubleshooting tips.

Gas Powered Washer Issues

Gas powered pressure washers offer a lot of power without requiring an electrical connection, and although carrying fuel is up to the operator, it can be an easy way to head out to a project outside of a local electrical grid.

Unfortunately, liquid fuel and combustible systems in general will have a few cleanliness issues after regular operation. Gasoline pressure washers specifically have oil and fuel filters just like automobiles, and these filters need to be either cleaned or replaced two to four times per year.

If you don't change the filter, you'll have to deal with a slower flow of fuel and a weaker pressurization process. The filter may also begin to leach smaller particles of filthy fuel as it becomes clogged, and it may break apart. These impurities will damage the washer's engine and either make cranking the system harder or reduce the efficiency of the fuel. At worst, the entire system can burn up.

Spray System Problems

With any type of pressure washer, you'll need to be aware of the type of cleaning materials, the nozzle, and keeping the liquid path clean.

Some washers allow a general set of cleaning materials and will exclude specific materials. Others may use a proprietary mixture and may fail if you use something outside of the manufacturer's recommendations. Be sure to review those recommendations before switching brands or even mixing your own soap and water.

For general use pressure washers with few or no liquid restrictions, the main problem is dilution. Even if the washer is "general", you need to make sure that the liquid can pass through the specific hose and nozzle in use. This can often turn into trial and error, so make sure to measure and document your water to chemical ratios to figure out what works best.

Contact a pressure washer services professional, like those at X-Stream Power Washing Plus LLC, to discuss rental, service subscriptions, or troubleshooting for your existing system.


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