Winter is coming! It’s extremely important to make sure you NEVER let your pressure washer and attachments freeze if there is ANY water left in it. Water expands immensely when frozen!
A windchill can drastically lower temperatures and water can freeze faster than you think! You create a windchill as you go down the highway and your system can freeze during your drive.
If you can’t store everything in a warm, dry place, you can winterize it by using an antifreeze that is flushed through the whole system. We recommend an RV (or automotive) antifreeze rated for -50°F but a windshield washer fluid rated for -32°F also works.
It’s very important you remove any and all attachments, and make sure they are free of water and/or have antifreeze in them as well. You must drain your water supply tanks and your recovery tanks! You don’t want anything to break!
Many people use a winterizing tank connected to the inlet of the pump (for smaller units, there are other options such as a 5 gal bucket). Use your antifreeze at full strength – DO NOT DILUTE.
And be sure to flush out ALL antifreeze before using your system again in the spring!
You can also remove the water out of your system – you can manually drain the hoses and can blow compressed air through the rest of it. Even when blowing out the water, we still recommend using antifreeze. The compressed air will not remove 100% of moisture and with additional condensation, water can build up in low, tight areas. Moving the system after blowing the water out can also shift the leftover moisture into the lower areas that are likely to end up freezing and wrecking your system.
In a temporary situation (such as in the warm southern states on a single cold night) storing it under a tarp, near a building can help it stay a few degrees above the outside temperature – enough to make it through the night if it’s near freezing.
And of course, refer to your owner’s manual for specific winterizing procedures and tips for your equipment’s make and model!
