A pressure washer is a machine used to spray water at high pressure. It is used for industrial and domestic cleaning. There are two primary categories of pressure washers; electric and gas. The electric pressure washers are highly popular because they offer added advantages. However, they are also prone to common pressure washer problems.
1. Pressure washer problems and their resolutions
A pressure washer is designed to ease your cleaning loads. However, these machines can develop issues that make them more stressful than beneficial. Regardless, most of these problems can be resolved to achieve the full benefits of these washers. Below are some of the most common pressure washer problems and how you can resolve them;
a. Low operating Pressure
A low operating pressure problem is where the pressure washer does not meet its designed PSI. This is a common challenge experienced by pressure washer owners. It is usually a result of either or more of the following issues;
- Faulty pressure gauge
- Insufficient water supply
- A plumbing leak
- Hose leak
- Belt slippage
- Defective or misadjusted valve
- Damaged or dirty inlet
- Obstruction in the spray nozzle
Below are tips for resolving the issues above, respectively;
- Install a new pressure gauge
- Connect a larger hose for more water supply/ clean the water inlet filters
- Retape the leaks or replace the components from which the water is leaking
- Replace or repair the hose
- Adjust the belt to make it tighter or replace it with the correct belt
- Adjust or repair the valve
- Repair or clean the inlet
- Clear the obstruction
b. No sprays
Many pressure washer owners report no sprays as one of the most common pressure washer problems. More often than not, this issue is usually a result of the nozzle being plugged. In this case, the natural resolution is cleaning or replacing the nozzle with the right size. No spray issues may also come from the machine’s coil being obstructed. Here, the resolution is cleaning the obstruction using a coil cleaner. A dry pump can also cause this challenge. If this is a challenge, you can resolve it by cranking open the fitting on the pressure washer until the water starts flowing.
c. Water Leaking
Water leaking is also one of the most common pressure washer problems. It may occur in various pressure washer components, especially where the water passes. The most common leaks occur in the hose or the plumbing system. You can resolve this issue by taping the leaking area with Teflon tape. However, this trick will only work if the leakage is minimal. Additionally, the tape is only a temporary solution. The permanent way to resolve this issue is by replacing or repairing the component where the leaking is occurring.
d. The engine spontaneously turns off
Pressure washer owners have also reported their machine engines spontaneously turning off. This may happen because the pressure washer is not correctly connected to the power source. It may also result from too much pressure build-up, wrong choke positioning, or faulty engine components. You can resolve these issues by replacing the faulty engine components, checking the connections, or using the trigger gun to release excess pressure build-up. Your engine may also stop running if the machine’s air filters are dirty. In this case, the solution would be to clean or replace the filters.
Conclusion
The only way you can find resolutions to some of the most common pressure washer problems is by finding out their cause. Determining their cause will help you establish the best solution within the shortest time. Therefore, if you are experiencing problems with your pressure washer, it would be wise to troubleshoot it first before looking for a resolution.