Pressure Washer Video Tour

If you've got outdoor stuff to keep clean in your life

then you've probably thought of getting a pressure washer. I know they're useful tools because I've owned

and used several models here at my place every year for more than 25 years

In this video, I'm gonna show you how gas-powered pressure washers work

I'm gonna explain what they're good for, what they're not good for, and I'll show you the top uses I put my pressure washer to

more or less each year, including two uses that you've probably never even heard of before

Pressure washers are portable devices that take water from a hose outlet

at a typical municipal pressure of 40 to 70 PSI, then boosts that pressure up to and beyond 2,500 PSI

And this increases the cleaning action of the water. This boost in pressure comes from either an electric motor

or a gas-powered engine. I personally prefer gas pressure washers because they offer a lot more power

the kind of power that I need, so this video will focus on that type

Every pressure washer has a water inlet port where you connect a garden hose

plus another outlet, a high-pressure water outlet where you connect a special hose and wand

that delivers what I call energetic water for cleaning. So start by connecting the garden hose

to your pressure washer. I always install all-metal quick-connect fittings for this

to speed up the setup and take down time. It's much better than threading the hose

directly onto the pressure washer. It's also important that the engine on any pressure washer

never run without the pump being filled with water first. This is why I always let the water flow through the pump

until all air is displaced before firing up the engine. Simply turn on the water at the hose outlet

pull the trigger on the wand, then let low-pressure water flow through the hose

and onto the ground without the engine running until all the bubbles stop

And here's another important tip. Be sure to remove any nozzle tip

that may be installed on the end of the wand before letting the water flow through to purge out the air

And why would you do this? Well, this allows water to move through the pump

more quickly and it also allows, and this is key, any sediment to flush from the system

without plugging that small, removable nozzle tip. If the nozzle tip becomes clogged or partially clogged

when the engine gets fired up and pressure builds behind it, it can make the nozzle very difficult to remove for cleaning

So flush first, then install the nozzle tip of your choice after flushing and purging

This could save you considerable hassle. And speaking of nozzle tips, every pressure washer

comes with a variety of nozzle tips that produce different spray patterns

The wider the pattern, the more gentle the spray. So a narrower tip is best for removing very tough dirt

but on tough surfaces that are not easily damaged. Wood is not one of those tough surfaces

and that's why you have to be careful with the nozzle you choose and the distance you use it from a wood surface

With your pressure washer purged of air and an appropriate nozzle installed on the end of the wand

it's time to fire up the engine. And this procedure is different

than starting a lawnmower or snowblower, even though the engines involved are similar

The challenge when starting a pressure washer is that the engine is usually under considerable resistance

before it even starts. And since the water pump can't be disconnected from the motor

it makes the motor harder to spin over during startup. And this resistance to spinning

it can prevent the engine from starting easily. So here's what I do

Switch on the ignition, turn on the fuel, set the choke, and pull the starter cord

and you'll see what I mean. If the cord isn't sluggish to pull at first

it will soon get that way with more pulls on the cord as the pump loads up internally with water

So what's the solution? Well, it's really pretty simple. You hold the wand in one hand

and you pull the trigger on that wand and keep it open with the water flowing out

then use the other hand to pull the starter cord. Just remember to point the wand in a safe direction

as you do all this, since high pressure water will come out of the wand, as soon as the engine starts

So let it run and warm up for 15, 30 seconds maybe

while continuing to hold onto the trigger open. After that, you can usually take the choke off

and release the wand trigger. Sometimes if you do it sooner than you should

the engine will quit. So just repeat the process again. So pressure washer use number one, cleaning

This seems like an obvious use for a pressure washer, of course, but there's more here than meets the eye

While pressure washers do deliver much more pressure than a garden hose

it's possible that this pressure can damage surfaces. So avoid trouble by approaching any new surface

with caution. Begin with a wide spray nozzle and keep the tip at least 24 inches away

from the surface at first. Change the nozzle to the next more intense one

and bring the wand tip closer to the surface if you need more cleaning power

Pressure washers are very effective at cleaning nooks and crannies, as well as delivering water up high enough

to reach elevated locations without you being on a ladder. Just be careful though

Always test a small area first and then let the surface dry completely

before deciding that your pressure and distance details are correct. It's possible that a pressure washer

can leave marks behind that only become visible on the surface after it's dried

So make sure you do a thorough check first. Some pressure washers have a reservoir

that delivers liquid soap automatically to the spray stream for maximum cleaning

of greasy or grimy surfaces. Just be sure to rinse surfaces with clear water

as a final step if you have used the soap or detergent. When it comes to pressure washers and cleaning surfaces

there's something that many people find surprising. Sometimes scrubbing before pressure washing

works better than pressure washing alone. Surface dirt, especially dust, can hang on

even under the full brunt of high-pressure water. In cases like these, scrubbing can be more effective

though it can't extend to every corner. And this is why washing siding, for instance

often works best with a three-step process. First, an initial low-pressure washing

using soap delivered by the pressure washer. Scrub the siding with a long-handle brush

then pressure wash off the dirt and soapy water with moderate pressure and clear water

Avoid directing high-pressure water under the bottom edge of siding or anywhere else

where water penetration into the building envelope might happen. Pressure washer use number two, sandblasting surfaces

If you need to prepare metal for finishing or refinishing, then a pressure washer with something called

a media blaster attachment is something you should know about. Made by several manufacturers, these fit on the end

of any pressure washer wand and includes a large diameter hose. Stick this hose into a pail of sandblasting media

such as glass beads or coal particles, and it gets drawn up into the wand tip by suction

created by the movement of water through the tip. So the abrasive particles get mixed with the water

delivering more abrasive action than if the blasting media had been used in an air-powered blasting gun with no water

So you get no dust either and faster results. Pressure washer use number three, septic system revival

You've probably never heard of this technique before, but a pressure washer can save you

a five-figure septic rebuilding job if you've got a septic system that's failing

for the usual reasons of clogged leaching pipes. So you connect a long, flexible jetting attachment

with a self-driving head. Your pressure washer becomes the engine for cleaning the inside of the leaching pipes

that are at the heart of most septic systems. Have your septic tank pumped

so you have at least a couple of days before sewage starts flowing out

into the leaching vent again, then dig down and find the ends of your leaching pipes

Cut off the ends of the pipes to open them and to allow the flexible jetting attachment to enter

The head of this attachment is self-driving in that it pulls itself into the pipe under its own power

There's no need to push the jetting hose. Rather, you'll actually need to hold it back

because one jet points forward to bust through the crud while three jets angle backward

to propel the rest of the hose inside the pipe via the force of the pressurized water

The results work very well. When nothing but clean water comes out of your leaching pipes

stop jetting, then replace the end cap that you cut off from the pipe with a removable port

that can be unscrewed easily next time for easy access. I've used the same procedure

to clear badly clogged plumbing drain pipes too, even when the clog is 100 feet from the nearest outlet

winterizing your pressure washer. Does it get below freezing where you live

Water that remains in the pressure washer pump can freeze, expand, and damage your pressure washer

if it's stored in an unheated garage or shed, as many are

This is why winterizing the pump is essential. Connect a funnel and a short length of garden hose

to the pump and pour about six ounces of non-toxic plumbing antifreeze into the funnel

With the ignition switch off, pull the recoil starter handle several times

until antifreeze squirts out from the high pressure outlet of the pump

It just takes a few pulls to get the job done. I'd be lost without a pressure washer here at my place

It's one of those things you don't realize how often you use until you have one handy