Running Bleach through your pressure washer

During the late Spring and early Summer, most people want to pressure wash their decks to remove mold or mildew. One of the best ways to remove the mold and mildew is to apply a diluted bleach solution to the deck and then pressure wash it off. I suggest that you use a pump up sprayer(similar to the one pictured) to apply the bleach solution versus running the bleach solution through your pressure washer. The bleach can do damage to the components in the pump, gun, injector and nozzle. When done using the pump up sprayer make sure you rinse through the sprayer with fresh clean water before storing away.

Pressure Washers: Pressure Washers Bypass

Pressure Washers: Pressure Washers Bypass: "When operating your pressure washer make sure that you do not leave the pressure washer in bypass for more than a few minutes. Power washers..."

Pressure Washers Bypass

When operating your pressure washer make sure that you do not leave the pressure washer in bypass for more than a few minutes. Power washers that have a trigger gun control on them most likely have an unloader or bypass valve. The unloader or bypass valve allows the pump to continue running after the trigger gun is released by recirculating or bypassing the water back through the pump via the unloader/bypass valve. When the water is recirculating through the pump, the water will build up friction heat and can reach temperatures beyond 180 degrees F within a few minutes and start to do major damage to the pressure pump, seals, check valves, unloader/bypass valve, ceramic pistons.

A couple ways to help prevent leaving a pressure washer in bypass is either open the trigger gun after 2 minutes of bypass time(this will allow fresh cooler water to displace the water that was in bypass) or shutdown the power washer after 2 minutes. 

If you are purchasing a new pressure washer, there are a few options to consider that will help keep the machine from running in bypass for long periods of time.

Thermal Relief Valve-This affordable valve can be plumbed into the bypass line and when the water reaches a set temperature (around 140 degrees F), the valve will open and spill out the bypass water and replace it with fresh cooler water. Once the valve cools off, the thermal relief valve will reset itself.

Time Delay Shutdown-Mostly used on electrically powered pressure washers. When the trigger gun is released, a timer relay is activated to shutdown the electric motor after a set period on time. To restart the power washer, the operater must turn the pressure washer back on at the control panel or remote panel.

Automatic Start/Stop-Mostly used on electrically powered pressure washers. When the trigger gun is released, a pressure switch, vacuum switch or flow switch is activated to shutdown the electric motor immediately. To restart the power washer, the operater open the trigger gun, the switch is deactivated and the electric motor starts.

Clutch Driven System-Can be used on an electric or gas engine powered pressure washer. Used only on a belt driven power washer. When the pressure washer is turned on only the motor or engine turns, until the trigger gun is opened then a micro switch will engage the pump clutch. The pump will only turn when clutch is engaged, this keep the pressure washer from going into bypass.

Pressure Washer Startup

It's Spring and this is the time of the year that a lot of people take their pressure washers out of winter storage to clean up around the house. One of the major problems that occurs upon startup of a pressure washer especially a hot water pressure washer that has been stored away for a period of time is debris gets clogged in the trigger gun, high pressure hose, or pressure nozzle. To avoid this problem, before you run any water through the machine disconnect the pressure hose, trigger gun/wand assembly and pressure nozzle. Then run the water through the pressure washer and start the pressure washer's engine or electric motor. Usually, the water will come out of the pressure washer looking very dark or black. Run the pressure washer for about 1 to 2 minutes until the water clears up. Shut off the pressure washer and water spigot, reconnect the pressure hose and trigger gun keeping the pressure nozzle off. Turn on the water and run the machine again. Release the trigger gun on and off a few times, make sure the water is coming out of the trigger gun clear and then install your pressure nozzle.

This will help keep your pressure washer be it a hot water or cold water pressure washer from clogging up the trigger gun, high pressure hose or pressure nozzle. You can contact me at info@aquatech-usa.com if you have any questions about your pressure washer or power washer.  

Pressure Washers

I have over 22 years of repairing, servicing, operating and selling pressure washers. I started this blog to help bring advise and my know how to the end users of pressure washer products. I hope I can help those of you who use pressure washers with my expertise and professionalism. If you find this information valuable, please visit my company's website at http://www.aquatech-usa.com/ and see the high quality heavy duty pressure washers that I sell and service with great customer support and knowledgable workforce in the pressure washer and power washing industry.