How to Fix Power Washer Leaks
If you have borrowed a power washer and have discovered it leaks, don’t get frustrated or surprised. Power washer leaks are common. A few specific areas on a power washer unit are more prone to water leaks. It is important to fix power washer leaks, too.
Not fixing them results in loss of pressure in the system, additional costs for water and water runoff where it may be unwanted on the job.
Things You Will Need
- 2.0-mm (or smaller) flathead screwdriver
- Ice pick, particularly one with a 45-degree bend just before its tip
- Straight long nose needlenose pliers
- Tabletop vise grip
- O-rings
Tip
Bypass using the flathead screwdriver if the O-ring is partially deteriorated. Use the sharper ice pick to get the pieces of the O-ring out of its recess.
Warning
Be careful using both the screwdriver and the ice pick. It is easy to injure your hand trying to get out the O-ring.
-
Take apart the pressure washer trigger gun and its wand or lance. Place the pressure washer gun wand or lance into a tabletop vise grip, so that you have easy access to the quick-connect nozzle at the end of the wand.
-
Use a 2.0-mm flathead screwdriver or ice pick to stick and remove the O-ring from the quick-connect nozzle at the end of a gun wand or lance. Use straight long nose needlenose pliers to pull the O-ring out of the quick-connect nozzle if you were not able to do so with only the flathead screwdriver or ice pick.
-
Push a new O-ring into the center of the pressure washer quick-connect nozzle with the flathead screwdriver, so as to get one part of it into the groove recess in which it functions. Push the rest of the O-ring into place by carefully using the flathead screwdriver to do so.
-
Put the end of the pressure washer hose into the tabletop vise grip, so as to have easy access to the quick-connect female plug at its end. Stabilize the pressure washer hose if you don’t have access to a tabletop vise grip.
-
Use a 2.0-mm flathead screwdriver or ice pick to stick and remove the O-ring from the quick-connect female plug on the water pressure hose. Use straight long nose needlenose pliers to pull the O-ring out of the quick-connect female plug on the water pressure hose, if you were not able to do so with only the flathead screwdriver.
-
Push a new O-ring into the center of the quick-connect female plug on the power washer hose with the flathead screwdriver, so as to get one part of it into the recessed grooved in which it functions. Push the rest of the O-ring into place by carefully working it into place, one part of the O-ring at a time.
The Drip Cap
- If you have borrowed a power washer and have discovered it leaks, don’t get frustrated or surprised.
- Not fixing them results in loss of pressure in the system, additional costs for water and water runoff where it may be unwanted on the job.
- Push the rest of the O-ring into place by carefully using the flathead screwdriver to do so.
- Use straight long nose needlenose pliers to pull the O-ring out of the quick-connect female plug on the water pressure hose, if you were not able to do so with only the flathead screwdriver.
References
Writer Bio
Educated at the University of New Orleans, Troy Pankey started writing many years ago. His written material is quite varied, and includes, advertising copy, product reviews, restaurant menus, musician and business owner profiles and interviews, among many other writing forms. He currently lives near New York City, where he pursues freelance writing opportunities both in traditional print and on the Web.
More Articles
