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As others have said, pressure washer (PW) pumps can have o-rings dry out. Pumps can freeze. When water dries in pumps it leaves deposits. Manufacturers such as DeWalt, General Pump, and CAT strongly recommend that you use this product or equivalent. Some equivalent products are called "winterizer." (If you have to use antifreeze, use RV antifreeze if possible.) Some manufacturers recommend using this if your PW is going to be down for more than 30 days.
Here's how to use it for a gas-powered PW. First, disconnect both the water hose and high pressure hose. If you're in a garage, prepare for water and foam to exit the high pressure outlet. Be sure the ignition is turned off. If you have a gas valve, turn it off too. (You should not start the engine without water connected and turned on.) Pull the starter rope slowly five times. Don't pull it all the way out; just a couple of feet will do. It will pull very easily with no hoses connected. This will clear out some of the water. Attach the Pump Saver to the water inlet. Push the button on the top of the can until foam comes out the high-pressure side of the pump. Pull the rope five more times. This distributes the Pump Saver fluid. Now disconnect the Pump Saver, expecting some dripping after you do. You're done.
You should never leave drippings of this or any other antifreeze product where pets can get to it. This product is supposed to be less toxic than antifreeze, but antifreeze with give pets kidney failure outright so you don't want to risk it.
I've been using this product for five years since my current PW was new, and my pressure washer pump has had zero problems. I also keep my pump oil changed religiously. Pressure washers require a lot of preventive maintenance; I probably don't have to tell you that or you wouldn't be considering this product. A lot of people buy cheap PWs, don't do extensive maintenance, and have them fail after a couple or three years. After that, they typically start taking maintenance seriously and sometimes buy an intermediate-level PW. Then they get great service. I'm one of those people. Learn from my mistakes.
If you read your engine manual you may see that it wants you to adjust the valves once per season. It's an annoyance but I do it. Six months ago, my carburetor started leaking gas -- probably because of ethanol. I bought a set of gaskets and fixed it. (You can get a whole carburetor for many engines out of China for about $15).
Remember that you should never leave any gas engine to sit for more than a couple of months without stabilizer added to the gas.
Bottom line: of all the various recommended PW maintenance activities this side of gas stabilizer, Pump Saver is the least hassle. Second time around, you can do it in 3 minutes flat. I highly recommend it.
January 2014 · Patio Lawn and Garden