Winter is Coming

Winter is Coming

Yes winter is on the way, we have met it here in Southwest MO already. As it left its' calling card several times this week. Hitting the freezing mark this week a couple times and just the other day dropping to 28 degrees over night. Cleaned by Pete has not been blogging too much these last couple of weeks, as we try to get in as many cleanings as we can before we have to slow down for the winter season.

Power washing in colder temps is possible but the cleaners work slower and take more time to work. We can add a catalyst to most cleaners to make them a bit more effective. It take a toll on equipment and on a person working in colder temperatures. 

The main reason for this entry is important to any one that has or owns a power washer you need to winterize it. Yes you need to winterize it even if you keep it in the garage or storage room of your home or business. First drain all the hoses and turn over the pump several times, if you should own a heated unit you need to blow out the coils with air around 20 psi to 30 psi will do when the water is removed we pump in RV line antifreeze. We use RV line antifreeze because it is safe you can even put it in your drinking water lines of your RV. It is safe just encase one of the animals drink some, and it is more environmental friendly. Anything to help the environment Cleaned by Pete is all in, and it is easier to correctly dispose of it when spring arrives. Cleaned by Pete also pumps it in to our pumps. Even though we keep all our portable washers in heated buildings but just encase the power should fail it gives us piece of mind. If you own a pressure you should follow these same guidelines. You do not know how many times I have heard it was working last fall just fine and when I brought it out to wash that road salts and winter grime off the car it has no pressure or the hose just ripped when I started to wash. Take a few minutes now and it just many save you some money come this spring. Our bigger rigs on the service trucks will have to spend their winter out in the elemental. We take more precautions with these units, first we disconnect all the hoses, feed lines, filters and traps. All our hoses are on quick connect couplers, With all the hoses off we drain the system and blow out all the lines and coils with air pressure from an air compressor, then pump in the RV antifreeze. We have an insulated box that is fit around the skid and then we place in three 60 watt light bulbs one is fitted down the stack of the burner, one is affixed over the pump and third one in hung some place out of the way. The third one is not on unless it is needed or encase one of the other bulbs burn out and I can not get to replacing it right a way. We then place another sheet of insulated foam over everything. Just to be sure it will stay warm we place an old carpet over the entire unit and then a good tarp and strap it down with elastic cords. The heat from those two 60 watt bulbs will keep the pump motor and coil nice and warm through out the winter. Some may think that is just crazy to put in a heat source in there, Cleaned by Pete makes a living with these pumps and motors what ever it takes to keep them in top shape and safe is what we'll do. You can never know what old man winter has in store for you here in Missouri. If you are out trying to redo, add more heat, insulation, another tarp or doing more in the middle of the night during a snow or freeze rain you'll know for yourself I was not crazy or I did not go overboard.

Cleaned by Pete has several more units this year to winterize but rest-a-sure we will. Being ready for whenever the temps are. If it is at all positionable  through out the winter time, we will be power washing and cleaning if you need us. Our portable units attachments and hose are ready to go. We even keep two portable hot-water units ready to go if needed. Dirt and grime does not go away during the winter season neither do we, If you need power washing call Cleaned by Pete at 417-459-7869 and we can help.

Pete has several topics in mind to blog about this winter since he will have more time on his hands. Please stay with us here a Cleaned by Pete what a power washer does for what we see as some very interesting topic coming up. As always thank you for your support.