Don’t you love it when your pressure washer leaks more water than it’s cleaning with? No, you don’t; it’s annoying but fixable!
With decades of working in, on, and around pressure washers, we’ve seen every leak you can imagine, fast leaks, drippy leaks, sprinklers, whale spouts, gushers, tinkles, floodgates, streams, and spurts; you name it. So we’ve put together this list of the most common leaky areas on pressure washers, how to fix them, and how to prevent them in the future.
Weeping Fittings
Pressure washers have A LOT of connections and fittings, water supply to the pump to overloading values to the coil to the hose and the wand. So the chances of springing a leak are in the cards.
Most often, these fitting leaks are caused by the lack of thread tape or no thread tape use. Plumbers tape will ensure your fittings stay dry. However, the tape can break down over time, or when repairs or made (such as a new pump), fitting tape needs tape needs to be freshened up.
Leaky Pump
The pump is the heart of every pressure washer; this is where the machine generates pressure to give you cleaning power. Unfortunately, it also sees the most strain and work.
If you notice seeping or leaking around your pump, it’s most likely due to one of the following.
Your o-rings and plungers need to be re-packed. Re-packing is a regular maintenance job; the more you use your machine, the more wear and tear o-rings and plungers see. You can prolong the life of these parts by keeping your water sources filtered and ensuring your pump oil is topped off.
The other main reason your pump might leak is due to cracked or damaged plungers. Plungers can fail over time and can be replaced with a pump rebuild.
You can keep the leaks at bay by keeping up on pump maintenance items. (Check out our blog and video all about pumps!)
Wand End Seepage
The next most common place for leaks is the wand and nozzle connection. The quick-release coupler is fitted with an o-ring. This o-ring can fall out with nozzle changes or if you decide to shoot your nozzle across the yard. So if you’re getting a lot of leaking at the nozzle, ensure that o-ring is there.
We’ve got a great video to show you how to lock your nozzle properly and where that o-ring lives.
End of Nozzle Leaks (through the tiny hole)
Pulling the wand trigger should cause the nozzle to leak profusely. If lots of water is coming out, all is OK; carry on. This is a good leak.
We hope this helps with your drips and drops; if not, make sure you swing by one of our certified Alkota Services Dealers for a hand. Happy cleaning!
