Troubleshooting Equipment

by Diane M. Calabrese | Published February 2026

 

 

Desire and enthusiasm often do not match up with knowledge and skill.

Our aspirations—be they concert pianist, downhill skier, rocket scientist, or fill-in-the-blank—must be tempered by reality. Do we know enough and are we proficient enough to excel in an area, such as repairing our equipment?

We all look at equipment that’s not functioning optimally and say, “I wonder whether I can fix it,” or, “I should be able to fix it” once the problem is identified. And that’s how we back right up to our knowledge—or lack thereof—in troubleshooting.

Fortunately, manufacturers and distributors in our industry do all they can to equip their customers with the knowledge required to do basic troubleshooting. The equipment owners simply must take the initiative in consulting the information they receive.

“Sidewinders and surface cleaners are accessories that can be maintained by contractors with any level of experience,” says Bruce Tassone, president of HydraMotion Cleaning Systems in Pottstown, PA, which makes the named equipment. “As an example, if a spray bar is not spinning, the first step is to check if there is any flow and if the nozzles are clogged.”

There’s a progression to follow if the nozzles are not clogged. And it leads to ensuring a unit is receiving sufficient water pressure and flow. “In all cases sufficient inlet water flow and pressure should always be checked as your initial assessment,” says Tassone. “This holds true for pressure washers and surface cleaners.”

If water flow is not restricted and filters are free and clear, then it’s time to move to more complex issues. The equipment owner need not make guesses.

“Our company has a user’s manual that shows a complete parts breakdown to guide owners on how the unit is assembled,” says Tassone. “The manual includes a section on common issues that can be addressed in the field.”

To augment the manual, Tassone’s company offers video guidance via its YouTube channel. It also offers technical support by phone.

Even with a full understanding of what must be repaired and how to repair the component, a contractor ought not simply forge ahead. The tool(s) used must be appropriate for the task.

“Using the wrong tool for a specific repair is always a problem,” says Tassone. Always wait until the repair can be done properly to avoid doing damage.

Service technicians have skilled hands when manipulating wrenches and the like. Equipment owners may inadvertently overtighten components and assemblies, explains Tassone. Not only is self-inflicted damage frustrating to the do-it-yourself (DIY) repairer, but it can increase the cost of the repair at a service center.

In the worst DIY scenario, equipment may be so damaged that the cost of a repair does not make economic sense. Think carefully before starting a DIY repair. In fact, prudence should begin when a piece of equipment is being evaluated as an addition to the roster.

“The contractor and owner should take a moment to think about repair and longevity even before they make their final equipment purchase decision,” says Tassone. “Any equipment used in the pressure washer industry should be easily repaired by a local distributor or owner.”

And take another more important step before buying equipment, says Tassone. Determine how costly it is to maintain the unit, and assess its longevity.

 

Time Is Money

Pressure Services Inc. in Rapid City, SD, has been in business for more than 40 years. Terry Lee Bosma is company president.

Bosma’s company is involved with automated wash systems that incorporate many levels of technology. It currently works with more than 400 vendors.

Contractors taking on DIY repairs may need assistance. Providing such assistance is a cost center for a dealer.

“We do not offer free troubleshooting support to DIYers that did not purchase equipment from our company,” says Bosma. “It should not be the role of a service center to train others to conduct repairs properly.”

Bosma explains that once started down the path of free advice, it is not easy to break the trend. But customers receive free technical support while equipment is under warranty.

“Once equipment is off warranty, the least expensive option customers have is phone tech support,” explains Bosma. “This option really helps to support remote sites as well as customers who purchased equipment elsewhere.”

Fee-basis phone support begins with a set charge per incident, which is the least expensive option. A service call is billed hourly and may include mileage beyond city limits.

The model Bosma uses for service and assistance ensures that time is compensated, whether it’s helping someone by answering questions or offering advice about equipment problems. “I explain to the DIYer that we have customers in our service queue waiting for service and willing to pay hourly rates for repairs,” says Bosma.

“Since we will not interrupt a tech while he’s charging another customer to work on their equipment,” phone tech support is as time allows,” explains Bosma. He adds that his company is not saying no to the customer and understands the customer trying to save money with a DIY repair.

The per incident charge structure means that if a customer calls because their pump is cavitating and sucking air due to an open chemical metering valve that puts the chemical line in an empty bucket, that’s one incident (cause established and fix recommended). “If the customer informs us they also have an intermittent burner issue, that’s a separate incident and a new charge,” explains Bosma.

If an incident cannot be resolved over the phone, the fee for the phone tech support will be credited to the bill for a technician to work on the equipment. The layered approach that Bosma uses has been well-thought-out.

“For customers that drop equipment off, requesting we just check it out but not repair it, we charge a 30-minute minimum labor rate,” says Bosma. Structured but flexible to a degree sums up the approach to handling requests for help but not necessarily repairs.

“Obviously, there are exceptions to every situation,” explains Bosma. “And they must be reviewed on an individual basis.”

 

Basics and Beyond

Yes, owners of equipment should know when to seek expert help. Yet there are a few kinds of trouble that pressure washer owners should be able to identify quickly without help.

“If the model has a float tank, and the pump is cavitating, do you have enough water?” says Bosma. “If you have enough water, is your chemical metering valve open with your bucket of chemical empty?”

Then, there’s the burner. “If it’s an oil-fired model and their burner isn’t working, we suggest they check if they have enough fuel,” says Bosma. And if there’s enough fuel, they should remove the spray tip and determine whether the burner works without a tip in it.

Bosma says that although DIYers can damage equipment, there’s more to be concerning than that. “For me it’s not so much about the damage a DIYer can do, but rather the liability they expose themselves, owners, and co-workers to.”

Some examples of errant “repairs” that increase liability? “Removing GFCI cords, rewiring a unit and bypassing safety components to get the unit to run, forcing a burner to stay on with the intent to get the water hotter,” says Bosma.

Being cautious about helping an equipment owner troubleshoot is a priority, explains Bosma. One, the owner is not a service technician and there is no way to know the owner’s level of expertise. Two, insurance companies have increased scrutiny of their policy holders.

Bosma gives us an example of the caution that transcends troubleshooting “We will not ask an owner or one of their employees to troubleshoot a high-voltage electrical issue.”

What Bosma’s company representative will do is recommend the owner call a licensed electrician. The electrician and a service tech will work in consort.

There are changes that could be made across the industry that would make troubleshooting equipment much simpler, says Bosma. “I would like to see a combined collaboration between component suppliers, pressure washer manufacturers, and distributorships to be able to offer a true extended warranty which has value to the end customers who rely on pressure washers.”

Such a tight collaboration would bring value to both manufacturer and distributor, explains Bosma. And it would alleviate the need for third-party extended warranty companies whose representatives may be offering scripted responses.

“Equipment designs hopefully will advance to the point that there are more available methods to troubleshoot issues by retrieving fault codes, fault codes only accessed by a certified technician while employed by a participating distributorship on behalf of a manufacturer,” says Bosma.

The guides that OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] provide with their equipment often include troubleshooting tips. The rationale is two-fold: to encourage understanding of the mechanics of the machine and to discourage unwarranted interventions.

In fact, a statement such as “if X seems to be the problem, contact an authorized representative” for help or repairs is a common OEM advisory. “Jump right in and try to fix it” is not.