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disconnect your roof pump rinse it out and put in the basement or garage.

I asked a related question yesterday and basically your two best bets are:

1) bring stuff inside (as noted here)

 

2)  blow out the hoses and fill the rest with an anti-freeze mix.  (ethylene glycol based sounded pretty definitive with RV-antifreeze a close second.  *note be sure to flush well with water.

 

the advantage of  2 is if you're planning to make a run for some roofs on the occasional nice day you would just flush out the antifreeze mix and your ready to run.

Roof Cleaning Toledo Ohio (419) 265-3306 wrote:

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Hey Barry, Can you share what type of quick connects you use?  I would love to hook my trucks up with quick connects.  This week it is getting cold.  We have to wait and clean roofs a little later in the day.  Still pumping them out though.  Please share which type of quick connects your using.  Maybe some pics. Thanks, Doug

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Ditto

Don,
     I personally would never take a chance of blowing out the lines with compressed air. You will never get it all out fully. The little bit you miss will pool up in the low spots and will freeze. The freezing can and will cause damage.

Trust me when I tell you that the antifreeze option is much safer. Mix 1 gallon of antifreeze with each gallon of water. You can go as high as 75% antifreeze and 25% water. Run it through your freshly rinsed pump and you will not have to worry. Use as much as you will need to protect any components you are leaving outside. Hoses, reels, valves, guns, tanks.

Call me if you have any questions. We haven't talked in a while.

Brian

The best scenario is obviously to keep your equipment in a temperature controlled environment. If that means breaking down your equipment and storing it inside for the winter, that is the best choice. If breaking the equipment down is really not an option, then the antifreeze is the best way to go. This comes from experience. I lost a pressure washer pump 2 years ago that I was sure was empty. Some water was trapped in on of the valves and it damaged the valve and cylinder.

Brian

Well, I guess it's settled then - antifreeze!

Thanks a bunch. 

Brian, I'd like to give you a call once I slow down a little (late December).  I'm simply exhausted.

I'm jealous of anyone with a heated shop. I had one for 5 years (before my roof cleaning days) and lost it when I started roof cleaning and power washing. Pretty ironic huh?

Brian