Oops...I went overboard with the pressure washer

[MrsHanson]

Hello everyone!
I purchased a pressure washer a few weeks ago, and have been cleaning everything I can find outside (and having fun doing it!). I have mostly cleaned the cement patio that we have around our pool. The pool is still closed for 1 more week.

Well, today I cleaned the cement slab where the pool equipment is found and cleaned out all of the pine needles, etc. I saw that my heat pump looked dirty and I washed the sides where the coils were with the pressure washer. The heat pump & pool is 3 years old, and I have never got it cleaned/serviced before.

When I came inside, I looked up cleaning heat pumps. And...everything I read says to NOT use a pressure washer!!! Ooops!!! I should have read that first!

From now on, I know this. However, did I do something really wrong? It's not a professional pressure washer. It's a cheaper Ryobi kind.

Has anyone else done this? I hope I haven't damaged my heat pump.

 

[Leebo]

I’m sure there maybe more, but I suspect it’s the fins all around the outside they’re concerned with. Those fins are very thing metal and damaging them can reduce how well the unit works.

 

[Richard320]

That was my thought, too. If the finds got smashed over, there are AC fin combs sold for auto mechanics. I just googled that term and there are even some how-to videos.

Whether or not the fins got mashed, I'd still let it all dry out for a couple days before I turned it on.

 

[ajw22]

This may be helpful for your new toy...

13 Things You Should Never Pressure Wash

A pressure wash can serve a valuable role in home maintenance, but don’t get carried away! Pressure washing can do more harm than good.

www.familyhandyman.com

 

[revitup]

The fins are what you should be concerned with. If you did not bend them with the water blast I'd be surprised. I once did that to a HVAC heat pump with water from a garden hose nozzle. The fins are really hard to straighten out even with one of those fin combs.