Most pressure cleaner failures we see could have been predicted by someone paying attention to gradual changes over time. A pump that's losing 5% pressure per month, a hose that's slightly bulged, a fitting that drips a little more after each job. Each individual observation seems trivial. The pattern, when written down, tells a story.

What to write down:

• Date of every use. And rough duration.
• Anything unusual you noticed. "Pressure seemed a bit lower today." "New rattle from the engine." "Drip at the gun connection."
• Maintenance done. Date and what you did. "10 May 2026: cleaned air filter, checked oil."
• Parts replaced. Date, part, brand, where you bought it, cost.
• Workshop visits. Date, what was done, what was billed, who did it.

This doesn't need to be a fancy system. A small notebook in the shed near the unit, or a Google Doc on your phone, works fine. Even a piece of paper taped inside the storage cover.

Why this matters:

1. Pattern recognition. "I notice the pressure has been getting lower over the last 3 months" is something you can act on. Without records, the change happens and you don't notice until it's bad.
2. Service intervals. Know when you last serviced what. Stops you doing things twice or skipping things entirely.
3. Warranty claims. Documented maintenance history makes warranty claims easier.
4. Resale value. A unit with a logbook sells for more than one without.
5. Parts ordering. When you need a new part, you can look up exactly which one you bought last time.

One specific thing worth labelling: write the model number and serial number on a piece of tape stuck somewhere protected on the unit. The factory sticker fades, gets damaged, sometimes falls off entirely. Having a backup label saves you 20 minutes of searching when you need to order parts five years from now.

Tradies do this naturally because their gear earns money. Home users skip it because it feels like overkill. It isn't. Five minutes of writing per month, multiplied by years of use, makes a real difference.