Was talking with my part time employee who has used a WFP at a previous WC employer, [B]who says the quality in comparison to traditional WC just isnt there[/B].
He says using a WFP is good for exterior cleaning on high up windows where the home/business owner cannot get up close to see the other side of the window, i/e high windows that sit in high ceilinged rooms. He says, per his experience, that it would not be suitable for cleaning the exterior window on the third floor of a house, when the inside of that window is at regular height, in the home owners bedroom.
I have honestly never used a WFP, but i see guys like Chris using a WFP in their avatar on a residential window, and i expect pro’s like himself to be doing a great job on each window of their clients home.
[B]so what gives? Would you expect a WFP to provide exactly as good of a cleaning as your traditional squeegee cleaning/detailing, or not?[/B]
the job in question is a 2 story house, with an exposed basement, built in to a hill. Cleaning the 3 highest windows at the job would require either using a 30 foot extension ladder, with leg leveler for the hill, or perhaps a WFP.
As i dont currently own a 30 foot ladder/leveler, nor a truck to transport it, i’m wondering if i should jump in to the WFP game for this residential job i didnt expect to be taking on till the spring.
thoughts?
also, while i havent done nearly enough research in to WFP systems, [B]whats the least one can expect to spend for a complete-everything-you-need WFP system?[/B] Im talking not having a filtration system, just buying DI tanks and having them filled when needed. Come spring i may choose to upgrade to a better system, but right now im thinking bare minimum so that if i do 3-4 resi jobs before winter, it pays itself off…
Without knowing the details of your employee’s previous experience (type of system, type of pole and brush, training method, etc.), it’s difficult to state why they had quality issues.
In many cases, a WFP and pure water system provides results equal to or exceeding those of traditional methods.
Read the WCR WFP Manual, posted here many times.
A WFP is a valuable tool, is generally safer, and increases efficiency when used properly. It may not be for every situation, but is probably perfect for the situation you describe.
Have you determined the TDS of your service area? Have you browsed the WCR Store’s WFP department?
Using a WFP can only benefit you. It’s cleaning ability far exceed my expectations. It can cut your work time in half, produce amazing results and keep you off a ladder. If you are on the fence about getting one, do it. Once you use it and see the end result you’ll be hooked, just like the rest of us. Like Larry said look into the water quality where you do most of your work to determine the right filter set up. Good luck to you
havent checked the TDS or my area, in fact i just googled what TDS means haha.
as far as water quality, it may be a non issue at the beginning, as i want to just rent the tanks as the aforementioned previous employer did. dont believe he filtered himself…
We were able to RENT a 1 cubit foot tank and buy a carbon filter for a pre filter for around $350 bucks from a local pure water supply house. (they mostly do pure or soft water for homes and business) This included some hose connections they had to order and then we found everything else from Home Cheapo. It took some time explaining to them what we needed, but in the end we are really happy with what we have. While we don’t use it much for WFP work yet, I’m looking forward to getting another set up exclusively for the WFP sometime soon, especially if 1 of the huge commercial bids we have right now come through. I would take a look at the facelift poles/starter kits in the WCR shop. They seem like a good deal. Also, if you already have a 30 ft unger pole, you can buy a kit to fit a regular pole. You should call someone at WCR if your serious. Even if you want to buy locally, I think they would be a great resource, as usual.
looks like a WFP system is going to be out of my budget for this year. i may be barely able to afford a low end system-- but i know im going to regret going with the most economical system rather than taking a step or two up and getting some middle tier quality system.
currently the only job i have where i would be able to use a WFP system is this ONE residential, as ive focused on walk ups (storefront and office)… Only been in business for less than a month, so i didnt aim for any residential work, as i expected the end of the season to be too late to invest in a residential marketing campaign.
Goal for the fall/winter is to save up enough for an affordable truck, middle tier WFP system, and perhaps a direct mail campaign… Hopefully 5k can do all that =/
thanks for the help though guys, im going to try and frequent this pure water section and soak in (pun half intended) enough information that when i do buy a system i get exactly what i want.
Look at the pic in my avatar. Those are 3rd story windows. I had the inside cleaner remove the screens, I washed the windows and they put the screens back. Those are real colonial dividers too, and every window in the house were like that. The WFP saved me [I]hours[/I] of squeegee time. I will suggest that you hold off on a WFP purchase until you have the work that will justify the purchase price. Buy the pole because you have the work. Don’t buy it and then go looking for work to pay for it
How do you think I did that house or any of the jobs I do before I got the pole? My advice is don’t go out and spend thousands of dollars on equipment before you have the established business. Once established, purchasing a pure water system is a tool to become more efficient.
I booked my first multi-building contract 3 months before my pure water system arrived. I was cleaning third story glass 2 weeks after it was delivered.
I was in business for over a year before I bought my WFP. I’d done everything from 70+ stormed double hungs on a college campus to 1200 cutups, most of which were on the 3rd floor of a home. I got the work, and I did it well.
BUT… now that i have a WFP, I look back and ask myself how the heck I got along before it!
Its not a a be-all-end-all, but its a great way to make your life a lot easier. The quality is the same, but there’s always going to be that one window on every home that just needs a little more love.
WFP and traditional window cleaning both have there places. Just like everything else you purchase like when I bought my Water fed setup after I got the hang of and then thought to my self “why didn’t I get one of these a few years back”. Nice to work from the ground and not climb much on ladders.
Originally I got into using WFP gear just to do the occasional third story attic window or skylight on a really steep New England roof. I used a small 12’ Vikan brush on a Unger 30ft TelePlus pole and a manual handpumping backpack, $90, filled with distilled water purchased at the grocery store. That’s all you need if you’re only doing a few windows. Really!
It is not the system that is at fault if it does not work well. It is a art sometimes to get it right.
When you make $100 a hour and it take 3 hours to clean a home which would need 32’ foot ladders and you never used
a squeegee the WFP is the way to go. We used them from 1983! I wish I new about them when I started window cleaning in 1970!
If you not not at least try it out you will be left behind because the future of window cleaning will be all and I mean all window clenaing
will be done buy WFP on the outsides and some insides too!
i come across a fair bit of hostility to WFP from my customers. many of whom have old or ill fitting windows where a WFP will spray water inside the glass . im a squeegee only man and cannot foresee me changing over . From what i understand a WFP gets good results on commercial high windows or recent era windows only.
