Fanning technique

Can anyone explain the reason for using the fanning technique? I’ve watched many vids on how to do it but can’t seem to find the reason why to do it? Seems like straight pulls would be more time efficient.

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When you fan the window you are using your squeegee to cut into the corners and then moving all the solution under the squeegee to manipulate it in such a way you can remove it in one motion, if done well will remove the need to wipe up any water left on the glass such as with straight pulls.

Straight pulls are far more time consuming on glass you can reach.

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Did you see this video?

Fanning seems to make more sense on larger windows as you are learning the technique. I know it can be a little frustrating at times to fan a smaller window, but larger windows give you more space to practice and see how it benefits.
Fanning keeps your squeegee on the glass until the entire window is cleaned. Dig up a few videos on Youtube pertaining to fanning; different people do it slightly different ways, and you will soon understand as you practice.
Poor technique can wear on your joints, and difficult windows to reach (get in front of) can be problematic, so don’t forget how to straight pull with minimal detail, but practice the fan too.

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@WVWindowWashing

Daniel can you share your 2 favorite videos on fanning glass. To help out @Parker1751

Just to add my assumption to the origins of fanning. I assume the fanning technique came from the window cleaners hanging off the side of buildings.
Anytime you start and stop the movement of the squeegee a watermark is left behind. Since a lot of tall buildings have long runs of glass without frames, to start and stop at, fanning solved the problem of all the watermarks.
Also, up until wide body squeegees, like the Sorbo, came along functional squeegee channel length was limited to about 24" or less, due to flexing of the channel.
This is only an assumption on my part as to the origins of fanning.

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Thanks for this video. I have seen some guys do the method and it seems like it would take forever but he knocked that window out quick. Then again it was a smaller window lol

Another benefit of fanning is way less towel usage. No need to lug around a bunch of towels and do laundry anymore than necessary.

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Gladly :slight_smile:

Can’t remember if this is the one I’ve posted before, but it’s excellent nonetheless:

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when you are up a ladder and need to stretch to reach the corners fanning really does makes sense. But at ground level ,when you really have a ton of windows to get cleaned one after another in rapid fire- straight pulls win everytime as theyre less tiring

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Of course every method has a time and place with all the various window sizes and styles.

My view is straight pulls for the most part are usually a waste of a stroke. Anytime you lift your squeegee off the glass your losing that movement to clear water off your window.

Fanning in many videos is not used properly or better worded, efficiently. In many videos, to small of a squeegee is used for the size of window being cleaned.

If you’re over fanning a window it is inefficient use of time.

A small squeegee requiring six or more passes to clean the window is less efficient than a larger squeegee using half the passes.

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It’s literally faster. I usually have this conversion with new techs. So out comes out the stop watch and it’s usually 50% faster.

Of course pulls have their place but usually just fan the glass.

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Unless you work at Fish. I just watched a guy from my truck outside my coffee shop snake a door with a 22. It was hilarious. Passed over and over the same glass and just butchered it. I couldnt help myself, had to go school em

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