Hi all. I have done extensive research and searches both on this forum and elsewhere, but would still appreciate current/updated thoughts on a few things I have really been looking into.
I currently have a small, mainly residential, window/gutter/house washing business. As of now, we do everything traditional, however, looking at safety of self/employees and longevity, I am wanting to move to a water fed set-up on all 2nd+ stories. So, for being at entry level for pure water setup, here is what I have put together this far:
WATER-FED SETUP
- 40 foot pole needed to reach 3 stories.
- 200 feet of hosing to reach around homes…but, does this cause pressure issues?
- Looking at starting with a DI only setup before moving to RO/DI…thoughts on renting from Sullivan?
- I am in the northern USA, so freezing temps happen relatively early. I would really like to use this technology in freezing temps… I have seen that using a backpack setup such as Hudson never pump with pre-made pure water mixed with ethanol allows for below freezing cleaning…thoughts on this?
Next thoughts are on house washing:
HOUSE WASHING SETUP
I have a Honda 4 GPM gas powered setup. I am wanting to be able to reach 3 stories without ladder use. I currently have a 16-foot wand and need to get on ladders at times. Main questions are:
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Shooter tip/x-jet for reaching 3rd stories…do these tips allow for applying soap and rinsing, and do they reach 3rd stories?
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With the proper tip, do I need a 16 foot wand, or should I be looking into a long lance instead?
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I utilize a pool shock/soap mix for house washing. Should I be adding in a surfactant, or is this not needed?
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I apply chemical bottom to top, let dwell for 5-10 minutes, then rinse top to bottom. Is this the proper technique?
Next question is on gutter cleaning:
GUTTER CLEANING
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Are people utilizing wand attachments to pressure washers to blast out gutter from the ground? If so, doesn’t this cause a large mess?
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We do gutters where a 32 foot ladder does not reach…again, I am looking for safety and longevity…is this just what I have to deal with, or is there a safer way for gutters to be cleaned? Gutter Vac I have looked into.
Last question is on interior window washing:
INTERIOR WINDOW WASHING
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Our service includes glass + screens + sills. I am thinking of moving to having sills be an add-on. How many people do you find that do add on sills? Do you find that most choose to have the sills wiped out?
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We bring buckets room to room at this point. Thinking spray/squirt bottle is the better move. Also thinking of having a bucket we bring around that holds spray bottle, applicators, squeegees, brushes, etc so that we are not attempting to get into tight spaces with our tool belts, causing more chances of knocking into things inside…does anyone do this, and what has been your experience with it?
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We have many homes that have high interior great room Windows. We bring in large step ladders to access these, and sometimes with poles too…I dislike having to bring ladders inside people’s homes, mostly for liability reasons. I know some use the Unger microswipe on pad holder to buff high interiors with no solution to avoid and streaking…experiences with this?
Thank you very much for any insight you can provide on the questions above… appreciate the help!!