Beth n Rod

There are a number of them that people use and most find best according to their desired method of application and removal. F-13 Gutter Grenade is one. Gutter Butter is another I am aware of. The rest found in a search are mostly 'consumer' grade. Perhaps others may chime in ... Rod

Not sure if anyone here specializes in carpet cleaning. Hopefully the responses will draw someones attention who may have come from that industry to help. Rod

This is a relevant thread for many and I feel that the information divulged by the participants can be constructive because without each other, there would be no meeting the demands of the niche business we are all involved in. So, what does it take to keep your business with a vendor? Rod!~

Great video. Just wondering if you have tried these brushes. 3 hole siding brush Our guys love them. Rod

Good on you for making it all this time never the less John. Rod

Interesting to know. I have not experienced this in any of the homes we have and hopefully will not. Manufacturers also formulate for the specifics of the climate zones they are selling to. As we are in the north east, this could put us out of the issue. Rod

Then my assertion of improper preparation or condition created by the person who painted them sounds to be the issue. Not the paint. Rod

There may be no bleach residue but from my experience, it looks like chemically induced damage. Whether it was bleach or something else is yet to be determined. Understanding which paint it is and the basis of it (oil, latex, acrylic, hybrid etc.) will help to understand which chemical did the damage. Other things play into paint failure and preparation is the leading cause. Now, this may also indicate an underlying condition of damage induced before the paint was applied and is now revealing in the surface. Class action...I would think this one through. It may be a simple issue of another contractor, home owner/diy etc. induced condition. I have seen similar on siding that looked even but upon washing found streaks that appeared like someone had thrown a chemical over it. Home owner was emphatic that nothing ever happened like that and claimed to be the only owner. I don't know if that is true, but simply washing and a condition revealing afterwards indicates that the damage was already there or the chemicals used in the cleaning created it. A paint would not fail in this manner. The photo clearly shows liquid (as the shutter was upside down when it happened) flowing on it. Dig for more information. Rod

This looks like oxidation from bleach residue. Rod

We typically apply chems to assist in the cleaning. When we get the remnants of like what you are seeing, simply reapply a 50/50 bleach and water (or stronger as you deem necessary) to finish cleaning. If the driveway is as bad as you see, hot water can help as a future consideration. I know your machine is a cold water unit but just to put it out there that colder temps make for less effective cleaners as well. Food for thought. Rod

Cannot open the file type. Do you have it in a jpeg ? Rod

We found out today that a good friend lost his battle with cancer. Rick Petry of Windsor Wood Care died of lung and liver cancer this past weekend prior to Christmas. He was a member here on TGS and was a contributor to it's knowledge base. We will miss him. Rod & Beth

I find that customers like you described are often ones that have been either taken by another contractor or were given unreasonable expectations. I have won these types over by setting the expectations and when possible over delivering. Then there are ones that just can't be pleased no matter what and they expect miracles. These often have conditions that can't be reversed and likely induced by either the homeowner/diyer or a hack. Some people are so difficult that I will intentionally bid it high to deter their acceptance but in the case they become desparate set a very low expectation. In the case of excessive questions, I find it that they are insecure and often a bit squirrelley to begin with. I try to be patient but sometimes find I have to control the narrative and leave them with either yes or no responses because they don't understand aspects about the project/scope/technology/chemistry etc. This helps them to find a path to a decision but I often have to leave a comfort line at the end, something to the effect of....if you have any further questions you can call me at... Guarantees. What is to guarantee in our line of work? That the dirt will come off? That the results will last 'X' years? I offer none where this is concerned even if I am the first one on the job because there are things I have no control over. I don't make the sealers, chemicals, stains etc. that are being applied. I didn't get the substrate dirty and have no idea of what it has been subject to and no way to tell until AFTER the work begins to reveal what was hidden or obstructed/disguised. What are your thoughts on Guarantees? Rod

Bidding for the price is a good start. The issues with actually doing them are the tenants. Especially on the porches where they will tend to store a bunch of stuff and throw a tizzy if you get them wet or whatever. Notifications are recommended. Price wise, Where is the water being drawn? Is it the tenants water or from a water source belonging to the building owners control? Since you are likely only cleaning the siding and not so much the brick, price it per section of siding. Usually around 100-150 each. The brick is what takes the most time to wash and generates a lot of grit debris which adds time to rinse off everything in proximity. If you have to wash that, double the price for each section. Rod

Since there is no need for a lot of water so a small consumption machine should work for the purpose. Most small units are 2gpm or less and are either electric or motor. As long as the tank is high enough to provide for a decent gravity feed with a regular garden hose, there should be no problem. Doing a test with the tank on the flow will determine the gpm requirement of the machine that is compatible. Just fill a bucket and time it for specific amounts...1 gal, 2 gal etc. When the gpm (gallons per minute) capability is determined, then he can buy a unit to work in that range. Rod

Rick2 has some good points to consider. Protecting the customers property and preventing negative affects to the surrounding plants and amenities is important for your reputation as a quality cleaner. We use an M-5 to apply a degreaser and bleach mix. 3:1 (no proportioner). Start out with 3-1/2 gallons of water in a 5 gal cubetainer then add about 6 oz of degreaser and depending upon the severity of the mold and algae 1/3rd to a gallon of bleach and top off the container with water. The degreaser helps to address other common spills and lotions often on the pool aprons. Rod

Knee pads! Over the years I have blown out both Bursa's in my knees and can't kneel for long without pain. Even have to wear them on ladders because working on them I lean on the ladder rails for stability. About to turn 57 and still going strong otherwise. When is too old? Ask my body when it says so, otherwise....I delegate the hard work to my paid employees and take the special projects on for myself. Gotta keep the enjoyable part right? Rod

Yes. No higher than 80 grit for outdoor surfaces. Better penetration. 60 is typical in our practice due to the buffing brushes we have in that grit. This process also helps to lessen some of the un-eveness of coverage by furniture and other seldom moved items. Staining (adding a pigmented sealer) is a preferrence. Also helps to stave of UV greying and degradation depending on the opacity of the stain being applied. Toners-little opacity, semi-transparent stains-more opacity. Semi-solid greater opacity and solids are totally opaque. Clear sealers are in the vein of toners which have little to no opacity for UV protection regardless of what they state on the label. Rod

Once you throw in something sizable, it discounts the whole perception of value. Then your price comes into question. Something to consider... Rod

General practice after applying any product that is on the alkaline side is to apply a neutralizer. While percarbonates become inert after they exhaust themselves, the pH is still alkaline. Stains/sealers are designed to go onto wood that is in its neutral state which is acidic in nature. Wash, rinse, neutralize, rinse. Rod

Yes. Clean it first, wait till dry then apply. First coat on new wood is going to look much lighter than on older wood because the fibers are still very tight and don't absorb as well as when loosened up by aging and lignin/extractives depreciation. When you are to perform subsequent maintenance applications, clean with oxyclean if is it just mold. If algae develops, skip the oxyclean and use bleach and water instead. (oxyclean and bleach don't get along in a mixture) Brush and then rinse thoroughly or use a power washer to speed up the process but remember you aren't trying to remove the color. Some may anyway as there are no significant binders to hold it on the surface and UV degradation will make it easy to remove. Once clean, neutralize and rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Re-apply A/C and if mildew is a problem in your environment, you can also use a small amount of Japan Drier in Only What you think you can apply. Not the whole container. This will help the product set up faster and give less time for nature to deposit things that promote mildew regrowth. Yes, still use a mildewcide in only the new container you have. Not the used/partial one you may left over from prior applications. Any remaining product (hopefully very little) should be disposed of once a drier has been added. The product loses its properties in the can and when you go to use it later, it will not work as designed. This is why I state to only add it to what you think you will apply. If you need a little more you can still add it to that amount required. Keep what comes in the can in the state it was once opened (except the mildewcide if you add it. That does not hurt the formula). Rod

Since you are using Pt Pine, you can seal it within 2 weeks of installation according to the American Wood Preservers Association, the organization that sets the guidelines for pressure treatment in wood. If you are going to wait that long, your exterior environment will be a dictating factor on what you will need to do. Oxy clean is easy enough for just gray wood and some mildew growth. Neutralizing with an acid is recommended. I am not sure what stores you have in your neck of the woods but look for a product that has either Oxalic or Citric acid and is designated for use on decks. If you are looking for more specifics, try https://www.opwdecks.com/ If your deck environment has high moisture conditions from a pool, hot tub or pond/water feature or sits really close to the ground and has little to no air passage beneath (less than 2' results in pockets of dead air and high moisture retention) then you may have to look into an additional mildewcide to help stave off mold growth during the drying period which with A/C can be anywhere from 2-5 days depending upon how much sun and shade you have. More sun, less dry time. Rod

2k range Rod

Any project is dependent upon the costs associated with completing it that you company needs to stay in business. One has to figure out all the costs your business incurs and apply them to the daily operational costs at a price that will support it. I would have 2 guys on that crew and it would take about 3 hours to wash so you have to figure the costs based upon at least that factor then include your insurances (aggregated from a yearly cost to a daily and then hourly figure), the fuel, the chems, the travel time and a margin of profit which helps the business reinvest in itself and pay benefits. Rod

You're Welcome. Rod