Beth n Rod

I hear ya, even with the new m-5 I have had incidences where I got my hand in the stream when trying to adjust the spray. I where nitrile glove which give no real protection from impact but they do protect from exposure. Damn it hurts when that hits your hand lol (now in retrospect) :) Staying alert is always the best. Be careful out there. I always tell my employees "This Job is NOT worth getting hurt! The damage that can be done is often irrepairable and causes severe nerve damage where the injury occurs, so be careful and follow the safety guidlines" :seeya: Rod~

Rob, did you say YOU have the Phd or someone else does....? Safety gear is important. One simple fact, is if you have goggles on, you can't get a splash of chem into your eye, which can save your vision. Chemical respirators do help you to keep your lungs free from harmful substances. PVC suiting ...well, if you are dry how can you be drenched in chems? And if your hands were not covered with gloves they would be burning. Beth

Hey Travis, What kind of wall are you talking about, brick, vinyl siding, dryvit, stucco? This would help me to understand how to bid it. Also, are the vines still there? Are they growing between the siding? Rod~

Exactly Tony. I use a vapor mask when applying my housewash mix, and I also use an oxidizer to break down the bleach faster into salts. This makes rinsing easier and less effect on plant life as residues are not as likely to be a problem for anyone who may be exposed to them. I always educate my customers as to when they can resume activities once a wash has been done. It helps them to stay safe and I feel it is a responsible thing to do for them. They feel more comfortable with you as a result, and isnt that what is important to them? Understanding chemicals makes you better armed to help the customer understand what will be affected, why you are using them and what they can expect. Rod~

Gee that's funny... we teamed up with another company today and did a complex in Frederick for more than .65 per square foot.... clean and seal. Beth :groovy:

It sounds filthy. I wish you had a photo. Any idea how many square feet the house is or a feeling for how long it will take? Beth

we use the makita with variable speed so that I can drop the RPM's when using the de-furring pads. Rod~

Beth's turn.... USDA Forestry Labs latest research shows that to minimize damage, all newly built decks (wooden) should be cleand and sealed in two weeks time of being built. It makes sense. Think about it...the wood drys out, you can't replace the natural moisture content. Also wood dries from the outside inward, so you will have less penetration on a newer deck and get better coverage than on an older deck. Better penetration is not necessarily better on a new deck, the goal being to preserve it and keep what is natural to the wood, in the wood. The wood is basically exposed as it is outdoors.... it no longer has bark. That was removed when it was chopped down. The sealer is the closest you are going to get to that. Ok, off my soapbox... Beth :groovy3: :groovy2: :groovy:

svp07, I get it at the local home improvement stores in my area. Same bottle, green label w/black lettering. Rod~

hey Tony, This is my understanding from the manufacturer of EFC-38 that you can add bleach to his formulation to help with the mildew/algae. Just make sure you add the bleach AFTER you have mixed the efc-38 into water. Use this on siding only, not on wood btw. Rod~

Hey Dale, Rod here, I think any info is good to take into concideration in our line of work because so many factors affect our work and the end result. It seems that there is no 'be all, end all' solutions anymore. With all the different wood species, treatments, sealers, cleaners, pollutants, microbial contaminants, and so on, you have to be aware of the symptoms that each of these cause and know how to remedy the situation according to what is present. With the weekend warriors and harry homeowners, beginner pw'ers and the conditions they inflict on wood structures these days, you just about have to take a forensic science approach to each structure you are about to work on. Some manufacturers are on the ball with testing and developement of new ways to deal with the changing pt lumber market, but then there are also manufacturers who shy away and just keep putting product on the shelves expecting anyone to buy them with out informing of how things may have changed in the wood they will be applying it to. I am not refering to any in specific but in general according to your information you posted. I applaud wolman for at least making the effort to help people understand how to get the best results and protection with the latest pt lumber. It shows responsibility to the consumer and that is important to me. Likewise, we evaluate the products we use in order to determine which give the best and longest lasting results taking into consideration the conditions surrounding the structure applied to. Its a reflection of your company to the consumer when a product fails even though you didnt make the product. They dont know any better and just assume that since it is on the shelves it must be good so that means to them that the contractor did something wrong and that is why the sealer failed so soon. Perception is key here as always and we are in the public eye. What we do is what is judged, not the manufacturer who made the product that let you down! just a few thoughts... Rod~:seeya:

I think Ron P used to know of a place that had the Makitas used...but he never said where. The Makita is a good solid machine, so is the Dewalt. You can't go wrong with either. You need the backing plate in order to use the pads.

As a rule, I keep a sprayer of citralic at the ready in the event something does get onto the siding to quickly neutralize it. Its just common sense really. Once you understand what chems will affect and take precautions to avoid this type of situation in the future, you will do just fine. One rule of thumb is...ALWAYS keep re-evaluating your work and your methods, as well as your products. You will learn nothing otherwise and become another one of the disconnected phone numbers in the phone book. Keep the questions coming, its how we all learn. My philosophy is 'the only dumb question is the one you DIDNT ask!" :) Rod~:seeya:

Rod here You can use EFC-38, it has TSP in the formulation...also you can add a 1/4 cup of bleach/gal to handle the mildew/algae I also use the new clorox "Outdoor Bleach" It contains oxidizers and buffers which help to break down the chlorine into salts so that there is less residue to contend with when rinsing...just thought I would share... :seeya:

So Tony, when are you going to get some Warm Honey Gold? ;)

Hey all! Silent Rod on Board... Just wanted to share something with everyone as a learning experience I had. Recently... I washed a 6 month old deck with EFC-38 only because the owner had not applied anything to the deck, It just needed a good wash to remove the mildew. 2 days later, I drove by to check on the deck and was disappointed to see the wood was darker than usual. As a rule, I 2 step a deck when I wash them but felt in this case it would be over kill...NOT! Lesson learned. :yoda: I informed the customer that I would like to give the deck an additional treatment to bring the wood color up so that the seal would give a better result. He agreed. I re-wet the deck and applied Citralic at 8oz/gal and then rinsed. Viola! Just thought I would share this in the event anyone else has had the same happen to them. As Reed stated, percarbs are at about a 9pH so brightening would benefit the overall look. :idea: One thing that occured to me was that since the owner did not know exactly what kind of pressure treatment the wood had, I now believe it is the ACQ version since I dont usually have this result with CCA wood. Just goes to show that you can never know enough in this profession and that keeping up on the latest is the best for you and your customers.:cool: Good to see everyone here sharing and networking, take care all...:sonic: Silent Rod~

HD-80 will remove SOME paints, but was not designed as a paint stripper, it was designed as a stain and sealer stripper. Paints have a different formulation. It will work on many tough stains and sealers, but not an acrylic/latex paint. Try an MEK based product on that, but BE CAREFUL and wear safety gear. MEK is very nasty stuff. (look for BIX) Beth

Ah yep.... have stripped decks with it. EFC-38 is a great choice in light duty strippers. I have seen it remove Wolman F&P, Ready Seal, and Menwood with no problem. Since it's not as caustic as HD-80 it's also a safer choice. Neutralizing afterwards is something we always do. Looks great. :) :groovy3: Beth

ICK! The link Paul attached mentions the V word... (varnish) Can't say the HD-80 will attack that at all.... Have not tried it on a varnish. Beth

Come to think of it, there was a smurf deck around here once, Henry did you see it? It was off of Crystal Rock Dr. I wonder if that was the same stuff? It was BLUE. So long as it's not an acrylic laytex or a paint you'll be fine with HD-80. Solid stains are not an issue, if they truly are stains and not paints.

Brian, What does the product look like? Does it appear to be a penetrating semi-transparent oil, is it a film forming finish, or a solid stain? HD-80 will take off many, many things. However, if it is a film and has an acrylic base I would want to know more about it, as I am not familiar with the product. Can you shed a little light on the appearance? Beth :groovy3:

Jesse, Is this a new or used machine? Personally, I would take it to the dealer if I were you, and get a little cold water unit to run as a back up machine. A Hydrotek is a top of the line machine. You might find it worth your while to hang around while they fix it and learn from them if they will let you. Beth p.s. Rod thinks it may be the thermal relief valve. We had that problem recently ourselves.

Are you selling this or just sharing the link? Have you used this product? Beth

Alvaro is it a cold water machine only or can it also heat water for you, and what kind of surfaces are you planning to clean? Beth

Sounds like an event deck to me. You don't just have a party on a deck like that, you have an event!