Beth n Rod

Today I had to run an errand. Now most days, an errand is just and errand, another thing that takes a portion of a precious resource out of your day - time. Today, I went to the mall. Now I do my best not to go to the mall unless I have to. We live in a congested area, heavy in traffic both on the roads and in stores. I figured I was out at lease two hours when I turned into the parking lot. We ended up in a store looking for a replacement item. The clerk who approached us, was nice and helpful and eager to do a good job. He was personable, the type of person you easily strike up a conversation with. Before I knew it, we were chatting away about spring, about gardens, and then, about business. You see, this man had a fire in his belly, much like that of Jeff (JL here on TGS). This store clerk, was considering going into business for himself (not in our field) and as soon as he learned we owned our own business, the conversation took a wonderful shift. The flurry of questions that came from him, the energy and excitement he exuded, all pointed to the mark of a true entrepreneur. It took me back to a time when we too, had hundreds of questions, didn't have any answers, but had one helluva dream. It reminded me that every day is the first day of spring when you have a dream so large and so consuming that nothing else can find room in your mind. I was swept away in the newness of his dream, and found myself offering to help him. I know he'll call me. In fact, I'll lay odds it happens by Friday. I know I will sit down with this dreamer and help him through his maze of questions as he finds his footing and begins to crawl, eager to walk. I look forward to hearing his voice on the phone when he calls and tells me of his first success story. And one day, I know he will help someone realize their dream too. Dreams are really big things. They can be really scary things. Often they are overwhelming and it is hard to make sense of what needs to be done to get you from A to Z. To those of you who are new, don't panic. Read, study, and ask questions. Talk to anyone who will listen to you about your dreams and about your business. Let them help you. And one day, when the time comes, help a newbie in return. You'll be amazed at how good it feels to give back, and how very energizing it can be. Have a wonderful day! Beth

Try this source: https://www.diedrichtechnologies.com/ Rod & Beth

Not much available for Silicone. Try this site: https://www.diedrichtechnologies.com/ Rod & Beth

Hello Jason, You left a lot to be unpacked here. When we first started back in 1999, we were heavily investing in the business and broke even that first year as a result. Buying small and 'inexpensive' equipment was the first thing we avoided. While you may save on the money spent, you lose time and spend on fuel in order to replace something that is only meant for the 'Consumer' to use a couple of times a year. No where near the demand you will place on the equipment. 1st lesson: Don't compromise on your equipment. You get what you pay for and that can be costly as you have found out. Buy a Whisper Washer (Wheels or not). These units have lasted me years with little downtime and maintenance. Buy an in-line filter for it too! Many times the unit will be left disconnected while rinsing and such which allow debris to get into the connection line and harm the swivel with the grit and worse, plug up the nozzles. All requiring more downtime to fix than the cost of the in-line filter as a one time purchase. The filter has a detachable portion for cleaning out the screen inside and easily reassembled to continue the work. We also started out with cold units for our washing needs until we could afford a hot water unit. You will find this alone is indispensable for much of the work and makes it much easier to clean when the temps are not above 50°. Next. Stop using direct pressure on aluminum/vinyl sided houses. Get an X-Jet or M-5 Jet for applying the soap to the exteriors and a tank brush for use on an extension pole (varied lengths - 12', 16' or 18' and 24'). Apply your soap to the siding, brush the surfaces starting from the top down and rinse as you go. The reason I am being so forward in the instruction here is that you are doing damage by applying pressure to siding. This forces a lot of water behind the siding and can cause the sheathing behind it to swell and buckle (Don't depend on builders to always install a moisture/vapor barrier before installing the siding!!! I have many stories to support this!). The other is that when that much water gets behind the siding, you are going to have leaks either inside the house or at least behind any barrier that is there which will keep the sheathing plywood wet and lead to mold growth. Don't make a sick house! Many 'Low-ballers' are around. These fly-by-nighters always do this road signage with rock bottom prices. Don't worry about them. They'll sort themselves out by not making any real money and losing their asses! Trust me on this. Get your pricing in line! Set yourself an hourly wage. Determine your prices based upon the supplies you need to do THAT job. How long it will take and include all the incidentals that go into your business to operate. EVERYTHING! Labor is a challenge for everyone in the industry these days. One has to come up with a solution to meet their needs for a wage and any incentives that you can work into your pricing. Remember! Your pricing determines what you can pay your employees per job, which equates to an hourly wage they will get regularly as long as you can keep them busy. Look me up on See Dirt Run! Inc. Facebook page and send me a message. I'll get back to you that way and be able to help with many of the other questions you have here plus a supplier that can help with your chems. Rod & Beth

There is this article as well.

This is not a laundry forum. You will find that our members use commercially designed detergents for washing houses etc. We have used 'pods' for laundry. They came in handy for hotel stay laundry needs. Rod & Beth

With the fluctuation of new stain products on the market and their compositions being that of hybrid and acrylic blends, they pose a challenge to all wood restoration companies who have to either maintain them or remove them. What's even more perturbing is the fact many manufacturers don't have anything that can remove their own let alone anyone else's product once installed. We have customers who change their minds after an installation because the color isn't what they thought it would be and the representations on the can or in photos doesn't match the end result. So....Whats working for you? What's not? There are many versions of strippers out there that are in liquid form, powder form or gel. Indicate in the poll which you use or just post here what, when and why. For those who are newer or like I am putting out feelers to see if anything new has hit the market, I will post some links for reviews that you can look into as you like. Rod http://www.deckstainhelp.com/category/deck-product-reviews/deck-stain-stripper-reviews/

You have literally created the nightmares of flatwork pressure washing. While I am not a specialist in this, there are various cleaners that will help. This is the site to start: https://www.diedrichtechnologies.com/ Rod & Beth

The chapter I am working on need residential photos. These could be working shots, of any kind of residential service. Photos should be high resolution only. Please message me if you want to submit yours. I will need your contact info with the photo. I need these quickly! This is a great opportunity to publicize your company! Beth

I suggest contacting janitorial companies. Rod & Beth

Unfortunately, this is a forum for pressure washing trades which has little exposure into concrete staining. We clean this surface all too well. I am guessing that no one who visits the forum has anything to help. It is out of the normal. I would suggest a concrete installation company or masons for patios that specialize in concrete patios and aesthetic effects to the installation. Rod & Beth

Being a pressure washing forum, this falls a little into the niche service and not many offer this as it is a rare service for these professionals. I would look into concrete installers and such for patios first and see if they would do work inside the home. Rod & Beth

Concrete pavers can be sealed DIY with V-Seal 101. You can buy it online and with a pump sprayer, apply it yourself. At approx 430sqft you'd need 2-3 gallons to do the job. The Product is 194.95/gal so therein lies the cost aspect you were shocked by. Others may be more expensive but low cost on labor to apply. Rod & Beth

Acid staining is a way to change the color of concrete to begin with. Not sure how to reverse the process excess to neutralize it with an alkaline cleaner or bleach. Rod & Beth

We use citra-spray detergent from ACR Products. It is a great detergent with surfactants and emulsifiers to help clean. Rod & Beth

We used to use HD-80 but found that the formula was weakened and no longer as strong as it used to be. Avoiding fuzzing is like trying to avoid UV degradation. It is going to be a thing. Best option is to offer the buffing option to your clients as an aesthetic option. The fuzzing doesn't affect the performance of the product applied over it, but will turn out less even and in some cases, splotchy. Rod & Beth

I have ceramic tiles I have installed in my kitchen which have been doing just fine. There is a method and proper requisites in order to ensure the sub-floor is stable and doesn't move which requires joisting below no more than 16" O.C. If that is not applicable, one needs to lay an additional layer of plywood, seal it and then make sure the flooring is level. If not, use self-leveling concrete. Then install the tile. A tile distributor would have the knowledgeable people to help get the job right. Just take photos and document the existing project and structural aspects for their reference. Rod & Beth

Hello Collin, Yes, we still use R.A.D. and 633ADD for stripping acrylics and other tough oils like Sikkens suite of products (now called Proluxe by PPG Paints) . Our source for 633ADD is ACR Products. Tell them Rod & Beth from See Dirt Run! sent you. R.A.D. (Restore A Deck) is available from (click the link). The main page this lands you on is the consumer page. You need to create an account to get to the contractor section. Click the Log In link at the top and set up your account. I get sent samples from so many other providers but we always seem to gravitate back to R.A.D. as a tailorable strength product that can clean at lower concentrations and more as you increase the strength of it and dwell time. It goes a long way and we use as little as an ounce per gallon up to 4-6 oz/gal for stripping various coatings. Hope this helps Rod & Beth

I have ceramic tiles I have installed in my kitchen which have been doing just fine. There is a method and proper requisites in order to ensure the sub-floor is stable and doesn't move which requires joisting below no more than 16" O.C. If that is not applicable, one needs to lay an additional layer of plywood, seal it and then make sure the flooring is level. If not, use self-leveling concrete. Then install the tile. A tile distributor would have the knowledgeable people to help get the job right. Just take photos and document the existing project and structural aspects for their reference. Rod & Beth

Perception is key here. You may only see the one crew responding for service to a location. Meanwhile, there are numerous other crews at other locations depending upon the company and the demand they have. Some are one man shows. Others 1-2 crews. Others can be up to a couple of dozen. It all depends on how much demand there is and the ability of the owner to build a service team to meet that demand. Rod

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/03/stalkers-turn-to-cell-pho_n_171555.html Many of us have gotten UNWANTED and UNSOLICITED text that never end, text after text of hateful, unprofessional conduct and vile, viciously aimed content. This phone STALKING is being taken seriously. http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/telephone-harassment-statutes People violating these laws may receive fines, prison sentences or both. If someone harasses you, make sure to KEEP the messages. Your smart phone has setting to automatically delete messages after a certain number are reached. Turn the setting OFF. For your specific case, consult a lawyer. Of course you can also just block the caller..... Beth

Determining weight capacity is a good thing. Next. Determine what will have weight and what amounts. Water is 8lb/gal so you won't have a very large tank when considering the pressure washer weight, the hose reels, hoses and anything else you install upon the trailer. The water tank is the largest variable as you may have guessed. Also to consider is a baffle system inside the tank to help with water sloughing inside. This can be dangerous with a barrel tank. Square tanks tend to be safer in this regard. Let me know if you have any questions. Rod

Typically a day is good enough dry time if you have warm temps and sun exposure to help it dry out. If not, give it 2 days so that the sealer can penetrate appropriately. Armstrong Clark is still a viable option. We use TWP 1500 series. Rod

If you are using the same stain, stripping won't be required unless there are any remnants in the stain that are not desirable Ie; mold, algae, etc. Rod

Yes. It is ready for a cleaning and maintenance coat. Rod