Mike Williamson

It tastes awesome, and you can get just about any flavor, topping, etc that you can imagine, or any combination of them. It's like Starbucks. If you love coffee, and appreciate GREAT coffee and various coffee drinks, you go to Starbucks or another similar coffee shop. If you just like a regular cup of coffee, you won't get why some of us go out of our way to pay $5.00 for a large iced white chocolate mocha with 2 extra shots of espresso and white chocolate! If just like regular ice cream, you won't get paying the price for coldstone!

It never rains in Barstow!

I do the same thing! Unless the gutters are streaked very noticeably, or as you said, the customer insists (only one ever has) I don't mess with it. It isn't a case of not wanting to do a great job, but rather the fact that the gutter cleaners DO remove a thin layer of paint in order to get the streaks off...meaning the more it is cleaned, the more likely it is the bare metal will come through. I don't use gutter cleaner at all on fascia wrap anymore...had a few times where even with a weak mix and no brushing, the paint washed off and exposed bare metal. I can fix it if it is white, but other colors are near impossible to match. I just explain, if they ask, that I have a cleaner that will remove the streaks, but that it is possible it will also take the paint off. Just not worth the liability and hassle if they don't ask. Never had a complaint yet!

We don't have too many 2 or 3 story houses here, and as I said, I don't need the gutter cleaners that much. Usually housewash does just fine. If I needed to, yes, I could Xjet the gutter cleaner, but that's not my preferred method. I'd say 75% of my house washes are single story houses, many without gutters at all. Excellent idea on the "streak removal"!

I can attest to that....I have 50' of 1/2" hose that came with the machine...that stuff is HEAVY...though as others have pointed out, it allows your machine to work more efficiently.

I can do the same thing, soap it down and rinse the windows before they dry. Rather than flipping a switch, I swap tips. Takes all of 5 second or so to flush chems from the hose. I don't use zap, I use gutte shock, and I apply with a pump up, when needed, which isn't often. For my tastes, Xjetting gutter cleaner is just too dang messy, and uses way too much product. Whatever works for you, or me, that's what matters. I was referring to guys who refuse to even try it, or who claim downstreaming doesn't/won't/can't work. I used to be one of those guys! I've told many a beginner "ditch that downstreamer, get an Xjet". I was wrong!

Why does it kill the injector? Then I have to clean a shurflo out every time, which is a pain. Just one more part to replace. I want a downstreamer with an Xjet draw rate. Why not? The Xjet is essentially a hopped up downstreamer...so why couldn't it be modified to work inline?

Hey, you're the metal and fabrication guy around here! Design us a downstream injector that will get draw rates similar to the Xjet but that can be used at the hose reel! I'd pay considerably more than the Xjet costs for such a thing! Xjet draw rates with downstreamer convenience! Wow!

Do you have a good, SS injector that will hold up well with chlorine, and give me 10:1 on either a 5.6gpm and/or an 8gpm machine?

Are you saying Cypress is impervious to penetrating oils?? That's not been my limited experience (my own deck). an 8x16 2nd story deck with stairs took 10 gallons of RS the first time around... Needs another 10 gallons now, and a good cleaning.

There ARE some instances where the Xjet makes things easier. Downstreaming doesn't work well on a REALLY filthy white aluminum pool enclosure, for example. It does have it's place, but that place isn't typical housewashing, unless you just like dragging buckets and extra hoses and you're so sold on the idea that you're closed minded to alternatives. I know a couple guys who were that way, and slowly got sold on downstreaming!

That may be true too.

My understanding is that this is NOT a good idea.

Get some Ash Grey t-shirts, or white. The bleach won't spot them up, but it WILL still eat them up if you get it on there strong enough. Keep a plastic gallon bottle of white vinegar on the trailer/truck. It will neutralize bleach, which can come in handy if you get a lot on you in concentrated form. I wear Levis and a t-shirt, but really need to get some lighter weight polyester uniform pants...those jeans sure get heavy when they get wet with water and/or sweat! Just that much more weight to carry around.

It's not the same thing...Likely calcium hypochlorite...Not as effective, and a pain to rinse properly. I don't believe you can get sodium hypochlorite (bleach, pool chlorine) in powder form.

Ditto on the Cypress...beautiful wood!!

The injector I use is the SS "bleach" injector from envirospec, and it does a great job up to 200'. With more than that, I have to run the gun with no tip to get enough chlorine draw. With the 8gpm machine, that's not a problem in most cases, since it shoots about 15-20' in the air without a tip. Mel with Vero Under Pressure runs his injector with 300' all the time with I think a 10gpm machine, and it works great for him.

The problem is that as things grow, the chaos envelops you! Your kids aren't missing out on anything at all. You can give them culture without them living in the city. You sound like you're happy there. That's should be the end of it! I'd much rather raise my son in a small town than in the city.

Yeah, I hate the people who provide my livelihood too. Dang them! I just wish to heck they'd all just GO AWAY and LEAVE ME ALONE! :rolleyes: Isn't there a better way to say it than "f-off"? Some of us have our company information in our signature lines, and a simple search for "Company XYZ" will yield at least a few hits to this site. I really don't want my customers reading this crap!

Why in the world would you do that, Rob? I thought you guys were so busy you were backed up for weeks and weeks! How big was this job, to give away $800.00???

Isn't this board just awesome?!?! I love it when I figure out where I was going wrong and find out how easy it can be with the right tools and methods!!!

Yep, had one a couple weeks ago...lady caught me as I was working down the street a couple days after doing her house. She said we missed a wasp nest. I went to look, and there's a brand new mud dauber nest on her front porch ceiling. The same front porch ceiling that was filthy and covered with nests and cobwebs before we cleaned it. There was no way that nest survived our cleaning and still looked fresh, so clearly Mr. Wasp came be AFTER we cleaned. I didn't even argue, I just went by when we got done with the other house and re-did the porch area. She was happy, and I only wasted about 10 minutes.

Oh yeah, and then you get the check, after sending them a late notice three weeks out, and it is back dated to a day or two after you did the work! I've gotten more of those this year. Irritating. In prior years, the vast majority paid within a week. This year, I'd say more pay 2-3 weeks out than pay on time.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get this. Why is it "pickiness" for a homeowner to expect his windows to be clean? Yes, it was one window. So?? He paid for a service, he deserves for it to be done completely, and properly. You're a painter. Say you missed a small section of trim? You gonna just tell the customer "oh don't be so dang picky!". I'd rather be a picky contractor, and make it a point to do the job right the first time, and if I don't, I won't gripe and moan when I have to go back and fix MY mistake!!!

Kinda like being out on the water on a hot day when the wind isn't blowing