Dave O

What kind of machine is it? Where did you get it from?

We are moving to Traverse City soon here so I can get some peace and Quiet. The pipe just helps keep the tank from having alot of pressure on it. You want them tight but not so where you may ruin the integrity of the tank by squishing it or cracking. Also it is preference on how you want you tank. Also just balance the trailer correctly and you should be fine. Some have put the machine side by side with the tank on open unit to get the weight over the axles. It's your option though. What are you pulling the trailer with and does it have brakes? Also make sure that the exhaust is not pointing at the tank.

I just use large washers or square plate stock on the bottom to help the plywood. Depends on what size plywood you have for a floor. Now some tanks if the straps don't reach the floor you want to use a spacer between strap and bolt. I have used pipe as a spacer just measure how much of a gap there may be and then buy the lenght of pieces you need to cover bolt.

Do you have the right number injector for your machine? Also did you put it on with the flow arrow in the right direction? I know most come with the fittings on them and they are usually the wrong way for the machine. Then they just get put on that way without looking at the arrow of flow.

9 1/2 hours for a house isn't bad. I still get yelled at because it has taken me 1 year to do ours. Wait I still haven't started it yet, but I did get the chems out once. At least I still get dinner though.

We had a restaurant chain that was looking into this for their kitchen equipment. The guy came out and tried to remove the carbonized grease and other. Well it worked a little but not good enough (since most grease comes off better when it is hot). Then the other main part was that it was suppose to be environmentaly safe, due to the fact that the ice just evaporated. Well it didn't fly with the manager because the grease and other was now all over his back loading dock (Ice may evaporated but not the grease). Well needless to say we then had to powerwash the grease away after it hit the hot surface of the loading dock, and they also sent the guy away. Just me experience with it so far.

Every year the same thing happens over and over again before certain seasons. From Landscape, plowing, and yes Pressure washing or Power washing which ever you want to call it. The markets for these service become flooded with newcomers to the field, most wanting to quit their $80,000 dollar job with the new kid on the way thinking. Everyone wants their piece of the pie, and wants it yesterday. The problem is that most won't even know the first thing about their venture. Most will jump right in with no clue on how or what works the best. They will in most cases test their newly bought equipment out the customers property. The problem with this is the damage that is done to the property from the newcomer. Why not test your equipment out first and see what it is capable of. Yes these wonderful pieces of equipment in the properly trained hands will bring magnificent results, but in the wrong untrained hands they cause damage and even death in some instances. This even includes those chemicals we use. Just because your breathing fine now, doesn't mean you won't be hacking a year later or longer down the road. Proper safety equipment and precautions are required in any business venture. Not just for you but for your customers as well. Ignorance has no place when it comes to safety. You screw up a piece of property or someones health, you might as well kiss alot of things goodbye. You better hope that your insurance covers it and better yet that the customer still doesn't sue you for everything you have. Yes this includes your own personal family belongings in some cases. Think about everyone from yourself, to your family, and your customer. If you are not going to do this properly then don't quit your day or night job. From plows that damage unseen obstacles under the snow, to lawn mowers that can catch a lawn on fire in a heartbeat, or worse yet contaminate a lawn with a weed species from another previous cut lawn. The same goes for PWing. So hear is some advice before you take your new found freedom on the road. Go to a training class. These classes are offered for all fields. From Power Washing schools, to Wood Certification Classes like WRAPI, Awning cleaning, Hood Certification, Environmental Certs, ETC... Also you can tag along in some cases with another contractor for experience. Now if you still persist on doing this on your own without proper training, please practice at home first not on a customers property. For Chemicals most companies will offer samples of certain products, or if you have one in mind try it out first at home not on a property owners. This way when it doesn't work like your buddy or the sales brochure said. At least you wont look like a total fool standing there in front of a customer. Or the wind blows and you get a wiff and lose your breath or burn your skin, because you did not have the proper gear on. Stains are also another product that needs to be explored in various techniques. How will it turnout, what will the color actually look like on certain woods? How much will it soak into a 15 year old piece, or a new piece that is under a month? Well the color on the sheet was this, but then I put it on here and it isn't what the customer wanted. How to practice: Concrete, pavers, brick, asphalt, or other aggregate can easly be found at demolition sites, crushed concrete yards, asphalt yards, scrap, previously knocked down houses or buildings. If you ask they will usually give you as much as you want in most instances. Then you take this home and get out your chemicals or chemical, and practice. Put the new found treasure down and test certain chemicals on certain stains. See what happens when and how long it takes for certain chemicals to remove oil stains, graffitti at certain dwells and percents. See what happens when a degreaser is used on asphalt. (Not good in some cases) Then get the water beast out and see what happens and at what distance you need or pressure to clean certain stains without damaging the surface. You will notice that surfaces come clean with a proper chemical and dwell time. Always let the chemical do the work for you. Now siding can also be had at the same places, except for a crushed concrete yard. Find some painted aluminum siding, vinyl, or other types you want to clean. Remember most will be happy to give you a nice size piece. Just look for the crappiest piece you can find with a lot of stains and even oxidized aluminum. You may have to divert their attention to get the aluminum, and run like crazy since aluminum is worth money. Just joking now no stealing. Now take this stuff home and practice some more. Different housewashes, techniques, tips, dwells and so on. See if you can get the aluminum clean without taking that oxidized paint off with the rest of the good paint. Did I say 2 step process? Oh yeah that's another thread just use the search button on this board. See at what temperature you can actually warp the vinyl siding, or at what distance/pressure you need for proper cleaning without damage. Okay now for the biggest one that everyone wants to do. This is the one that still gets me to this day. Why would you do wood if you know nothing about how to clean it? This is not like concrete, where you can blast the stones out of it, and you might not be seen. This was a living tree at one time and still needs a gentle touch. More water GPM not PSI. Did you read that there? Good now read this it takes the proper chemical, followed by the more GPM not PSI. Still there? Scrap wood can be found at many lumber yards, not big box stores but more like mom and pop lumber yards. Since I was a lumber yard manager at one time I can tell you that lumber does get thrown out. They usually have scrap boxes that say free wood scraps right on them. It can also be found in the garbage where someone recently demolished a deck. This is the best because it is usually stained already or pretty well black from abuse. Take the wood home and practice with chemicals and techniques on the various species you have picked up. Hopefully you picked out some really horrific looking pieces. See what dwell and technique will remove stains. See what chemicals work for stained, grayed, or just rotten slippery pieces of the wood. How close do you need to be just to remove the dead wood fibers and that's it? How close before you totally blow the knot holes out? How close to remove the stain? What chemical works best at what percentage or dwell? What happens when I put the acid on to neutralize? Should I rinse it off? Should I leave it? How about testing stains on different species, and ages? The same goes for Shingles, awnings or whatever else you plan on cleaning. You must practice, and investigate on your own. Research every chemical you want before buying them. Most you will notice are the same ingredients just different names and percentages in them. Now some have the trade secrets ingredients, but that is why you have to try them first. Chemicals and Cleaning are like cooking. He said what? Yes cooking I said. Have you ever made a soup or some awesome dinner or other, and everyone raved about it? Then when you try to make it again it doesn't turn out the same. You know why? Because you didn't write down what ingredients were used and how long you actually cooked it for. The same is for cleaning, restoring, preservation of surfaces. You need to experiment first to see what ingredient (Chemical) works best, how long (Dwell) before it is done for serving. Then what is the best way to serve it (Stains). The bottom line is that you must practice, practice, experiment, experiment, research, research before you go out. It makes your life so much easier when a housewash takes 1 hour instead of 2 days, because you didn't have the right chemicals and know how for a job. I see damage way to often in this industry, and it is always for the same reason. Do you know what that is? If not start back from the top and read again. When it comes down to it most of the newcomers from all trades will be back at all these forums with a different question from the one they asked in the beginning. This question will be how do I now fix what I have destroyed, or do you want to buy my equipment, because I have to sell for lawsuit reasons. Please don't be that person that comes back in that situation when the advice was given above. I want everyone to suceed, it is their given freedom to own a business and prosper. Just do it properly, because believe me I don't mind competition it keeps me striving harder to be the best.

Thanks for the kind words.

That is that Hot Water in Chesterfield Twp. it comes from a spring. You go there at night in your truck with a tank. You go down baker until you hit 24 mile at the bridge. You have to do this at night though. Then you honk your horn 8 times and this fairy comes out from under the bridge and fills your tank for you with special hot water. Then when you hear a bang your tank is full. Or wait was that 10 times and reverse once then brake twice? If that does not work it sure will get you some buckshot in the side of your truck and tank from the farmer you irritated late at night.

It depends on how much more waste water I feel like recovering.

Ditto to what Beth said. Too much insurance fraud against contractors nowadays, so it will be investigated fully.

I am bringing these up for the newbies and for the many of us that forget and put safety to the side. Remember this is one subject that can be prevented or get you hospitalized or worse. I still love my competitors and hope they stay safe during the hot months. I don't want to hear that you have to go to the bathroom alot when you drink, since everyone carries some form of bottle in the truck LOL. Do it for everyone that loves you and needs you around. Especially your family. Also it is what you drink that matters alot.

I am bringing these up for the newbies and for the ones of us that forget and put safety to the side. Remember this is one subject that can be prevented or get you hospitalized or worse. I still love my competitors and hope they stay safe during the hot months. I don't want to hear that you have to go to the bathroom alot when you drink, since everyone carries some form of bottle in the truck LOL. Do it for everyone that loves you and needs you around. Especially your family. Also remember as noted many times that is what you drink that really helps alot.

Okay senario is that it is late in the day. Customer calls and says that an electrician came out to fix air conditioning. Says that it is dirty and needs P/Wing, but they don't do that. Meanwhile this people are roasting. So I get called and call back. She says can you come out right away. Yes but first is it ground level in wall or roof top. Ground level. Okay and water access. No there isn't, okay well we will haul some water there. The minimum starts at 150.00 for a service man to come out. Oh no way click. Hmmm must not have been that hot. Oh yeah I'll call this guy who will come out for 30.00. Hmmm That's nice of him. Sorry we couldn't help you goodday. I think it pissed her off because I would,t send a truck to an office building 45 minutes away, hauling water in rushhour traffic for 30.00. , and that I was so nice on the phone. You could probably buy a new one for the price she payed the electrician, and the P/Wer to come out. Electrician and service men or women are not cheap.

Try the coffee diet

During the winter Jeff should be on some small island taking a vacation with all of that work he does he needs it. LOL

Because most only sell price, and not on what they should be selling.

We have a Delco, and it runs great. Their customer service has not been the best to us, on the warranty end though. This was not for the machine though this was a surface cleaner. Other than that the machine was shipped out all wrapped nicely and promptly. Have not had a problem with it , and they run about 24 hours a day if needed without a problem.

Now remember that the site I gave may not be his so don't attack the site, because someone else does it different. It was just that was the site that the said user name was trying to push on another BB. So I may be wrong, and don't want a site that has nothing to do with this chemist1 person getting harrased.

Scott I think you may be right. I was on another board and happened to notice the same screen name. I tracked it to www.roofreviver.com where they are trying to push it other places, but I could be wrong on this person, just the same screen names makes me think yes.

You know your a professional when your customers fight to keep you as their fleet wash service.

Yes it did.

They just liked your cologne Alan. Or was it the candybar in your pocket LOL

You can list your site here for placement for free.http://www.submitexpress.com/

Awesome Ken.I just have to agree on the one font color though. I think it was yellow that I had trouble seeing. Other than that it was Awesome