Richard Ivy

Ok, I don't expect to get answers to that question exactly... I'm asking if you have any links to any www sites that discuss the merits or otherwise of 4x4/pick-up trucks etc. I'm considering buying one, to carry kit for pw as well as window washing, but can't find much info on the things. It's more to do with what I don't know what I'm looking for, if you follow. How can I find it if I don't know what I'm looking for? kind of thing. I need a website where I can see pictures of 4x4s, for example the Mitsubishi L200 or the Nissan Navarra. Any links to useful web sites would be appreciated. Richard.

Jim - yes, I am. :) :)

Hi Rod, I was thinking more a dual use 4x4 type - for using for work and leisure. Richard.

Thanks Jarrod.

Larry, yes, it is di water. Scott, my pw is a cold unit.

Trying to keep my questions focussed and in the right forums, so hope this is ok. I have alluded in some of my other questions about where you get your water supply from. Now, I have been reading about GPM being more important that PSI for cleaning - am I right in thinking that this is because you tend to let the chemicals do the work, not pressure? Secondly, and more about the water supply, do you guys generally carry a water tank with you to jobs, either full of water, or you fill it from the customer's supply? I can see huge implications for me if this is the case vis-a-vis a vehicle to buy (or more likely a truck and trailer?) So, you carry your water, meaning you have hefty trucks and/or trailers, and add the detergent/chemicals to the tank if 'upstreaming', or add the cehms to another bottle of some kind, much smaller, and draw the correct mix from there, which you call 'downstreaming'? Finally, you can regulate the amount of chemicals with this thing called and x-jet, and/or you regulate the amount by altering the mixture in the chemical container (when downstreaming.?) Sorry for several points in one post - if they can be addressed, then thank you. I have been reading the FAQs etc., and these are the questions that I have come up with so far. Brilliant site, btw, well-impressed. Richard :)

Thanks Jeff, all really useful stuff. Richard.

Well Ken and Roger - many thanks for the comprehensive replies; I think I'm gettign closer to understanding how things work. Some of the confusion is in the terminology, but that's sorted for the most part. Where you use a lance to get you up high, it sounds like the spray goes fairly widely over the house - the roof (if that's what you're doing), certainly the sides of the house and the windows and on the ground. Even this x-jet fitting dosn't concentrate the jet into a pin-point, and nor is that the idea - the idea being to let a large amount of water and chemical to settle on the building, and cling. You then let it dwell and then rinse. Presumeably you can judge how long this is for, given the chems you are using? You then rinse, being mindful of 'etching' the window glass (is this certain chems that do this?) Sometimes you use heated water, sometimes not. Sometimes chems are used on driveways, sometimes not. Are these basic statement pretty much true? Thank again. :) ps, in an ideal world, would you wrap the entire house in a plastic bag and fill that bag with chems and water, let it dwell and then remove the bag and throw a couple of lakes of water over it to rinse? (obviously not literally!)

Mike and Carolina - great replies! I have been reading widely on TGS and this has sorted out in mind a few things! I was thinking, from what I had read, that you all had two hoses - one for water, and one for chemicals. I stand corrected.

So you don't have a giant container of water and chemicals? You dilute the chemical in whatever container it's in, and then draw the into the pw as you go? I was going to ask what 'downstreaming' is. Is this the answer? Thank you.

Can I just ask how you add chemicals to your spray? Do you have to make a mixture up in a large tank and suck that up and onto whatever surface you're cleaning? If so, does this mean that you have to find some other way of mixing in the chemical if you are drawing water from a tap (faucet)? I know pw have a pipe that you stick in a container of chemical, but how can you regulate, sucessfully, any chemical you use? Sorry if this is a dumb question, it's just one that's been nagging me for a while. :)

Hi from the UK, I have been trying to get up to speed on various aspects of pw, and the thing that strikes me about what you do in the US is wash houses! As far as I know, this is unheard of here in the uk. You talk about washing houses as a matter of course. Is it really that common to wash the house down? Where I live the houses were mainly built in the period 1935-1955, say. They are rendered, which I think you call 'stucco', though some are brick. They usually have a red tiled roof, not slate (you see that in Wales, the southwest of the uk and maybe Scotland for all I know). Any fascia is wooden, and limited to the fascia/soffit gutter area, and sometimes on the gable ends of houses. Not always painted white, often black or brown and does not show dirt so much. Some houses are 'pebble dashed', with small fragments of stone chucked onto the wet plaster (stucco to you). Where not painted for years, this can look awful, especially under the eaves. So, 'washing a house' seems a bit alien to me. I'm not knocking it, just pointing out the difference. We do have some houses with cladding, what I think you call 'siding', and that does get terribly mouldy with algae after a while. Also, you guys climbing around on roofs! Are there no laws there that say what safety equipment you must wear above a certain height? Here, if over 2m there have to be guard rails etc, and to even paint a house now we should really be putting up scaffolding. Sorry for going on. I'm trying to learn from you people, but I need to clarify a few aspects. I would also be very interested in the use of chemicals for cleaning. I know of vehicles here being cleaned with chemicals, as you might expect, but houses? I think I know why you use chemicals - they are effective! But the impression we have here is that pressure alone will do ANY job - I have a sneaky feeling that isn't the case! Anyway, a bit over six hours until new years day here, so all the best for 2006, and, again, sorry for the rambling post! Richard (ps, I am yet to start up in pw, as I am window cleaner here in the uk wanting to break into this area - I have the client base, just need to get some knowledge and a bit of experience in the next 6 months before buying a bit of kit to go on with.)

Yes, in Scotland the materials will be granite - Edinburgh is set on a volcanic plug. It looks very grey, as does the slate (of course) seen in Wales and Cornwall. Many of the buildings here in the UK appear grey... it's almost as if we like it that way! Sure there must be openings. With my own client base there are, and that's where I intend to start. We will see, but I am confident it will be ok. I must do my homework first. I think that paving and patios will be the first to seek. I will report back, may take me a while, on how this goes. Sounds selfish - I hope I can add something to the knowledge base that is this great forum. 20 minutes to midnight and 2006, so all the best friends, and here's to a fantastic and productive AND enjoyable New Year! Richard

Hi folks, good afternoon... well, it is here. Getting ready for a few drinks and Indian take out tonight. Anyway, yes, I take this on-board about preventative maintenance - many here think that they can get by by doing the minimum to keep their place up together but then moan when the costs of repair kick in. Suffice to say that there must be niche for deep down, regular proper cleaning of buidlings - houses. Not least for re-sale value: certainly if houses are being re-sold every 7 years (or whatever). Interesting, Jeff, what you say about homes needing cleaning according to where they are located. The uk is not known for it's glorious weather :lgsideway BUT there are differences between regions/areas. I was out walking around the local area this afternoon and was interested to see how well the houses looked - not too shagged at all - /// Just got interupted to get ready to go out for New Years thing, so hope all's well with you and yours. See you the other side of mid-night!

Try using a long scaffolding plank.

Thanks, and it's nice to be here. :)

I'm a window cleaner here in the UK, and plan on getting my act together with pressure washing in the next couple of years. I'm lucky that I have been able to build my round gradually and can see that pw will fit into that as well. I don't think my clients, or potential clients see that as a problem - they just appreciate the service available - as long as it's a quality service, of course!