John Orr

Cold water works fine. Here's a link to my website with pics of a stained house and fence. As I recall, it was washed with cold water. The keys to successfully washing stained siding are: chems; application method and amount of pressure used. Your normal housewash solution will work fine, downstreaming works fine and never use any pressure! (Shooter and a 4040.)

I wash stained homes all the time, using my standard housewash mix, with great results. I downstream my mix on solids and semi's with no problems. Inform the customer that you can not guarantee that there is stain under the "dirty" areas. I have found heavy green areas to hide bare spots. P.S. Did you get a call recently from someone looking to have a house washed in Fayetteville?

Nothing like a little blow to get folks out inspecting their homes for storm damage - and notice just how badly they need my services! After Isabelle a few years ago, I was busy for months! But seriously, I hope things don't get too nuts - though we do need the rain.

Well, the pump rebuild was done yesterday and everything is better. (One of the seals had a chunk missing.) $75 for the part and $60 for the labor. After the rebuild, I checked the pressure/flow with the Green Spring unloader and it was 3000 psi and just over 8 gpm. I reinstalled the K1 unloader and could not get more than 2000 psi. Coincidentally, I had just washed the house of a fellow pressure washer and he had 2 K1's that he had tried and removed from one of his dual skid rigs, so we traded. New K1 installed and all is right with the world!

Enjoy it while it lasts. I was paying $245 to $249, today everything went up .10 to .15/gal.

The earth is, apparently, getting warmer. However, there has always been cyclical heating/cooling of our planet. It has not been (in geologic terms) very long since the last Ice Age. What ended it? What caused the Earth to warm dramatically 10,000 years ago? Are we causing global warming? I do not see any convincing evidence. 20 years ago, scientists (maybe even the same ones) were warning of the coming Ice Age.

Though I fear my pump is going, based on what Alan has been going through, I swapped-out my ZK1 for the green spring unloader that came with my rig. Problem still there. Next, I plan on bypassing the coil in order to rule it out. When the vibration/cycling started, I noticed a slight leak (only when not running) at the drain and I could see air bubbles in the supply hose. I tightened all connections and don't see any bubbles, but there is still a vey slight drip. Still waiting for the rebuild kit.

So...will you be needing bail money?

Frankly, I didn't ask the price. lol I'll let you know when I schedule the rebuild.

Hmmm...the symptoms sound familiar. Glad I recently asked my local shop to order me a rebuild kit. (I also run the Z1 and have noticed a pulse and the occasional cycling.) I guess I can't complain, since my two year old rig (3000psi/8gpm HydroTek) has about 2000 hours on it.

Is there an 8gpm virus going around? :) ...but I would like to know the answer too.

Chris, Those that you would actually want as customers, know the difference. There have always been, and will always be, those that seek to take advantage of people. As for water restrictions, we had them here a few years ago, but the city issued exemptions to licensed contractors and roof cleaning could be done with bottled water and you don't have to rinse.

I count living space, not including basement or garage. This is the square footage that most people will know.

As luck would have it, I had a house yesterday with BOTH stain over-spray (to the point where the homeowner was thinking of re-siding!) and Raid. For the over-spray, I used a small spray bottle of Roof Magic (straight), let it dwell for just a few seconds, and pressure washed it off. For the raid, I tried RM, Goof Off and Simple Green - non of them touched it. As a last resort, I broke-out my citrus hand cleaner and rubbed it in/rinsed it off - which worked like a charm! Stains gone, hands clean and customer thrilled.

Not the same. The Oly Max Cedar Tone (as well as the Honey Gold and Redwood) comes in a green can.

Since Oly Max is the stain that I work with, and have for almost 6 years, I think I can help. On 3 year old Oly Max, downstreaming (downstreaming sucks in the chemical after the pump, so no problem there) a good stripper (sodium hydroxide), rinsing with 6 or 700 psi, then applying a neutralizer (I use oxalic acid) will restore that deck to like-new condition. The area where the mat was should not look any different than the surrounding deck. Using this method, you should have virtually NO furring. Having said all of that, I have to ask - are you sure that the deck was previously stained with Oly Max? I ask because, in my experience, it should look much better than it does. Olympic does guarantee this stain for 3 years not to gray. Still have your receipt?

I have yet to find anything that will remove the stain that remains after removing the daub (?). I wonder if a spray can of similar color paint might be the answer.

This house represents my "bread and butter" customer. I was these all-day long (some days 4 or 5!) at $.10/sq ft or $210. My price includes: wash house, wash exterior of gutters (if they have them) and a "hot wax rinse". This house should take no more than 60 to 90 minutes - from pulling to rolling hose. I am in no way a low-baller, but the reality is that many people can't tell the difference in service. What they can tell is the difference in price. In my area, I am at the top end of pricing.

If you had tried to rinse that same carpet before you had gotten soap on it, it would have foamed and taken forever to rinse clean. The secret is to not use a lot of pressure. Rinse form one end to the other with your black chem tip.

What tip are you using?

Most won't give you a problem. Be on the lookout for bubbling paint due to improper paint prep. I have encountered whole 2 story homes that needed to be "turbo'd" in order to remove several layers of poorly prepped paint.

It sounds like areas where the oxidation has been rubbed off of the siding. The only solution, that I know of, is to try to even it out by rubbing or brushing the affected areas. This can even be done dry.

I agree with Doug. What has happened, more than likely, is that the bro' has removed oxidation with pressure. Most likely, either brushing or very careful 5 - 600 psi pressure over the entire area will cure it.

The customer is looking for a break because he expects you will pocket his cash and not claim it - thereby saving money on your taxes.

I recently had a problem with my Wayne burner. It turned out to be the gasket in the oil/water separator. (The clear plastic cap on the bottom of the diesel fuel filter.) If there are any bubbles when the burner should be on, you have an air leak. There is an adjusting screw on the cap and it needs to be turned all the way out (down). Hope this helps.