John Orr

Here's a few thoughts...Do you downstream? If you do, then a large-bore shooter tip should get you to the peak with little drift. It may be necessary to include a partial house wash for the neighbor and you may need a step ladder, even with the shooter tip. I can't help with the gutters, I use a 24' extension, but possibly from a step ladder?

Why would downstreaming cause hoses to burst? The pressure is the same, though if you use a flow-type (K-7) unloader with either method, there is no pressure - except when actually spraying. Using a flow-type unloader with a 0/40 (shooter) tip, there really is no pressure and by varying the orifice, it is possible to spray 2 and 3 stories with virtually no drift. (Personally, I would be more concerned with buckets being tipped-over on a customer's lawn.) Controling the mix is no problem when downstreaming either.

Donations to David via donationa@*****.org now total $460. Thanks again Ron!

That's one very smart dog.

Agreed, I've had it happen too and no problems.

As I recall, this year's is a little lower, 525 I think. They changed the design of the can/label and the VOC's a slightly lower. I have been meaning to pick some up when I've traveled through Maryland (they have the lower VOC stuff), but keep forgetting.

Armstrong Clark is my favorite, but a very close second are the Olympic Max Toners. They are similar in appearance, application and even some colors. Of course, I only ever get to see PT pine. I have a few ipe's that I clean, but I've never had a request for (and I'm not crazy enough to offer) staining.

I too have a Coress 48' that I have used for an occasional roof rinse. I now generally only use 24' of it with quick connects on the end. I also use a low-pressure (less than 1000 psi.) plastic hose from the gun to tip. Since the Coress is made with aircraft-grade aluminum, it's very light. Using the plastic hose keeps it reasonable. I also have a normal 1/4" 3000 psi rubber hose just in case, but the weight penalty makes it very hard to lift. I'm not sure what you generally wash, but I can only recall a handful of times in the last 7 years that I have needed the long wand to wash residential siding. (I have another 24' form Northern, dark blue with click-in-place adjustments that I've never used.) For hard to reach areas, I have several length aluminum wands and at least 6 downsrtreaming tips. (Tip: the larger the "bore" of the tip, the less drift when washing peaks.)

Where do you get it? Sounds almost too good to be true.

When the spots are dry, spread a little kitty litter (oil dry) and grind it in with your boots. When ground-up, the kitty litter is a talcum-like consistency and will pull the oil from the pore of the bricks.

I heard that he lost a lot of weight and now works for Subway.

I assume you're referring to the usual metal wrap on homes? Eaves, fascia, etc.? I wash (downstream) these every day with 12.5 and S.C. If they are not coming clean, either your 12.5 isn't or you're diluting it too much.

My response is usually..."If you find a pwer that can come on 1 days notice - this time of year - he's likely not: a) very good b) been in business very long c) worth spending your money on!" Of course this is after I've told them 5 weeks before I can get to their house.

In my opinion, this is the time to invest in - or rent - a surface cleaner. I clean brick/paver patios all the time. The joints are usually filled with dirt and/or moss and tend to be rather slimy. I use a turbo to edge and a surface cleaner to clean. Sometimes, the bricks aren't level enough - in which case the turbo is used and you wind-up wearing a lot of the smelly, slimy stuff you stir up. After cleaning, if the bricks are still green, THEN you use chems and sodium hypochlorite (homeowners use bleach) at about a 2% to 3% solution, (any stronger and you risk killing grass with the run-off.) applied with a pump-up will work. It may be necessary to re-clean some areas. Be prepared to re-sand the joints and I would consider offering to seal the patio. Seal n' Lock would be a great choice and they say $1 to $1.50 per sq ft to clean, re-sand and seal - with costs for materials around .20 per sq ft.

I wish that I could find a better copy, but this is the best nozzle chart I have ever seen. Simple, intuitive. Lowering the pressure is as simple as increasing increasing the orifice size of the tip. If you lower the pressure with the unloader, you will also lower the flow of water. The normal size tip (assuming 3000 psi) for a 4 gpm machine is 4.5 and 6.5 for the 5.5 gpm. The tip most likely used in the demo would be a 30.0, which could also be used to downstream chems.

Blue Coral sells a decent wash/wax that I have use on occaision.

Liberals believe that they know what is best for you. Conservatives believe that you know what is best for you. (An over-simplification to be sure, but pretty close.)

OK, I just spent the last 15 minutes looking for info on this. Can you give me a hint where I can look?

The only license that is required in VA is a business license, and that's enough. Unless the government will also warranty our work, a license serves no real purpose - at least not until certifications are required. Having a business license is required to obtain general liability insurance, which is truly the best (other than referrals) indicator that a contractor knows what he is doing and concerned enough for their customer's property to insure it against accidents that may happen. (GL Ins also protects the contractor's family from possible financial ruin. Personally, I also carry a $1M umbrella on my $300K/$300K auto policy.)

Mud splatters below the knee (left knee if you're right handed) are a badge of honor - at least it is for me. One benefit, homeowners dogs just love me! A whole bunch of their favorite smells...all in one convenient place!

For me, about 1 cup of oxalic crystals per gallon, mixed with warm water, works best. In a pinch, HD sells Rust Aid for about $10/gal. It is oxalic.

I have used ReKrete with excellent results when used as directed. If the floor is smooth concrete, I'm not sure it would work, but for "normal" concrete, its an excellent option. A few years ago, I was called in as the 3rd or 4th contractor to attempt to clean a 30' by 6' to 2' oil slick from a blown engine. A contractor kept driving even after the he blew the engine. ReKrete made the old concrete sections match a newer section and the stain is just slightly visible 2 years later. Customer is VERY pleased - especially since the homeowner wanted a new driveway. The homeowner even had me come back and ReKrete the rest of the drive. The drive is on the oceanfront, so it gets a lot of weather. I saw it recently, and it still looks great. Do a search and you should find some before/after and 1 year later pics.

Swimmers' nose plugs?

I still have the Home Depot 13hp Honda pw from 8 or 9 years ago. I ran the bejeesus out of that thing for about 3 years. I then replaced the 3500/4gpm direct drive AR pump with a 3000/5.5 gpm Comet gear drive pump. With only a 13 hp engine, I get 2600 psi and 5.5 gpms. It runs a Big Guy fairly well. I now only use it as a back-up. I now run a 110v hot 3000/8 gpm HydroTek that now has about 5,000 hours. I replace the pump seals from time to time, but it still runs great. Oh yeah, I would offer somewhere between $500 and $600.

I agree with Beth on the Armstrong Clark. They are VOC compliant, while other products may vary in formula from state to state.