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douseahouse

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Posts posted by douseahouse

  1. Posted · Report reply

    welcome to these forums, you'll find a very special group of people here willing to answer most of your questions. as beth mentioned above, grab yourself a good cup of coffee and use the search function to help get you started. you may not understand why we're sending you that way to start off with but eventually you will. the dewalt you have is a good one as i use it as my backup. you'll find down the road that hot water is essential in this business along with a greater gpm than what you have. with a 4gpm machine you're limited to a surface cleaner no bigger than 20". go ahead and get your feet wet and start up a part time business. daniel is right about the 99 dollar house wash that you are going to have to compete with. so you have a cush government job? air conditioned? insurance and health benefits? 401k? pretty little secretaries?

    good luck,

    rando

  3. Posted · Report reply

    smart move ken, i will definitely follow that lead. john, when you wash houses with stain do you use hot or cold? and yes, i did get a call on a house wash and the homeowner mentioned your name but the house was in raleigh. raleigh is about an hour and a half away from me. i called him back and left a message but he never called back. thanks anyway for thinking of me.

    thanks,

    rando

  4. Posted · Report reply

    well i have a house to wash this week and to tell you the truth it's the first one that i have ever come across that is stained. i washed a vinyl house in the past that had a child's playground in the backyard. the playground had a redwood stain and being the nice guy that i am i washed it at no charge. guess what? the stain came off. guess who had to restain it? you're right, me. on the playground i used my standard house wash mix but i'm just assuming that it was just cheap stain. do i need to look out for anything on this stained house? i'm not sure if it's latex or oil base. does it matter?

    again i thank you guys,

    rando

  6. Posted · Report reply

    jimbo's just pulling your leg...i've seen his rig. it's an old vw bug with a bucket on the top (i think it holds 5 gallons). he's got one of those 1000 psi karcher electric pressure washers and 50 ft of hose from big lots. he washes most houses for 49.95 and never buys deodorant. but...he's my friend, and a good one at that. keep up the good work jimbo!

    rando

  7. Posted · Report reply

    i'm using a 98 chevy express van. fortunately i bought it with a ladder rack already installed along with shelves over the rear wheel housing. another bonus was a parts bin where i keep my nozzles, tools, fittings, and alot of other essentials. i looked at utility trucks first and realized that i needed a van so i could secure my equipment. i'm able to carry my surface cleaners, extension poles, and chemicals with no problems. drawbacks? naturally shc is caustic and needs to be vented. since i pull my rig behind me i don't have any room for my chemical tank but inside the van (when i am doing roofs). i keep the windows open for proper circulation but i am always dependent on the weather for this. i've weighed the options and to me a van is what I need.

    rando

  8. Posted · Report reply

    i cannot say that i really saw a difference between 10:1 and 20:1 applications. since i rinsed after applying for better coverage i feel like i spread the 10:1 application a little bit more. when using plexmaster i see the biggest difference on the windows and glass doors as sometimes the customer does also. to me it's something that separates me from my competition as i like to offer a free wax with every wash. if i had to choose between a carwash with wax or without for the same price then i think i would take the freeby. customers, just like us, love freebies.

    rando

  9. Posted · Report reply

    i'm not sure about all the math you guys are talking about but i'll share my method of applying plexmaster. naturally i make 55 gallons of concentrate out of the 5 gallons of product. i have applied 20:1 with an x-jet proportioner and i have also applied 10:1 with my downstreamer. using my rinse nozzles i then spread the plexmaster evenly on the house. i love the way it beads up on the windows. try it, you'll like it.

    rando

  11. Posted · Report reply

    i've been using the plexmaster from envirospec. it's actually called a sealant and a mildew retardant. i use it to distinquish myself from the "other guys" in my area and it has turned out to be a great selling feature. i include it in my normal housewash instead of letting it be an "add on" feature. i buy it and make 55 gallons of concentrate. i like to get it on the windows and watch the water bead up as that lets the customer know that they are not being taken advantage of.

    rando

  15. Posted · Report reply

    to my friends using the little blue jug from walmart...check out the photos. the spout unscrews so instead of putting your hose into the hole you just put a 3/8 barb hose fitting with 3/4 npt threads into each side of the cap. cut off enough of your xjet hose to fit inside the jug and then put the cut hose onto the barb on the outside. if you turn it over there are no spills. if you have a large job and don't want to stop and remix then have two jugs ready and just swap the caps when you are ready. i know everyone thinks i am a genius but i'm not. i'm just a rocket scientist. i got this tip from bob at pressure tek and it has worked really well for me. don't anyone try to strap this thing on your back.

    rando

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  17. Posted · Report reply

    i was by the home today and forgot my camera. the funny thing about this is that the homeowner is not complaining so maybe i should quit too. it's just that i know that it's not right and i really wanted it to be. i feel like if i leave it alone then maybe the oxalic may just wear off and everything will blend back in. that's what i hope will happen. ken suggests the gsr from eaco chem. i just emailed them to get their opinion since it is their product. as far as the homeowner is concerned i'm finished and everything is ok but i know what i'm looking at and apparently they don't. they are probably the best customer that i have ever had and i really feel like i have deceived them. tomorrow will be a better day i hope.

    rando

    hey, thanks for you help

  20. Posted · Report reply

    i posted this on the pt forums but nobody had an answer so i'll try you guys. being a bonehead i applied oxalic acid to a pool deck that had the slightly beige tint to it. the reason i applied was to remove rust stains. well i did remove the rust stains but the concrete now had a white chalky look to it. i had to go back over it with pressure to remove the top coat of oxalic but it still has a slight white chalk look to it. the surface cleaner would not cut it so i had to use a 40 degree tip. now i also have those dreaded stripes in some places. luckily the homeowner is not complaining but if i were them i would. any suggestions?

    rando

    thanks john, micah, and dustin for the telephone help

  21. Posted · Report reply

    luckily this is a part time adventure for me. i could not survive if it was full time. my yellow page ad does not come out until june so i'm doing alot of referrals and word of mouth type jobs. i do have an ad in the talking phone book but i have not got the results that i wanted. the best advertising that i have done lately is by placing that sign in the homeowner's front yard of a job well done. try to schedule a job in a busy neighborhood on a saturday and you may be surprised on the number of people that will stop by and talk to you.

    good luck.

    rando

  23. Posted · Report reply

    hey gang,

    i'm in the process of cleaning a 6800 sq ft house. the homeowner actuallly just wanted the gutters and fascia board cleaned but i was able to sell her on a whole house wash. the gutters are cleaning good although some are 24 feet in the air. the fascia board has required alot of scrubbing but they are coming clean too. the homeowner asked me about to see if i can remove the scum on her pool liner at water level. i recommended a pool supply place for that but she said she did not have much luck with the cleaning product. she uses chlorine so i was thinking about using some 12.5% on a pad and see what happens. anyone have a suggestion on this one? also, she has a little efflorence problem in a couple of places. i don't have time to order anything from eaco or whoever so is there an off the shelf product anyone can recommend? muratic acid? opionions are greatly appreciated.

    rando

  25. Posted · Report reply

    thanks kevin,

    i know you're there if i need you. i hope that i didn't step on anybody's toes here but when you post an awesome job here like fresh did then you better be ready to answer some questions. if not, then save the pics for your web site. i think i'll have him come do my fence and i'll just sit back and watch, take some notes and drink a cold beer. don't you just hate it when the homeowners tag along behind you?

    consider this horse buried,

    rando

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