RGilliam 46 Report post Posted August 10, 2009 We are cleaning several buildings. Two stories. Half Brick half vinyl. I'm trying to figure out the best way to do it. I was thinking about getting a scissor lift going that route. Anyone have any other suggestions?!? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 gutterdog 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 (edited) We are cleaning several buildings. Two stories. Half Brick half vinyl. I'm trying to figure out the best way to do it. I was thinking about getting a scissor lift going that route. Anyone have any other suggestions?!? Are you just washing the siding and not the brick? This what I would do. buy an x-jet. do it all from the ground. much faster! I changed to the x-jet 6 months or so ago. If you have a pressure washer like mine 4gpm then use the black proportioner. Get a 5 gallon bucket. Buy some 12% bleach and some power house. In the 5 gallon bucket add 1/2 gallon power house and 1 gallon bleach.Top off to 5 gallons with water. It will rinse more easier. add the water to the edge of the bucket. less foaming. hit the brick and everything below with water first. Give the plants etc below enuf water so they full and not thirsty any more. the thing is you dont want the plants drinkin the chemicals. It will kill them. come back to them later with the fan tip and more water. Start from the bottom up applying the mix. hit the gutters too and downspouts. rinse the brick first. that shouldve been done already anyway. only dont soap up too much at a time because you dont want mix drying on anything! dwell the mix 3 or 4 min. you will watch the dirt change colors. right before your eyes. Its pretty cool! While you are dwelling hit with water, painted surfaces and windows. with the fan tip hit the plants too while you are waiting for the dwell on the siding. Rinse from the top down and move on to another section. Hit them plants again too with the fan tip till no more soap on them. Its way faster and easier than settin a ladder. That how I was washin houses for the past 5 years. With time you will have your own way that suits you better. Everyone just a little bit different and get the same results. Hope I helped you and I didnt forget anything. with the brick... Aint got that 100% figured out yet. There is a difference in brick. Older brick hit it with the turbo nozzle. You have to have common sense with it. It can do damage. Do a test. Newer brick fascia has a covering on it the turbo tip ... ya cant use it. This is something I dont know yet about brick. Edited August 15, 2009 by gutterdog Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 gutterdog 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 We have got alot of area to clean. The buildings are about 140 ft long. Theres several of them to do. It would take alot of time to move a ladder around. The mold is pretty bad on the other side. I'm probaly between the x-jet or a scissor lift. Not sure yet. I can get in some of those hard to reach spots with the scissor lift. I've never used the x-jet. Not really sure how thats going to do. Thanks for your input guys. Some of these guys are messing with you. You dont want to use high pressure and the scissor lift. If you can get the original x-jet get it. it shoots 40 feet. the others 35. The difference is the ease of operation. The newer ones twist the front, it goes fan tip. I keep the fan tip in my pocket and screw it in when i need it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 gutterdog 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 Oh I forgot! the home owners association, or property manager will put out flyers. Telling the day you will be there and when windows should be closed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 gutterdog 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 Definitely downstream, use a ladder away from the wall so you don't lift the vinyl.One guy should be able to do at least two in a day. I use a orchard ladder for three stories, not hard to move. With the x-jet it takes 2 guys. one with the wand and other carying the bucket. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 gutterdog 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 I"m gonna go out on the limb here and say don't get the lift. Search a bit here perhaps.....Downstreaming and a .0040 tip come to mind here.....Even if you had to brush the gutters a long pole and a step ladder would get it. Brush the gutters? Hit the gutters twice if you have to, the way I'm telling you to do it. A 3rd time I found out no cleaner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 gutterdog 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 That building is a breeze with xjet or DS. The pain is going to be the overspray from either and getting the residents to comply with the work areas. If he is doing all the buildings there? Only prob bout overspray is on vehicles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 gutterdog 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 I would love to compete in a bid against someone thinking they need a lift for this job. With the right equipment and chems, one crew could do three (or more) of those buildings in a day including manually scrubbing the outside of the gutters. The information you need is all contained in the archives of this BBS. A scissor lift is what 4 500 a day! I rented a 6 story lift one time. 1,000 a day. rented it on a saturday. sunday is free. just in case. we did it in a day. Get the x-get. You will be giggling like a school kid after you see what it can do. Get the original if ya can. I like it. Mix like I told ya. Rinse rinse rinse. I dont know how much you got to do. This weeks stuff, to do the job? Dont pay them no mind. Get the x-jet n the chems I told ya. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 deach 14 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 Brush the gutters? Hit the gutters twice if you have to, the way I'm telling you to do it. A 3rd time I found out no cleaner. LOL ok. Not to start an argument or debate but the minute you mentioned x-jet you were out with me. Perhaps you're area might be bit different with gutter stuff and not the "stuff" we have here... But at any rate I'm out on the x-jet. I can see no reason to spend a hundred bucks, carry a bucket, when downstreaming will do. If you want to do that it's ok by me bud..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 offduty 25 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 I don't know how much of this thread is tounge in cheek, but I'm with Ken, I wished I bidded against y'all. Those buildings should take no more than 30 minutes each and I would fire one of my guys if they even thought of taking a ladder of the trucks. On guy soaps and runs the brush over the gutter, one guy follows and rinses. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Cajun Cleanin 64 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 I could do 2 a day by myself downstreaming with a shooter tip and rinsing with my M5 Xjet.You don't need a lift you need an upgrade in equipment.Downstream some 12% and simple cherry or Dawn on those babies and go with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 RGilliam 46 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 ok guys, i got it done. the lift was only 100 a day. even cheaper for the week. Didn't get it though. I got a x-jet m5. For those hard to reach spots I went with Paul from envirospecs ideal. BTW the buildings are 140ft x 40 ft. Just done the vinyl not the brick. 400 or 500 a day for a lift is crazy. The 79 stainless lance and 79 aluminum worked a whole lot better than the exstention wand. A whole lot more sturdy. Thanks for the input. And the great debate. LoL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 TNRoofCleaner 16 Report post Posted August 15, 2009 Congrats. We need pics :photo: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 CCPC 26 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 That's great, but I'm a little confused. How did you clean it without the lift?:confused: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 FLORIN 21 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 How long did it take you? What chem did you use? I think I might now the answers to my own questions since you mentioned using the extensions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 RGilliam 46 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 I used a x-jet and then got the exstentions from envirospec. Got great service from him and pressuretek. Only took 1 day for shipping from both places! I only did 3 of these buildings. I don't know why they didnt want all of them done at once. The front office and 2 of the regular sized ones. Now there asking about getting the other ones done. I dont know why they didnt just say all that at first. But o well. I'm not complaining! $$$$ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Jeff 232 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 I wish all my properties were like that one Love my Xjet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 offduty 25 Report post Posted August 17, 2009 Like cake work aren't they Jeff. We usually don't use extensions til we get to 4 stories and lifts after 5 stories. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Jeff 232 Report post Posted August 18, 2009 Like cake work aren't they Jeff. We usually don't use extensions til we get to 4 stories and lifts after 5 stories. Ya my guys usually don't see an extension unless its something kind of funky. We use lift on a lot of 3 stories, because they often have some funky roof dormer or something you just can't get, we have some 4 stories coming up, all will be from the ground an extension pole and maybe a step ladder. Right on the waterway, can't get a lift around them Got to love PWing, Mold is $$$$$$ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Simply Glass 14 Report post Posted August 23, 2009 Those buildings would DEFINITELY require the use of a lift. Using a good lift, some extension poles, and pump up sprayer, you should have those buildings banged out in a couple of weeks, easy. :clock: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 offduty 25 Report post Posted August 23, 2009 :clock: ...?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
We are cleaning several buildings. Two stories. Half Brick half vinyl. I'm trying to figure out the best way to do it. I was thinking about getting a scissor lift going that route. Anyone have any other suggestions?!?
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