Overspray at Neighbors

[sturgisjr 14]

We have been having situations where overspray from the pressure washer along with the chemicals would go on cars and other peoples homes. Most of the homes we are doing are all close, very close there is like maybe 5 to 10 feet between homes. How do you prevent that from happening, what do you do?Should we go over to the neighbors before we start a job to inform them of what may happen? And if there are any problems to have them call?

As for stain, we never spray on. Its all done by hand using brush, roller or stain pads.

[Celeste 341]

Ugh! Sorry - I cannot imagine houses that close together! You could rig up a tarp between the properties?

[sturgisjr 14]

Yeah.. they are all Lakefront homes and it gets more crowded each year. The people with money are buying 2 to 3 small/meduim sized homes to demolish and have BIGGER homes built. I cannot beleive how Big these homes get.

As for tarp between the homes... that could work 1/2 of the time. But the other 1/2... the Decks are like on the 3rd floor overlooking the lake. You wouldnt think that they had a home that high just by looking at it roadside.

[JFife 14]

I DEFINITELY wouldn't warn anyone. Ever had a doctor tell you, "this may make you dizzy...", of course it does, because it is all you are thinking about. Tell them to be careful of your chems, and guess what, they notice the problem. Staining is a different story, as you may need to have cars moved. At least it is water......think about all the dust blowing from the neighbors lawnmower......I'm sure nobody complains about this, because it cannot be helped, and neither can what you are doing.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We do a bit of close proximity work, and we always rinse the areas near where we are working. Dilution help quite a bit.

Beth

[Adrian 155]

I agree with rinsing the neighbor's house regardless. Can't you even go one step further and tell them since there will be overspray that you are glad to rinse, but, since I am here, could I go ahead and wash your house as well? That's what I would do. Because the chems that get on the other house will have to be rinsed anyways and may be speckled after the rinse, because of the areas the chems didn't reach. I see an extra sale there for you.Plus, I'm really really really money hungry and business hungry right now. Maybe even offer a discount since you are all ready set up and would probably just have to switch faucet's. Unless you transport H2O. That's just my humble opinion and it could go either way.

Have a great day!

Adrian

[Mathew Johnson 123]

I have had overspray on vehicles from washing a house. If I think it is going to happen, I speak with the neighbors ahead of time and let them know I will rinse thier vehicles off immediately if it happens. If they aren't home, I rinse them immediately. I actually had a person pull in as I was rinsing off thier car... I told them what happened and that I wanted to prevent water spotting or any damage to thier property - They were reallly OK with it and glad I protected thier property and that they got a free car wash.

Same goes for buildings.... A quick rinse when needed,

[sturgisjr 14]

Thanks for your replies. I had one job in which the house and deck were up higher than the one below about 5 feet and the neighbor called because she was concerned about the paint chips that were on her shrubs, deck (it needs a strip job!) and overspray on her windows and house. This call was placed a week after I was done. I never had the chance to talk with her and I never got her phone number. So I went over there everyday for a week to see if we could set up a date of when I can go over and clean up my mess. She was never home. I even had a note stuck in her door and it was still there today when I went back to my job today to stain.

I did talk with my customer to see if he knew her name and number. Unfortunately, they live downstate and come up occasionally to visit their son in the area and that was all he knew of his neighbor. That would explain the delay in the complaint and why the letter was still stuck in the door.

So I decided to just go ahead and clean up my mess. It was very minor, but would hate for her to come back and see that it was not taken care of. That would have been a door for legal action to take place. Besides, she may be a potential customer in the future.

[stevejesse 14]

i have simular problem

dilute the chemical to approx what the washer would do. put it in a pump up sprayer. Shouldnt have a problem with the neighbors just rinseing the it down

[Aplus 525]

I have had overspray on vehicles from washing a house. If I think it is going to happen, I speak with the neighbors ahead of time and let them know I will rinse thier vehicles off immediately if it happens. If they aren't home, I rinse them immediately. I actually had a person pull in as I was rinsing off thier car... I told them what happened and that I wanted to prevent water spotting or any damage to thier property - They were reallly OK with it and glad I protected thier property and that they got a free car wash.

Same goes for buildings.... A quick rinse when needed,

Agreed.....same way I handle it.