House washing in the cold

[CLASSICPW 14]

I washed a house the other day in about 35 degrees and the mix was freezing up on the house. I don't have hot water yet but I thought, could you add windsheild washer fluid to the mix? It apparently lasts down to -20 degrees, but the ingredient is methyl alcohol.

[PressurePros 248]

Be extremely careful mixing chemicals. You can end up with anything from poisonous gas to something extremely casutic that will etch windows or warp siding.

[Henry B. 4]

I would just wait until the temps warm up a few more degrees. Sometimes that happens with hot water also. You also have to be careful that hot water doesn't come in contact with cold windows, it can crack them!

I'm thinking about making some snow in my yard a day or so before christmas... Who else has tried it and how well does it work?

Come on, I know I'm not the only guy to think of this!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I'm thinking about making some snow in my yard a day or so before christmas... Who else has tried it and how well does it work?

You should try it and let us all know before Christmas. If it works, then we can all give our kids a white christmas.

As for the house washing, there is no substitute for hot water. You either have it, or you don't, but even when you do you have to be careful. As stated, it's best to wait till the temps go up a few degrees....

Beth

[PressurePros 248]

Anyone that has done kitchen exhaust cleaning in the north has had the pleasure of making snow via a pressure washer.

Here is my formula. Fire up your burner for a 40-60 degree rise. Yes, hot water will freeze faster than cold water in most circumstances, it's called the Mpemba effect. In this experiment you also need to reduce your flow via the unloader (not recommended for smaller machines without a plumbed bypass line) Run your highest pressure and voila, instant snow.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Mixing alcohols in with a bleach results in a highly volatile state and can be easily ignited just by sunlight. [source; NFPA, NOAA, CAMEO, EPA, NIOSH, et al] Methyl alcohol is also a breathing hazard and should not be used in conjunction with any cleaning solutions other than as labeled.

Use hot water or wait till warmer weather. In regards to hot water 115* is the max on vinyl. Most window glass is not tempered and can crack if subject to an extreme temperature rise.

Hope this answers your question...

Rod~

[PressurePros 248]

Here are some kids mixing chlorine and alcohol in a soda bottle.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/bottlebomb.html

I think you have your answer.

[newlook 265]

Interesting website Pressure Pro's

[Jarrod 22]

Holy Crap!!!!

[squirtgun 122]

Keep in mind that is the powdered form of chlorine. You can also mix it with break fluid and make a nice smoke bomb.

Warning:This is not a safe activity.You assume all risks involved with these kind of experiments.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

There is a link to a Chemical Reactivity Worksheet in the Library Forum. It's a free download, and comes in very handy. Be safe.

Off my soapbox.....

Beth

[mikew 14]

Do the chemicals loose their effectiveness in the cold weather? Do you increase your chem ratios in colder weather?

thanks,

Mike

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

There is a threshold for many chemicals that varies according to composition.

Mixing them in warm water before application helps.

Rod~

[Crownroyal 14]

:lgcold:

All I can say is windshield fluid is flammable..................................... I saw a buddy throw the stuff on his burning motor and it caught on fire.

We used Glycol to bring water temps below freezing without the freezing water. Cooool

In the bakery our family owned, we used to use ice to bring the temp of dough to 74 degrees which helped the raw shelf life last longer. The problem is that we used more mix time to mix the ice into the dough, it wasn't as consistently distributed throughout, and it slowed our production down. The way we fixed the problem was we bought a glycol water chiller. It would produce water at the temp of 31 degrees and helped to speed the mix time which decreased production time.

Point being anyone want to open bakery let me know …..

Anyway glycol is found in antifreeze and I think some window shield fluids.

A pointless post but interesting...

Anyway wait till its in the 40's

Dan

[PLD 14]

Keep in mind that is the powdered form of chlorine. You can also mix it with break fluid and make a nice smoke bomb.

Warning:This is not a safe activity.You assume all risks involved with these kind of experiments.

Squirt,

Before someone goes out and tries to smoke up the yard, please beware that you can make a heck of a lot more than a smoke bomb. Granulated pool chlorine and any liquid hydrocarbon is exceptionally unstable. The decomposition process generates heat, which generates vaporized fuel. Unenclosed, this usually results in a flare-like fire. Enclosed (as in a bottle), the pressure and heat rises, which increases the decomposition rate, which increases the heat and pressure rise... At some point, the either the pressure rises beyond the vessels bursting point, or the heat reaches the flash point of the heated, vaporized fuel, and a rather large explosion occurs.

In this video, the kids put in far too much alcohol and the mix was cooled below the ignition point and the bottle only ruptured. Most likely, the cap failed first. Hence, the kid holding the bottle was not seriously harmed. Had this been done with a heavy hydrocarbon like brake fluid and done in the proper ratios, he would likely have been missing a hand.

I have personally witnessed a brake fluid/chlorine bottle shatter a 10ft section of 8" pvc pipe (open at both ends) into two segments. Don't know the exact specs, but that is ALOT of pressure...

One last thing, if you do succeed in smoking up the yard or garage please keep in mind that the "smoke" is finely vaporized hydrocarbon fuel and is very combustible. At the right mix ratios, it can be detonated to produce a rather significant fuel-air explosive.

[squirtgun 122]

I stopped do these kind of experiments when I was about 17.I watched a guy I know blow his right hand off and that was all it took.

[Russ Johnson 141]

Famous last words of a redneck...."Hey, y'all, watch this!"

[PLD 14]

Scott,

I didn't. I guess some kids never grow out of the pyromaniac phase. I just am much more aware of my mortality and the relationship between basic physics and my continued survival. FWIW, my largest rocket is 19ft tall and weighs in at ~240lbs "wet". Max altitude is just about 30,000ft...

There's nothing wrong with enjoying a big boom. Millions do every July 4th. It is a only problem when your need for the "boom" overwhelms your consideration of the safety of yourself and others that may fall into harms way as a result of your chosen form of entertainment.