Hot Water

[jnoden 15]

I am trying to decide if I should add a hot box to my pw. Currently I am only doing residential decks and house washes (3 years) but I would like to do some flat work and comercial buildings next year and have been researching this sector. What do you guys think of doing this kind of work compared to residential? I know this is a very subjective question but has anyone done both and stopped doing one area over another? I know that payment from comercial work can be a pain.

My other question. Even if I decide to stick with residential is there a definate benefit to having hot water? The only thing that I was thinking is that I can warm the water a little and therefor possibly have it work better up north here in months like March and November or whenever the temps are not cold enough to freeze but cold enough to make many cleaners less effective.

[Jeff 232]

I prefer commercial, bigger and better jobs if your in the right area. less running around doing estimates and more money. I now after doing both kinds of work find residential a pain, but I don't get the rates you do up north

JL

[Don L 14]

jnoden,

I began p/w'ing 4 yrs ago.An add on to my window cleaning biz.I began renting a 2gal/min cold machine.It did nice work.Then 3 yrs ago a friend and myself,bellied up for a Landa 4.8gpm/hot water machine.On res house washes ,it cut wk. time,by at LEAST!! 1/3rd.It is amazing.The hot water(175-180 deg.)almost replaces chems,but not quite.I do mostly vinyl,but some alum.I love it.

I have also thought about winter applications.Specifically ice dam melting,with ext wand,but have yet to overcome my angst about running the beast in freezing temps.Liability with freezing spray,etc.

It is a must for flat work.Yes you are adding additional $ for fuel,but gaining profit by reduced labor.Git er done!

[Dan Stapleton 14]

In my opinion hot water is only needed for grease and oil. If you have or get large concrete jobs hot water would speed up the process. For residential you run the risk of burning grass with the hose and condensation behind vinyl siding. For housewashes, good chemicals and cold water is enough to do a good job. Overhead is lower too.

Don, Seems to me that going from 2 gpm to 4.8 gpm alone will cut your time by at least a third.

[Russ Spence 76]

And If You Do Add Hot Water You Will Be Even Faster Than That On Flat Work

[Camelot 68]

Hot water ROCKS...cuts through dirty concrete more easily. I love my hot water sytem. It's a GREAT selling point too. I use the phrase "as you know, "Mr. Smith", hot water ALWAYS cleans better than cold" on every quote. It eliminates half of my competitors instantly...residential customers really respond to it.

[Barry M 73]

jnoden, if your going to do commercial flat work then you will definately need hot water for greese, oil, and gum. I'm in the same boat you are, I've been thinking about gettng a hot box too. I want to target some fastfood places, banks, walmart, walgreens, etc but it does me no good to even bother them if I don't have hot water, I'm just trying to put together the funds.

[Dan Stapleton 14]

Hot water ROCKS...cuts through dirty concrete more easily. I love my hot water sytem. It's a GREAT selling point too. I use the phrase "as you know, "Mr. Smith", hot water ALWAYS cleans better than cold" on every quote. It eliminates half of my competitors instantly...residential customers really respond to it.

But what you may not know, Mr. Smith are the "side effects mentioned above".Better? I wash houses with cold water and they are CLEAN. Hot water on houses is risky(esp. vinyl) and unneccesary.

[John Orr 206]

I use "hot" water - about 125 degrees. Any more than that and you run the risk of burning the grass with the hose. (Not that that has ever happened to me!) "Hot" water will not harm vinyl siding.

I usually apply wax with the wash and it works better with "hot" water. I washed with cold water for a few years and I know that I can get a house just as clean with cold as with hot. The difference is in the speed with which I can clean.

In addition, hot water rigs can be impressive. (sizzle sells)

[Dan Stapleton 14]

I use "hot" water - about 125 degrees. Any more than that and you run the risk of burning the grass with the hose. (Not that that has ever happened to me!) "Hot" water will not harm vinyl siding.

I usually apply wax with the wash and it works better with "hot" water. I washed with cold water for a few years and I know that I can get a house just as clean with cold as with hot. The difference is in the speed with which I can clean.

In addition, hot water rigs can be impressive. (sizzle sells)

The potential "harm" is not to the vinyl but the condensation that can form behind it.

[Russ Spence 76]

Well As You Know You Only Turn It On When You Need It

[jnoden 15]

I think I might try to land a decent comercial job that will pay for the hot box and then go from there. I think that if it allows me to to start the season two weeks earlier and end about two weeks later (roughly speaking) It would be well worth the investment for that alone. Thanks for the responses.

[Don M. 14]

I bought a hot box for my machine and it has helped tremendously on the gutters. Also, it has opened it up for the possiblity of commercial work as well. I'll post that in another thread.

[John Orr 206]

The potential "harm" is not to the vinyl but the condensation that can form behind it.

Even if that happened ( and at 125 degrees, I don't see how) there are weep holes that would allow for drainage.

[Dan Stapleton 14]

You've made some good points, Jon.