Residential: Hot or cold

[Kurt 14]

Hey guys, a lil help please...

Those of you that target mostly residential, how often do you find that you actually need hot water assuming that heavy oil/grease extraction is not needed?

I'm talking mostly about asphalt/tile roofs, stucco homes and concrete drives. Under these conditions, where/how would hot water really benefit me?

On the other hand, without hot water, I'd probably feel under equipped to comfortably target commercial work where I'm likely to encounter oil, gum etc.

I was gonna head in and write the check today for a hot water unit but I decided I'd try to get your opinions on this matter first.

My main concern is the added cost and maintenance of a HW unit for this type of work.

Think I'd be making a mistake by going with cold water if I could manage afford the hot?

I'm convinced I'd need hot for commercial and I do have a fairly solid lead on some through a friend that works for a property management co. They have shopping centers, office buildings, self storage complexes(each about 700 units) etc. The owner has already expresses serious interest in talking with me about doing their cleaning once I get equipped.

All that being said, my guess is that you'd recommend that I go with the HW if I can afford it so I have it if/when needed but what do you think about my origional question regarding the residential work?

Since I'm a newbie, a little history..

Origionally from N. Tonawanda NY. Also lived in Orchard Park(Go Bills!). Moved to Florida and lived here from 70-75 before moving to Maryland. Lived in the Gaithersburg and Frederick areas for 20 some odd years before returning back here to E. Central florida.

My background includes a 6 year hitch in the army where I served in Germany, Korea and the 82nd Airborne Div at Bragg. Was self employed for 15 years as a ceramic tile installer until it took its toll on my back. I am fairly familliar with roof cleaning and flat surface cleaning as I worked for a period doing this type of work for a guy locally but he turned out to be a real skid. One of those "special coating" applications that prevents mold from ever comming back. Long story short...it simply did not work and the guy had nothing but call backs, complaints and law suits.

Recently, I left Rinker Materials due to huge layoffs.

Ok. I'm done. Sorry bout the rambling.

I appreciate any thoughts on this matter.

Kurt~

[Mike Williamson 198]

Those of you that target mostly residential, how often do you find that you actually need hot water assuming that heavy oil/grease extraction is not needed?

I'm talking mostly about asphalt/tile roofs, stucco homes and concrete drives. Under these conditions, where/how would hot water really benefit me?

I don't use hot water for residential at all. I just don't need it. I would say that IF you are going to stick only with residential, then hot water would be a big waste of money.

On the other hand, without hot water, I'd probably feel under equipped to comfortably target commercial work where I'm likely to encounter oil, gum etc.

If you are going to pursue commercial flatwork, you will need hot water. No way around it. You can't get gum up without it, and you will work way too hard and get mediocre results trying to clean grease/oil. You'll use way more degreaser, and you'll work a lot harder, and you still won't get top notch results. So if that's the direction you're going to go, write the check.

As far as additional maintenance expense, yes, there is that, but it isn't a big thing...

Talk to Don Phelps about the line of hot water skids he sells. Good machines at a great price. You're close enough to be able to pick it up and save shipping. He's probably even buy you lunch! :)

[WEW 14]

I use hot, since I already have it, for driveways and pool decks. Skips the chem part saving some time.

ISYHTRAH

[PressurePros 248]

Decks, you'll obviously never use hot water. Housewashes:On everything but stucco its also unneccesary. If you are going to be cleaning pool areas often, I agree with Wayne.. no chemicals to wash into pool water . Overall I'd say use the money you will save and invest it in a marketing campaign. Add a hotbox later should the need arise.

[plainpainter 217]

There's a pressure washer in my area that has a big hot water skid. And his marketing tactics include 'educating' homeowners that nothing but hot water pressure washing will remove the mold and mildew from the sides of homes - and that the rest of us with our cold water pressure washers are a bunch of idiots. So....you could buy a skid unit with a shiny aluminum tank and use the same marketing tactics, although educated homeowners will know you're just blowing lots of hot steam. Maybe hot water pressure washing on vinyl sided homes will work great with less chems. But I have never found that it takes much chems to get mildew and dirt from a house even with my puny cold water pressure washer.

-Dan

[PressurePros 248]

Hot water on vinyl siding is also a good way to warp it. Dan, here is a counter marketing technique..

The temperatures needed for sanitization (ie killing mold spores) would have to be very high. Ask the customer what happens to a cassette tape or CD that is exposed to high heat. The same will happen to vinyl if you start hitting it with 180+ degre water. If you use lower than that you aren't doing anything to kill the mold. This guy's campaign is a complete fugazi.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I use hot, since I already have it, for driveways and pool decks. Skips the chem part saving some time.

ISYHTRAH

Hot water doesn't kill algae or mold...not at the temps we're using. It doesn't take me more than a couple minutes to downstream chlorine onto the driveway, and if I'm doing the pooldeck, I'm also usually doing the cage, so there's already chlorine all over the deck by the time I clean it. I can't imagine doing a pool cage with heavy algae without chlorine.

As far as stucco, I have no problems cleaning it without hot water...I may to hit it with a 2nd dose of chlorine in severe cases, but it still comes clean.

[WEW 14]

Hot water doesn't kill algae or mold...not at the temps we're using. It doesn't take me more than a couple minutes to downstream chlorine onto the driveway, and if I'm doing the pooldeck, I'm also usually doing the cage, so there's already chlorine all over the deck by the time I clean it. I can't imagine doing a pool cage with heavy algae without chlorine.

As far as stucco, I have no problems cleaning it without hot water...I may to hit it with a 2nd dose of chlorine in severe cases, but it still comes clean.

Strange, all the concrete I do with hot water stay cleaner longer then when I use chem. Must be the environment.

ISYHTRAH

[plainpainter 217]

Ken I know the guy is a complete Fugazi, I bet he hauls his hot water skid with him everywhere he goes - and just uses the cold water pressure washer when nobody is looking - hee hee. Come to think of it - I haven't seen his trucks around much lately. And I just got a house washing job the other day!

-Dan

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We use our hot water machines for cleaning siding, concrete patios and driveways. Hot water on siding should not exceed 110* as it "will" cause it to warp.

Hot water expands the water molecules allowing them to accept more chemicals into solution and also increases it's solvent capabilities.

Hint: Ever rinse a plate with bacon grease on it with cold water and it barely moved? Then rinse it with hot water and it melts quicker and comes off better. You still need a grease cutter to remove it completely but the point being that hot water makes cleaning easier. This equates to faster rinsing, better chemical reactions on the surfaces you are cleaning and an extra step in your maintenance regimen over cold water units which is checking the burner and fuel/water separator.

Hot water units come in handy in colder weather climates to warm up the water to mix chems into and to wash with assuming your temps do not exceed 75* while washing wood is acceptable in my opinion.

It has allowed us to start work earlier in the season and work later into the end of it. We have used our hot water units to melt ice and remove ice dams for winter money.

Take from this what you need but either way, you have a power washer that is going to serve you. Hot water adds versatility and capability to our services up here in the northern latitudes that you folks in the southern parts of the country don't concern yourselves with due to only having 2 distinguishable seasons...hot and not as hot! ;)

Rod!~

[Kurt 14]

Thanks for the comments everyone. After alot of thought, I've decided to go with the hot.

[Jimmy M 14]

Great choice,if you need it ,you got it ,and you never know what is gonna come along.

[racechaser 64]

Strange, all the concrete I do with hot water stay cleaner longer then when I use chem. Must be the environment.

ISYHTRAH

Mike, I have to say you may not need hot water to do a driveway if you spray chem on it first.But, Wayne is right about his findings. I went and bought a hotbox from Wayne last fall.We did a nasty driveway with no chems, just hot water.It turned out great.

When I got home talked my wife into only doing half of our sidewalk as an experiment ( first 10 feet clean, last 10 feet still moldy and black). I used Hot water only.It's been a year and there is not a speck of mold on my sidewalk.The other half still hasn't been done and the mold has not come back yet on the clean half.

Now I'm not debating the whole "baby" mold is there and I can't see it yet.

The only point I'm saying is just that, you can't see it.

If you have any ambition to do commercial go with hot. That way even if you have to buy special chems for a tough job, you already have the hardware to do it with confidence.

just an opinion

Scott

[WEW 14]

Scott's right, the biological makeup and molecular structure of mold and mildew is broken down in two ways. With chemical, the root mass reacts in a violent contraction. The root base actually receades into itself. Much like a scared turtle pulls its head and legs in. Allowing you to rinse it away. Hot water pretty much does the same thing. However, no chem, skip a step!!

ISYHTRAH

[Tom DeFrancesco 23]

Kurt,

Go with a hot water machine. You will not regret it. Even if you are doing strictly residential. People are going to want there walkways, driveways and or patios..etc.... cleaned. I have been using cold water but using a ridiculous amount of chems. Hot makes a world of difference. Remember, you do not ALWAYS need to use the hot. It can be used as cold water also. Good luck with your decision.

[Kurt 14]

Picked her up today as a matter of fact! Pressure Pro 3500 @ 5.6. Mounted on a dual axle 6x12 open with 225, 65 & 35 gal tanks and a surflo setup.

Anxious to play around wiith her tomorrow.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Picked her up today as a matter of fact! Pressure Pro 3500 @ 5.6. Mounted on a dual axle 6x12 open with 225, 65 & 35 gal tanks and a surflo setup.

Anxious to play around wiith her tomorrow.

Where/who'd you get it from?