Steeples

[Onthespot 14]

Greetings to all;

I have been pressure washing for about 5 years. During that five years I've rarely run into something that I couldn't handle. Yesterday, I met my match (and almost met my Maker) on the roof of a Southern Baptist Church.

I'll try not to bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I seriously underestimated the magnitude of the job, and my abilities to actually do the job.

I actually tried to do this tied off to the steeple base while fighting with a 24 foot wand that reached less than three fourths of the height of the structure. All this while balanced on a steeply pitched roof.

Anyone else see all the dangers in this job? I rarely had any fears of heights. I jump around on roofs here all the time. Many residential homes in this area are perched on the side of a mountain and are three stories high, and I feel comfortable. Don't misunderstand me - I always had a healthy respect for the dangers of being on a roof; However, this fear was almost incapacitating. I could feel my knees shaking...

I had all my equipment out and the jobsite was set up, and had done the back part of it while standing on the ridgeline of the roof. It wasn't until I almost fell while standing at the base with the vent in it in the picture above that I finally admitted that I was not competant enough to safely finish this.

The real deciding factor though was looking at the cemetery located behind the church and realizing that they wouldn't have far to drag me after I fell.

So I packed everything up, drove to see the contact for this job and humbly explained to him that I wasn't able to do it. Which, incidentally, he seemed to understand.

So ever since, this nagging feeling is telling me that I need to post this experience here and get some feedback from the real pros... ;-)

No flames please. Suggestions for how this job could have been safely done? Constructive criticism? Would you have accepted it? Would a straight boom have been in order here? Or even a knuckle boom? Could it have been done without the use of a boom and if so - how?

I'm looking for some feedback, opinions, ideas...

Please keep in mind, that I'm somewhat experienced at pressure washing. I'm not brand new - I'm just brand new to this particular situation.

Thanks.

Tom

[DustinC 64]

What was on the steeple that needed cleaning with a 24 ft wand?

[PressurePros 248]

For an extra $350 you could have rented an articulating boom but I can see why you would have not done that. It almost doesn't sem worth it at first glance.

Do you always use an extension wand for heights? Though you don't post often you have been a member of this site for awhile so I am assuming you own an X-jet. I would think standing on a ridgeline you could have X-Jetted enough chem up there to get it 85-90% clean. It looks painted. What is the steeple made of?

[Onthespot 14]

What was on the steeple that needed cleaning with a 24 ft wand?

Some type of moss that clung with all it's might to the surface of the steeple.

[Onthespot 14]

For an extra $350 you could have rented an articulating boom but I can see why you would have not done that. It almost doesn't sem worth it at first glance.

Do you always use an extension wand for heights? Though you don't post often you have been a member of this site for awhile so I am assuming you own an X-jet. I would think standing on a ridgeline you could have X-Jetted enough chem up there to get it 85-90% clean. It looks painted. What is the steeple made of?

Thank you for your reply.

I have an x-jet and was able to easily get my chemical all the way up to the top of the stone (rock) steeple. Sodium hydrochorite mixed with sodium hydroxide + H20 = no luck. I mixed it up strong too, thinking that might loosen it up. The steeple is stone painted white and it was as though the moss was glued to it... ?

I don't always use an extension wand for heights. I've cleaned 2 story vinyl with a four foot wand...

Honestly, I'm perplexed. I'm wondering if there are any pressure washers who would have touched this job. I'm wondering if muriatic acid would have worked? *shrug* I don't know. I'm just trying to learn from this.

[PressurePros 248]

The mold might have been IN the paint. In which case a repaint would have been all you could have done. If you did manage to get the one side clean and that wasn't the case then what other alternative would there to using an articulating lift?

[DustinC 64]

Huh.If it wont damage the steeple I'd saturate it with a strong house wash mix, 12% and just rinse below it.It should fall off in a week or two.I do this with lichen and light moss on roofs.It turns white, dies and a heavy rain takes care of the rest. It might work.

[Onthespot 14]

Huh.If it wont damage the steeple I'd saturated it with a strong house wash mix and 12% and just rinse below it.It should fall off in a week or two.I do this with lichen and light moss on roofs.It turns white, dies and a heavy rain takes care of the rest. It might work.

Heh. I saturated it. Two five gallon buckets worth of diluted chemical. Hasn't rained here since I was at that job. I regretfully packed everything up and told the guy who contracted with me that I was unable to do it = no charge. If your technique works, and the moss turns white, dies, and falls off - then I've done my job......... for free!

(btw, thank you both for your input in this thread. It means a lot to me.)

[douseahouse 21]

q. why don't southern baptists make love standing up? a. people might think they're dancing. i'm an old southern baptist and yes we love our steeples. i would have to agree with ken on the boom and just have the rental company bill the church. i also noticed a ladder again the gutter which is also a no-no. apparently God appreciates your effort since you're able to make this post but don't do that again.

rando

[John Orr 206]

I would tend to doubt that the steeple is made of stone. (Can you imagine the weight?) and mounted to a hollow, framed, base? Dryvit, possibly - it looks as though the base is.

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

John I was think the same . it looks like it is wood or something else painted. Don't think it is stone .

Get some gutter guards on that ladder

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

I think stuff will come off soap , 12% a dewell 15 mins and littile heat about 120

[Christopher 102]

I was reading this and it caught my eye, you mentioned: "Heh. I saturated it. Two five gallon buckets worth of diluted chemical." Tell us EXACTLY what was in the (2) 5 gallonbuckets of diluted chemical. If it was diluted to start with that might be the whole problem. If you have Straight Love and soap then X-Jet it then the results will happen. If you had diluted it and then used the X-Jet then the mix might have been much too weak to do the job. Again, Tell us EXACTLY what was in the (2) 5 gallon buckets of diluted chemical so we can help you.

[itswillist 14]

I'm no expert in steeple cleaning, but I've been on my share of roofs. All I can say is " sometimes you just have to have a man lift." Explain to the pastor the complications and risks involved, ask him if he know what the steeple is made out of, and tell him that it's a job in itself. If the chem isn't working you may need to get a lift to get a good "hit at it" But I agree with Ken, "The mold may be in the paint" I've delt with that before .. Straight chem, scrubbing with brush, hot high pressure and still not removing it... That's when you just have to paint it and be done with it..

[Doug Dahlke 114]

If you use a lift watch out for those power lines. I quoted a job very similiar to this. Have not heard back on it yet but did tell the church that a lift may be needed. Power lines around that steeple too so if I get the job I will x-jet over the side first and see what happens. With high voltage lines so close I would rather stay away from the lift.

[STAN 14]

There is a company that came in this area last year to clean a steeple and that was all they cleaned. It was on the top of a three story roof and it was 31 foot high itself. They used a lift and scaffold - took them 2.5 hours to do the set-up and tear-down and 4 hours to do the cleaning. They did more than just clean but the deacon who told me about it did not know. The roof was slate or compressed asbestos and being replace in 6 months so it did not get cleaned but I was told they got over $2000.00 for the work. The scaffolding was theirs and the lift was paid for buy the church so it was not included in the cost.