I am a newbie to the roof washing business coming this spring in Jamestown, NY. I have read tons of these posts here and want to thank everyone tremendoulsy for finding the time to make this forum what it is. I have learned a ton.
I have been in the business of pressure washing 1 full year and have 5 years total experience. I have 14 foot box truck, 500 gallon tank, 3500 psi 5.5 gpm hot skid unit, surface cleaner, etc. etc. I had a very successful first seson in 2008 running my own show.
I decided to look into roof cleaning here because alot of my clients asked if i did roofs. I had to say I was not YET ready with correct equipment and knowledge, but promised i would do my homework, get setup and come back in 09 ready. . .
SO. I read this forum alot and here is what I did:
Called BOB at Pressure tek - got the 12v fatboy setup- complete with hoses, reels, wands. On its way tomorrow
Ordered a 100 gallon poly tank from tank depot. (will expand if all goes well)
Contacted a chemical supplier for Sodium Hypochlorite -(how much should this cost/gallon?) they said like $2.00 a gallon. I can get 55 gallon drums.
Going to get deep cycle battery and boxes at local boat store.
Sharing my excitement with everyone now.
Quick Questions: To rinse or not to rinse seems split - does it look just as good without rinsing? How long to let dwell?
Thanks
Zack
-- Edited by Roof Cleaning Pro Greensboro NC (336)362 7659 on Thursday 26th of March 2009 05:44:42 PM
__________________
Zachary Imus
Owner - Mobile Wash Express, LLC
(716) 664-WASH
I am a newbie to the roof washing business coming this spring in Jamestown, NY. I have read tons of these posts here and want to thank everyone tremendoulsy for finding the time to make this forum what it is. I have learned a ton.
I have been in the business of pressure washing 1 full year and have 5 years total experience. I have 14 foot box truck, 500 gallon tank, 3500 psi 5.5 gpm hot skid unit, surface cleaner, etc. etc. I had a very successful first seson in 2008 running my own show.
I decided to look into roof cleaning here because alot of my clients asked if i did roofs. I had to say I was not YET ready with correct equipment and knowledge, but promised i would do my homework, get setup and come back in 09 ready. . .
SO. I read this forum alot and here is what I did:
Called BOB at Pressure tek - got the 12v fatboy setup- complete with hoses, reels, wands. On its way tomorrow
Ordered a 100 gallon poly tank from tank depot. (will expand if all goes well)
Contacted a chemical supplier for Sodium Hypochlorite -(how much should this cost/gallon?) they said like $2.00 a gallon. I can get 55 gallon drums.
Going to get deep cycle battery and boxes at local boat store.
Sharing my excitement with everyone now.
Quick Questions: To rinse or not to rinse seems split - does it look just as good without rinsing? How long to let dwell?
Thanks
Zack
IF you rinse, gotta let it dwell for an hour to be sure all spores die. IF you rinse, rinse real good, one side of home at a time, and keep flushing plants as the chemical drips off. Then, BEFORE you go to the other side, rinse the root beds of the plants/grass by FLOODING those areas. You MUST rinse the chemical BELOW the root line. It takes MUCH longer to rinse a roof properly then it does to clean it. Improper rinsing will KILL plants for sure. Take your time, IF you are going to rinse.
Thanks for the advice APPLE - I can see why many people dont rinse. It sounds very time consuming. So when you leave a job site- the roof looks great w/o rinsing? Then the rain does all the work as far as rinsing without later plant damage when it rains?
TSP is illegal here in NY- at least as far as I have found. We have a giant lake here where i do most of my work on- and there is a huge campaign against phosphates due to increased seaweed in the lake due to lawn fertilizers etc. I plan on using 30 gallons SH 65 water, and dawn dishsoap- will this work w/o rinsing?
Thanks!
Zack
__________________
Zachary Imus
Owner - Mobile Wash Express, LLC
(716) 664-WASH
Thanks for the advice APPLE - I can see why many people dont rinse. It sounds very time consuming. So when you leave a job site- the roof looks great w/o rinsing? Then the rain does all the work as far as rinsing without later plant damage when it rains?
TSP is illegal here in NY- at least as far as I have found. We have a giant lake here where i do most of my work on- and there is a huge campaign against phosphates due to increased seaweed in the lake due to lawn fertilizers etc. I plan on using 30 gallons SH 65 water, and dawn dishsoap- will this work w/o rinsing?
Thanks!
Zack
Yes, the roof will be 95% clean and streak free. From my experience as long as you remove all the black streaks, the rest will come out from the rain. Light brown streaks are not to be feared, they will come out with the rain.
Like Vinny said you will need to use the Apple Cider mix, add 1 gallon of alcohol to your 100 gallon mix. Without the alcohol you will have to add more 12.5% bleach, which can be too strong for landscaping and the shingles.
Chris has mentioned NOT to go as high as 50/50 for asphalt shingles, because the strength of the chemical can cause granule loss.
For me, 35 gallons of 12.5%, 60 water, 1 gallon alcohol, plus dawn, works better.
Sometimes a 30% bleach mixture is not enough. Experiment with it, and you'll figure it out.
Without using TSP, you will have to use more dawn, 2 bottles is usually enough for 100 gallons, or 3 bottles of Ajax.
See Surfactant thread.
Also not rinsing will keep the roof cleaner longer.
See Writing for a Roof Cleaning Website thread.
-- Edited by Mike Sullivan - Roof Cleaning North Carolina at 11:53, 2009-03-03
Sell your customers on not rinsing. Tell them it will save them money and that's usually all it takes. Like Mike said, as long as only brown is left it will all rinse out over time. Customers are happy that at least it's finally on its way "out the door",...and seeing how they lived with it looking bad for several years,...they're usually happy to live with it 95% better till the rains come.
Hello, Yes the chemicals are going to come out of buffalo, or jamestown, ny. I am putting them against each other because one is like 50 cents more a gallon, but only 10 miles from home. I will get back to you as soon as i get final prices and supplier!
To Everyone else:
WOW- You guys are ALL so helpful - will go with the alcohol- Probably will want to wear respirator for all this im guessing. cough cough. . . Cant wait to see the new chlorine compatible surfactant Chris is talking about. Chris at apple, if you send me the supplier number and product name, I will try it here in the spring on a couple of park gazebos Ive been asked to do... I will share photos and test results with everyone too.
Z
-- Edited by mobilewashexpress at 10:55, 2009-03-04
__________________
Zachary Imus
Owner - Mobile Wash Express, LLC
(716) 664-WASH
Hello, Yes the chemicals are going to come out of buffalo, or jamestown, ny. I am putting them against each other because one is like 50 cents more a gallon, but only 10 miles from home. I will get back to you as soon as i get final prices and supplier!
To Everyone else:
WOW- You guys are ALL so helpful - will go with the alcohol- Probably will want to wear respirator for all this im guessing. cough cough. . . Cant wait to see the new chlorine compatible surfactant Chris is talking about. Chris at apple, if you send me the supplier number and product name, I will try it here in the spring on a couple of park gazebos Ive been asked to do... I will share photos and test results with everyone too.
Z
-- Edited by mobilewashexpress at 10:55, 2009-03-04
Product is called DeMox CSG 30, call Pam or Ernest Randolph at 561 994 9696, ask for sample ? Let us KNOW what you think ?
Thanks Zack I will wait to here from you. I am going to contact Pam or Ernest as well Chris if you dont mind, I will see how it does here on Long Island.
You'll get over that. Especially if you want to save yourself a ton of time, and you will be giving your customers more bang for their buck.
Roofs unrinsed with dried crystals and surfactant on the roof will outlast a rinsed roof.
I've had to go behind many competitors that pressure wash or rinse roofs that start growing streaks after 2 years. My roofs stay clean for 3+ years. It's a no-brainer.
Plus if Chris doesn't rinse, and he's the KING, why do it?
Except for Realtors showing a house the next day, and they don't want to wait for the rain to rinse off the minor light brown streaks.
-- Edited by Roof Cleaning Pro Greensboro NC (336)362 7659 at 12:47, 2009-03-09
Thanks Zack I will wait to here from you. I am going to contact Pam or Ernest as well Chris if you dont mind, I will see how it does here on Long Island.
BY ALL means do so! ALL of us is smarter then ONE of us. The MORE Beta Testers we have the BETTER. Be IN on the "ground floor" of what CAN be one of the most important fundamental changes in a roof cleaning chemical ! ONE day, you may be able to proudly display the fact you HELPED the RCIA test a new roof cleaning chemical ON your website ??
-- Edited by Roof Cleaning Pro Greensboro NC (336)362 7659 at 11:57, 2009-03-07
Shhh Mike, don't "tell anyone" that rain water has a LOWER PH then Tap Water ? And don't tell them that at LOWER PH's, the disinfectant propertys of the residual Chlorine based roof cleaning chemical are greatly ENHANCED. This means killing of the Algae is even MORE complete when rinsed by God with his rain.
LOL! Yeah man, god forbid I should post good advice. My competitors might learn something! Or someone might call me up and threaten to beat my a$$ because I'm teaching their competitors stuff!
I'll tell them I'm into guns just as much as I'm into roof cleaning, bring it on! HAHAHAHAHA!!!