Very new to this part of the business, but as we develop and make some very good industrial cleaning products, we decided to go into the cleaning side as well....I have read with much interest, and have gotten some real good insight into the possibilities and the pitfalls of this business, much of it from this site, and I appreciate all those informative posts you guys have generously offered......I have read very many....My thought for the moment is, though the consensus seems to be for an air operated low pressure unit, in that I have a 3250 generator already, I am considering going to a quality chemical rated 220 volt centrifugal pump of this variety: EW-72012-15 Centrifugal Magnetic Drive Polypropylene High-Head Pump, 4.6 GPM, 230 VAC....
This unit would be valved to both the chemical tank and the fresh water tank with the output side controlled by a restrictive valve when necessary.......If I have learned anything from all these posts, I have learned that the pressure and volume needs to be carefully controlled to do the best job with careful chem application together with a good rinsing but one that minimizes the runoff......Would appreciate any thoughts you experienced guys might have......
Now, who's been reading my mail??!!......You guys are quick!!.......Now, to clear the air on this age issue, I am the first one up a ladder and the last one to come down, and the same goes for in and out of the ditch with a pick and shovel when I need to show one my young squirts just which end they should be scraping with....Just remember, they don't grow them weak in Brooklyn, a little dumb sometimes, but never weak....Now again, how about that pump thing I asked about??......At my age we can't take a lot of time to figure it out......
Its not the pump of choice here. First thing you should do is fill out your bio completely. Fill up your signature so we know who we are dealing with. We will not just hand you trade secrets without you doing your homework. A 220v pump yielding less than 5 gallons per minute? You got more reading to do my friend.
First off, don't know about this bio thing, just filled out what was asked and got down to business.....I am not in this site looking for a facebook profile, suffice it to say I am a successful south Florida business man who will in a couple of weeks take delivery on a hearty trailer mounted hot and cold pressure wash system that specs out to 3000 psi and 9 gpm.....Calculate the cleaning units, they are formidable.....Dan Swede of ICES Fort Lauderdale is putting this together for us and we expect to put it to good use......We couldn't recommend these guys more...A powerful package this is, much to powerful to drag up to some ladies dirty roof....It belongs in gas stations, convenience stores and shopping centers......Thus my though of a low pressure roof package that would be self contained on the diesel truck carting this behemoth around, allowing it to be split off and go to roof work when the trailer is working elsewhere....... And speaking of business, all of mine from San Francisco to now Florida have been successful, not because i was exceptionally bright, I just worked very long and hard, and many times because I spent more time giving away my secrets of the trade, making fast friends of my competitors, the product of which came back to me many fold time and time again over many years.......If you are very good at what you do, and know it, and know you are ahead of the pack, you never have anything to fear......My advise to you is, tell all what you know, be energetic about it, help all you can with your good knowledge, it will come back to you in ways you couldn't imagine......A few words from a found out old man to an apparently young one......Enough of that.......Here is a link for you to do a little reading on..... http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=7201215&pfx=
I could be wrong, but good old plug in power is always best, it it wasn't we would be lighting our homes with batteries......And insofar a power goes, we all know, or should, that 220 v power when available for equipment is always best......Runs cooler, runs longer, and wears the equipment miles better that 120V, with DC power only the choice of last resort......That's not roof cleaning technology, thats just electricity 1A....So, give it some thought here, if you are going to be pumping gas or diesel into a unit of any kind, why is it better to pump it into a gas operated and expensive, one using an expensive air compressor system to power up a low pressure system that needs no more than five or eight gpm to get the job done?......Not to mention the additional utility of a gas operated high output generator?........Maybe a lot more gpm if your game plan is to include delivery psi that you can shoot to the ridge from the driveway?........With my chemical knowledge, not a good thing.......And any more gpm, you would surely run dry pretty quick at the least.......And one thing I need to consider, that you don't, is that to run compressed air continually here in south Florida, given our humidity situation, it is problematical at best......Maybe not for those north, but it is for us.........I bought a soda blaster for a good price for personal use, the damn thing gummed up continually with the moisture, turning the soda to mush......Here, these things can only work with air coolers and dryers, something I didn't know, not a problem in other areas....... But it beg the question, for the gallonage of chemical and rinse needed to clean a residential roof properly, is it not easier and more reliable to go to full electrical AC power rather than air and DC if it is available?......A question that I believe should be seriously considered.......You Decide..............
You need to do some reading,..and come back on here in a few weeks. we are willing to share everything we know,...it's just up to you and the other non-roof cleaners to go find it here within' these 100's of pages.
A water trap is all you need for running a compressor in high humidity areas. we're pumping liquid not powder. Can't compare soda blasting to pumping liquid. and the water trap is to protect the pump,...and hook up a ball valve to the drain so you can "drain daily"
There I thew you a bone on the compressor issue you thought you'd have.
A water trap?.....Hmm.....Never thought of that one?........If you have something to say, address the power issue, don't just pick at the few word of understanding that you might have. about a passing thought without import,not needing a response.............Do better than that....Why not full AC power with reliable AC pumps and motors, why is air power, the one with the gallon sized water trap you speak of better?......Like I said, address the issue requested or leave it to others, I await you knowledgeable reply......
We don't care if you get into the roof cleaning business or not,...and we certainly don't need to explain our methods in detail to a guy who has never done one roof. You sitting back waiting for answers will probably get you know where. You post three times and are almost demanding we explain our reasoning behind our systems.
Jeff was trying to be nice. He told you the answer to your question. The answer is read and use the search function. You are here for information, coming here with an attitude is probably not a good approach.
Sounds like you reinvented the wheel. Who are you trying to convince to use a 220v polyplropelene pump? I'm sure your pump will work just fine. Its just not the choice for the majority of us. I like air pumps. Other like 12v. Some like a engine powered pumps? And yes I prefer to shoot from the ridge line if possible. Other guys like Clyde love walking roofs even if its just to water his own lawn. If your pump gets the proper sauce on the shingle, to each his own.
I came here with absolutely no attitude, I came here looking for a little knowledge, a small and simple pump issue request, and what found was a lot of attitude, and a protective and silly clique of super protective people, the first of two only dignified my request with pokes at my age?......No information?.......How super silly is that?......A band of professionals??.......And for your information, I have read what you all have to say about the delivery system of the day, and I find that it is a party line of the FatBoy pump fraternity.......And after reading all of this, I thought I might question the reasonability of this primary choice you all seem to use and recommend to your new and young entrepreneurs......I just saw it a different way, asked you all about it, have been given your best answers, no answers at all, not a one of you confident or knowing enough to address the simple import of the request......So be it, I expected more from this site, I found a club with initiation rules, read our hundred pages rule, but what you don't know is that I have read at least that many or more in the last three months on your site, but, always it was the party line.........I see it different, asked about it, and in these few messages, nary a word about the asked for issue, apparently because there is not one among you tonight that can address it with real professional knowledge....Possibly, in maybe the next few days there will be one among you that will have the grace and dignity and useful knowledge to answer a question asked that the lot of you tonight couldn't........It is always best, if you don't know it, leave it be to the next guy.......Attitude indeed??........Read all from the beginning and you will see what attitude, I didn't know that protective children would respond to a simple and concise question of chemical and water deliver, how simple does that question get?.....Apparently to the respondents thus far, this an unanswerable question, but, somehow embodied in your hundred pages of commandments?......I think not, and the next time my e-mail sounds off, I hope there is a dignified and respectful answer to my inquiry, or at the least, a better go pound sand, you are not even a roof cleaner, so don't ask response.......Even that is better than what you have offered a new member..........As I have just found out, the Internet can be a scary place.......From all of your responses thus far, you are scary people.......Nothing I am used to.........If I am going to join any clubs anytime soon, it surely won't be yours......Your responses are anything i would have expected......
Thank you greatly for your response.......Yours is the first that had the integrity of knowledge and choice......Maybe it comes down to just that, choice......One good, another good, another better maybe, but maybe not.......These are the things that should be bandied about in a blog such as this......You are not protective with your information or opinions as all others have been, that's the confident opinion I was looking for......I appreciate this, it is nothing I have seen thus far.....Thanks again........
C'mon now. Yes we're having fun with you. Stick around this site a while and lets see your response to the many who come here for a brief moment demanding answers, almost as if theyre owed.They take info to never be heard from again. Your pump system may work and may work great. But no one here can varify that. Dont pick up your toys and go home. Im sure you got alot to offer.
-- Edited by Roof Cleaning New Jersey on Sunday 10th of October 2010 08:09:35 PM
I came here with absolutely no attitude, I came here looking for a little knowledge, a small and simple pump issue request, and what found was a lot of attitude, and a protective and silly clique of super protective people, the first of two only dignified my request with pokes at my age?......No information?.......How super silly is that?......A band of professionals??.......And for your information, I have read what you all have to say about the delivery system of the day, and I find that it is a party line of the FatBoy pump fraternity.......And after reading all of this, I thought I might question the reasonability of this primary choice you all seem to use and recommend to your new and young entrepreneurs......I just saw it a different way, asked you all about it, have been given your best answers, no answers at all, not a one of you confident or knowing enough to address the simple import of the request......So be it, I expected more from this site, I found a club with initiation rules, read our hundred pages rule, but what you don't know is that I have read at least that many or more in the last three months on your site, but, always it was the party line.........I see it different, asked about it, and in these few messages, nary a word about the asked for issue, apparently because there is not one among you tonight that can address it with real professional knowledge....Possibly, in maybe the next few days there will be one among you that will have the grace and dignity and useful knowledge to answer a question asked that the lot of you tonight couldn't........It is always best, if you don't know it, leave it be to the next guy.......Attitude indeed??........Read all from the beginning and you will see what attitude, I didn't know that protective children would respond to a simple and concise question of chemical and water deliver, how simple does that question get?.....Apparently to the respondents thus far, this an unanswerable question, but, somehow embodied in your hundred pages of commandments?......I think not, and the next time my e-mail sounds off, I hope there is a dignified and respectful answer to my inquiry, or at the least, a better go pound sand, you are not even a roof cleaner, so don't ask response.......Even that is better than what you have offered a new member..........As I have just found out, the Internet can be a scary place.......From all of your responses thus far, you are scary people.......Nothing I am used to.........If I am going to join any clubs anytime soon, it surely won't be yours......Your responses are anything i would have expected......
Grippy please shorten your stories, because I lose my interest fast, thank u
First off, violence is not spelled this way, and if you are additionally impaired to call me a pirate of your business, you are a sad man indeed, but at the least, sad as you are, you personify the responses I have received thus far, save one, he knows who he is, and I surely appreciated it......But, for the rest of you, you the worst of it so far, the worst of your protective society of roof cleaners??........How sad it is.......Believe me, if you are into better and greater "wet work".....Call the CIA, they are experts......You will never run out of work......
Not to worry, when you come to my age, you think very much quicker, your interest is never lost, it is just super honed, needs to be that way, gotta do all you can do in the short time left....And, long stories is what your mama read to you in bed when you were very young.......Don't send them away as you go, the best of them you will remember with fondness.........I didn't bring it up pal, you did, I just asked a simple pump question, and I am finding out as my e-mail goes off time and again, my question, crazily, is not a simple one at all........
Re-direct your energy my friend. There's alot to learn here. Prove us all wrong here by sticking around for more than a week. Put together your delivery system whether it 220v, 440v, or hamsters on a wheel. Post some pics of work you've done. Show us your website. Lets see that rig. Honestly it quickly gets to the point where executing the work is no longer the issue. its mainaining a steady schedule that can make you lose your hair. and those who know me know my heads smoother than Mr. Clean. Alot of us rely on this full time. You bet were serious and yes, sometimes protective.