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Kleen Roof and Exterior Cleaning · Jan 20, 2011

anyone using injectors for their chemicals

Baltimore MD Roof Cleaning 410-482-4367 · guest

Many have tried SH injectors only to have them fail quickly. Some are now injecting the other chems after the SH and water mix. It can be done, I think Deluxe might even sell one.

A lot of guys downstream house wash with their Power washer with a low pressure zero or fan tip.

Guest

Bill's right about the injectors for roof cleaning,..don't even bother. Will not mix strong enough for roofs.

But for house washing downstreaming is the way to go,..hands down,..especially if you do houses on a regular basis.

Jeff

Guest

Jeff and Bill are right, we downstream with an injector for our house washing which is a soft wash cleaning method but as for roof cleaning we only use air pumps for that and it is a dedicated roof cleaning mix just for roofs, that way it is always the same.

Kleen Roof and Exterior Cleaning · Jan 22, 2011

you guys that are house washing, are you using a pressure washer, or a soft wash system with 12 volt pumps ? I use my soft wash trailer, with the delavan pump. Not sure if the injectors used for a pressure washer would work. I was looking at the mezzei injectors, they are made for the chems we shoot, but don't know if anyone has tried them. I am going to give the company a call next week and see what they think. They are injectors that use a venturi system, can set them up on a by-pass, and use a needle valve to control flow.

Guest

I use a heated industrial horizontal machine for soft washing, using a soap nozzle and some other types of nozzles to clean with is the same thing for soft washing as it would be using a 12 volt or air pump. I personally like the heat plus if I need to hit the steps or lower parts of brick just change out the tip works good for me, but I do use a air pump for my roof washing.

Kleen Roof and Exterior Cleaning · Jan 23, 2011

I know this is going to open a can of worms again..... But here I go. How come, when we talk about roof cleaning, using a pressure washer at any pressure is considered "pressure washing" not soft-washing, but for washing siding, we call it soft-washing when using a pressure washer with a soap tip ? What is the difference ? Is there a certain pressure at the tip that makes it either soft-wash or pressure wash ?

Guest

Well actually a black soap nozzle reduces the pressure of your machine 250 psi so your injector will draw. The reason I use a dedicated pump for roof cleaning which is a air pump because I can make the roof cleaning mix and will it is ran thru the air pump the mix will always be the same. With an injector it should stay the same but also injectors can clog or need rebuilt plus using that strong of a mix will also break down parts in the injector quicker like spring, o-ring than the injector will not work. What I us for house washing is a different mix and you do not need something that strong for vinyl, drivit and other surfaces that are on the home. I have a company around here called Marcs pressure washing and they do that, they run it thru the pump and downstream to clean roofs but they mix 12% SH at a 50/50 mix with H20 and run it thru the down stream of an injector. I just choose to do it this way, personally I do not want someone to see a pressure washing hose on there roof with a pressure washing gun spraying chemical, they would not understand the difference besides thinking someone is blasting there shingles with a pressure washer. I also like my mix a certain way for roofs so that is the other reason I use a air pump.

Guest

I'm not sure what you're looking for,..but from my point of view you seem to be making it harder than it is.
Yes pressure on a roof is bad,..but on the occasions I need to rinse,..I certainly do use my washer,..with a big o degree nozzle. The shingles aren't directly sprayed,..the stream of water is basically rain-bowed to the top and it runs down. Not much different than rainfall.

So yes, that falls into the softwash category. I don't remember anyone saying that "Using a pressure washer even at any pressure is bad" Through all of the posts on this board it possibly have been said by someone,...but it isn't a common topic on here.

And I will stress again,..you cannot downstream roofs and make it work even close to a dedicated pump. even if it worked here and there,..too many variables could keep it from working.

Jeff

-- Edited by Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 on Sunday 23rd of January 2011 11:57:00 AM

Kleen Roof and Exterior Cleaning · Jan 23, 2011

I agree, a dedicated system for the roof wash is the way to go. I use a soft wash system for the house washing I do. NO pressure washer. I am looking to see if anyone else is doing this, and if they are downstreaming, what kind of injectors would work the best. Right now, I run two pumps and tanks for the house wash. One for washing, and one for rinsing. But, if I could set it up to downstream, then I would not need to haul around two hoses. That's why I asked if anyone had tried the mezzei injectors yet.

Guest

Ok,..I think I understand what you're asking now. I'm not aware of anyone ever mentioning downsteaming with a roof setup.

As pertaining to your current set-up,.I use to do kinda' the same thing. I use to apply house wash mix with a roller pump, and rinse with the pressure washer,...at low pressure. Pressure washers don't make you irresponsible.

But for the last several years I've been downstreaming,...and never looked back. Maybe someone will help you and chime in and have the info you're looking for.

Not familiar with the injector you mention above,...but typical injectors work off of low pressure,..I would think that because this pump is gonna want to draw soap all the time,..because there isn't enough pressure to close the injector and keep it from drawing. Just thinking out loud is all,..as I'm not sure what your pump is and I know nothing about that particular injector.

Jeff

-- Edited by Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 on Sunday 23rd of January 2011 02:20:03 PM

Guest

Just want to add,..if you do alot of houses, sidewalks,decks etc... a decent washer of around 5 GPM a minute will serve you better than just trying to softwash everything. There are times when you need to be able to apply some pressure. I've done ALOT of sidewalks where there is physical growth,..and just killing it and rinsing it won't cut it.

I love the idea of soft washing, and I've been doing it since 1996,..but there are still times when a pressure washer is needed.

Basically, a pressure washer will do everything a soft wash setup will do, but a softwash system won't do everything a pressure washer will do.

I seen one of AC and Bills videos demonstrating how fast soft washing with a roof setup was,..and telling everyone watching that to do that with a PW they would have to have a lift. The setup they were using wouldn't even come close to downstreaming with a PW where speed and coverage is concerned. And no lift would be needed.

Jeff

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