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Roof Cleaning Memphis TN (901) 826-8370 · Guest

RE: How many of us are 1 man operations? I am and I've been in No Pressure roof cleaning since 1991

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

Rodney, believe it or not, this is one of the more substantive arguements. Wait till "soap wars" flares back up. lol

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Rather than piss and moan over the merits of working alone vs. with ground crew, thought I'd actually post a little helpful INFO here. This technique doesn't work on EVERY roof, but it does help on many of them.

Take your pump up sprayer and spray the last 2-3 feet of shingles on the roof. This will help you generate much less run-off than the traditional method of spraying.

Roof Cleaning Memphis TN (901) 826-8370 · Guest

Now That, I can use. Thank You. I will be buying a pump up today. I haven't yet bc I just didn't see the need. But, that makes a lot of sense.

Mar 8, 2011

sweetwaterfish wrote:

Rather than piss and moan over the merits of working alone vs. with ground crew, thought I'd actually post a little helpful INFO here. This technique doesn't work on EVERY roof, but it does help on many of them.

Take your pump up sprayer and spray the last 2-3 feet of shingles on the roof. This will help you generate much less run-off than the traditional method of spraying.

Not a bad idea for anyone who chooses to work alone and hasn't learned the proper tarp / sprinkler combo setup! I believe it would work. Good idea!

We generally run Two 2gpm Delavan pumps in tandem and if the roof shows us it wants to run, we do the upper 2/3 with the tandem unit, which actually puts out 3gpm and then switch 1 pump off and do the bottom 3rd with just 2gpm and a tip that minimizes flow more. Believe me, and I'm just trying to be of help to the many 1 man companies. If done properly, some tarps here and there on soft leafed plants and a few sprinklers will completely protect the plants. I have done this for years without a single incident!
If you prefer to hire a ground man and don't mind being an employer and paying wages, SS taxes, Unemployment ins, liability insurance etc etc Then it's faster to show up, jump up on the roof and have the help spray the plants. But not all of us want to be employers. I did have 5 men for 1 year and hated being in business that year! That's me personally. I like "SIMPLE" as long as my work can still be perfect and it has always been!

SEE OUR WORK HERE!!! · Guest

sweetwaterfish wrote:

Rather than piss and moan over the merits of working alone vs. with ground crew, thought I'd actually post a little helpful INFO here. This technique doesn't work on EVERY roof, but it does help on many of them.

Take your pump up sprayer and spray the last 2-3 feet of shingles on the roof. This will help you generate much less run-off than the traditional method of spraying.

This is one of those area's where the accumulator tank comes in handy. We put a smaller orifice tip in for the bottom edge for almost no run-off and sometimes up the gable edge to minimize overspray. Bay window roofs are another area that is no longer a problem with run-off with this tank installed in the plumbing.

Mar 8, 2011

landisconstruction wrote:

sweetwaterfish wrote:

Rather than piss and moan over the merits of working alone vs. with ground crew, thought I'd actually post a little helpful INFO here. This technique doesn't work on EVERY roof, but it does help on many of them.

Take your pump up sprayer and spray the last 2-3 feet of shingles on the roof. This will help you generate much less run-off than the traditional method of spraying.

This is one of those area's where the accumulator tank comes in handy. We put a smaller orifice tip in for the bottom edge for almost no run-off and sometimes up the gable edge to minimize overspray. Bay window roofs are another area that is no longer a problem with run-off with this tank installed in the plumbing.

That's interesting! Anything that will lessen runoff interests me! Is there a specific gpm pump or inside hose diameter needed for this accumulator tank to work? I use 1 or 2 two gpm Delavans and 200' of 1/2" ID hose.
I don't really know anything about it, but I read a post somewhere here mentioning it. In what order does it go into the system? Starting from the uptake hose in the tank and heading back to the pump?
If you don't mind explaining it? Also, who sells them?
Thanks,
Chuck

SEE OUR WORK HERE!!! · Guest

Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 wrote:

landisconstruction wrote:

sweetwaterfish wrote:

Rather than piss and moan over the merits of working alone vs. with ground crew, thought I'd actually post a little helpful INFO here. This technique doesn't work on EVERY roof, but it does help on many of them.

Take your pump up sprayer and spray the last 2-3 feet of shingles on the roof. This will help you generate much less run-off than the traditional method of spraying.

This is one of those area's where the accumulator tank comes in handy. We put a smaller orifice tip in for the bottom edge for almost no run-off and sometimes up the gable edge to minimize overspray. Bay window roofs are another area that is no longer a problem with run-off with this tank installed in the plumbing.

That's interesting! Anything that will lessen runoff interests me! Is there a specific gpm pump or inside hose diameter needed for this accumulator tank to work? I use 1 or 2 two gpm Delavans and 200' of 1/2" ID hose.
I don't really know anything about it, but I read a post somewhere here mentioning it. In what order does it go into the system? Starting from the uptake hose in the tank and heading back to the pump?
If you don't mind explaining it? Also, who sells them?
Thanks,
Chuck

Chuck,

I purchased mine from Bob at Pressure Tek. This gets installed after the out port of the pump and before the reel or hose. I originally bought to help reduce the on and off cycling of my Fat Boy which it does, but the added benefit is being able to use just about any size tip you want. I wouldn't see any problem using it with your set up. I'll post another pic of how mine is set up if I can find it.

Mar 8, 2011

landisconstruction wrote:

Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 wrote:

landisconstruction wrote:

sweetwaterfish wrote:

Rather than piss and moan over the merits of working alone vs. with ground crew, thought I'd actually post a little helpful INFO here. This technique doesn't work on EVERY roof, but it does help on many of them.

Take your pump up sprayer and spray the last 2-3 feet of shingles on the roof. This will help you generate much less run-off than the traditional method of spraying.

This is one of those area's where the accumulator tank comes in handy. We put a smaller orifice tip in for the bottom edge for almost no run-off and sometimes up the gable edge to minimize overspray. Bay window roofs are another area that is no longer a problem with run-off with this tank installed in the plumbing.

That's interesting! Anything that will lessen runoff interests me! Is there a specific gpm pump or inside hose diameter needed for this accumulator tank to work? I use 1 or 2 two gpm Delavans and 200' of 1/2" ID hose.
I don't really know anything about it, but I read a post somewhere here mentioning it. In what order does it go into the system? Starting from the uptake hose in the tank and heading back to the pump?
If you don't mind explaining it? Also, who sells them?
Thanks,
Chuck

Chuck,

I purchased mine from Bob at Pressure Tek. This gets installed after the out port of the pump and before the reel or hose. I originally bought to help reduce the on and off cycling of my Fat Boy which it does, but the added benefit is being able to use just about any size tip you want. I wouldn't see any problem using it with your set up. I'll post another pic of how mine is set up if I can find it.

Thanks Barry, I'm going to call Bob in the morning and ask if it will work with a 2gpm pump and two 2 gpm pumps in tandem and if it will, I'm buying one!
I need to order a bunch of other stuff anyway.
I'll tell him you sent me.
I had been dealing with Lori at PWP
I have bought from Bob in the past and now I'm going back. Those cheap pwp prices had me locked in for quite a while and I liked Lori and her dad, but things went sour recently, unfortunately.

.
Thanks and your pictures are very clear on the setup!
Chuck

RCIA Founder

Back when I cleaned roofs alone, I always brought my water hose ON the roof with me biggrin

This way I could spray AND deal with the run off. I always used a small mist tip for the edges of the roof, that I always did first. Then, I would change nozzles, and move fast, watering as needed! You almost have to tarp on tile roofs, but shingles were done this way, many of them! I still think, all things being equal, 2 GOOD roof cleaners are better and safer then one. But make no mistake, one GOOD man can clean a roof, IF he takes his time. I just hate going up and down ladders with no one to hold them, plus I like company! In my younger days when I was still chasing women, I would actually take my dates out to help me clean roofs.
When they helped me earn over a thousand dolars a day, they became "real friendly" later.

Roof Cleaning Raleigh NC · Mar 8, 2011

It doesn't meen one can't do just as good a job or better depending on the person. Granted I would much rather have someone there just to talk and joke around with to make the time go faster. Everything is always better with another person. Whether it is jet sking or skydiving. Having another person there to share the expereince is great. Plus it is always handy when you need to get bailed out of jail!...

As they say: A good friend will come and baill you out of jail...
But a true friend will be sitting next to you saying
"Darn that was fun!"

Mar 9, 2011

Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa FL (813) 655-8777 wrote:

Back when I cleaned roofs alone, I always brought my water hose ON the roof with me
This way I could spray AND deal with the run off. I always used a small mist tip for the edges of the roof, that I always did first. Then, I would change nozzles, and move fast, watering as needed! You almost have to tarp on tile roofs, but shingles were done this way, many of them! I still think, all things being equal, 2 GOOD roof cleaners are better and safer then one. But make no mistake, one GOOD man can clean a roof, IF he takes his time. I just hate going up and down ladders with no one to hold them, plus I like company! In my younger days when I was still chasing women, I would actually take my dates out to help me clean roofs.
When they helped me earn over a thousand dolars a day, they became "real friendly" later.

Now that's a good post! Especially this "In my younger days when I was still chasing women, I would actually take my dates out to help me clean roofs.
When they helped me earn over a thousand dolars a day, they became "real friendly" later." biggrin

That there's a different kind of "employee turnover"! biggrin

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"