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

Part 2 Continued

O-Rings, Sockets or Couplers and Plugs Information
(Buna O-Ring Black)

Buna: In pressure washing and the related industries, is the black o-ring used inside the coupler of socket allowing for a leak-proof seal. Buna is also known as Nitrile or Buna N. If using oxidizing chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite or bleach, do not use buna. Buna is not resistant to SH or heat. Instead of utilizing and wasting the black buna o-rings, switch to viton o-rings. They cost a little more but are well worth the amount of time saved having to replace them twice as often as with the black buna o-rings.

(Viton O-Ring Brown)
Viton: In pressure washing and the related industries, Viton o-rings are the brownish o-rings used inside the couplers or sockets usually found one end high pressure hose. The o-ring provides a leak-proof seal between the plug and coupler. Viton is a flouroelastomer and resistant to most chemicals used by pressure washing and the related industries. Viton o-rings perform well in high temperatures and is the best overall choice for soft wash cleaners, both hot and cold pressure washers and the related industries.

The o-ring size for the 3/8" couplers found on the high pressure hoses is 568-112 and the o-ring size for the couplers found at the end of the wand to accept quick connect nozzles is 568-110. You may ask for those sizes at hydraulic repair shops to save a few bucks. If they have 90D or 90 Durometer o-rings at a reasonable price, purchase them. They are harder than the regular 70D and will last even longer in buna or viton. Durometer is a measurement of hardness.
For example, you may ask for 25 or 100 of the 568-112-90D Viton O-Rings for the Brass or Stainless Steel Couplers on your pressure washer hose or 50 of the 568-110-90D Viton O-Rings for the ¼" Stainless or Brass Steel Couplers or Sockets on your wands. Most shops will not have the 90D O-Rings. If you can get them, you are lucky!

Helpful Tidbit:
A plug should always be mounted on the high pressure side of your machine. This will eliminate the "shooting out" of o-rings upon start-up. Always place a coupler at the receiving end of your gun for the female plug on one end of the high pressure hose to attach securely to. Try not to mix Stainless Steel and Brass fittings. The two metals will wear differently due to differences in the malleability of the opposing metals and may not marry up well after a few uses. Do not mix brands of couplers and plugs.
Do Not Use Teflon Tape because it is much easier to over-tighten the fitting causing a compromise to the integrity of the fitting. For that matter.....THROW OUT THE TEFLON TAPE. Use medium thread locker. Teflon tape will also become dislodged and end up in your pump and sometime cause your valves to hang up or end up clogging a tip. Either way, the teflon tape will cause you to stop earning money and make you find out where the problem is and what caused it. If you can not take apart your pump, you will have to pay to have it cleaned out and if you can, you will still have to stop and take the time to remove the valve cover bolts and remove the bit of tape causing a disruption in the function of your pump. You will never know how much that bit of down time has really cost you. We deal with a company that discovered that 1 hour of down time cost them $15,000 in profit 10 years ago!!! We treat all of you as if down time cost you the same.
The above-mentioned topics are also potential safety issues.
If you want to purchase less couplers, plugs, fittings and hose and keep money in your pocket instead of your supplier's cash register, switch to a flow sensitive unloader instead of a pressure trapped unloader and use thread locker.

QUICK CONNECTS
Sockets or Couplers and Plugs......Gender Differences
FPT Female Socket or Coupler FPT Female Socket MPT Male Plug FPT Female Plug

THREAD LOCKER
WE RECOMMEND THE USE OF LIQUID THREAD LOCKER ONLY.
THE WARRANTY COVERING THE BREAKAGE OF FITTINGS DUE TO IMPROPER TIGHTENING OR NON-USE OF LIQUID THREAD LOCKER WILL BE COMPROMISED BY FAILING TO USE THREAD LOCKER.
SAVE $$$ on Sodium Hypochlorite, TSP, Borax, AM-LO, Am-M or BC-MAO



When I have the privilege of speaking with any of you, I try to remember to bring up the topic of chemical savings for you.

As a roof cleaning equipment supplier and chemical manufacturer, we appreciate you choosing PWP but want to see you save your hard earned money whenever and where ever possible.

We recommend that you buy your raw materials locally whenever possible. You will save on shipping most of the time.
Be careful as to not being manipulated by a chemical salesperson. They collect their income off of your sales. Chemical sales has been an industry quite similar to soap operas! Sales people will sometimes get quite creative with their stories to manipulate a sale. Some companies even add salt to the ammonyx to thicken a mix!!!!
For example, if you are currently paying a certain price on SH and have never thought twice about asking for a discount, now is the time.
Here in the Tampa bay area we pay about $0.93 to $1.15 per gallon for Sodium Hypochlorite, Chlorine or SH!
For those of you whom have been through the search with me on the phone, you may be familiar with the process outlined below.
1. Google your zip code or city and key words such as chemical supplier in Clearwater, FL or chlorine 33765 or commercial pool supplies Tampa Bay or sodium hypochlorite Pinellas County, FL. (For obvious reasons, using 'SH' does prove to provide the results you are hoping for.)
2. Google your zip code or city and major chemical suppliers such as Brenntag, Univar, Helena Chemicals, Harcros, Athena, Ashland and Brainerd. For example, I would use 33765 Helena Chemicals or Tampa, FL Brainard. If you are lucky you will find at least one in your city or in a nearby. If you are really lucky, you will find more than one. It is rare that I speak with one of you and can't find a supplier.
3. Ask your city's drinking water plant manager where they purchase the SH and ask for the delivery days. (This may be a good source for FREE or cheap tanks or drums.)
4. Call as many as you can and find out what their bottom dollar per gallon would be for shipment or pick-up. Beat them up a little on price like your customers do to you on a roof cleaning job! Remember that most of the salespeople at chemical supply companies are commission based.
5. Call up the companies again and play them against each other and let them know that you can find it for less at another competitor. Ask for a price decrease. Ask for a decrease if you plan to purchase more than once a week. Ask for a decrease if you are going to pick it up.
6. Make sure you get a label and MSDS for the SH from the supplier. Ask for a spare label and make copies of it. Make sure your SH container is properly labelled.
7. Make sure you are using a proper storage tank or drum and follow all regulations accordingly.
8. Do not let your SH sit for too long. The enemies of SH are time, heat, UV rays and organics. (I seem to remember that SH may start off at 15-12% and at 90 deg F it breaks down rapidly to about half the effectivity of 7.5-6%. I may be a little off)
Bundle your chemical purchases for better pricing.
Keep the Oxalic Acid used for to neutralize wood decks after a Sodium Percarbonate treatment and rust removal in a sealed container far from the SH. They are opposites, acid vs base, and will combust on contact with each other.
Ask for broken bags of bagged chemical for a discounted rate or maybe even FREE. They will give you the chemical or discount it tremendously to get rid of it.
When looking for Borax, understand that there are at least two types. They manufacture 5 mol and 10 mol Borax. The 10 mol is the 'concentrated' version. Dig deep to high school chemistry where they discussed how much was in a mol.
Ask for the imported version of the bagged chemical unless you strictly by American or need to use it for a recipe that requires a very pure product. When you ask for the imported version, you will save money 99% of the time. To be certain, ask for the price of the domestic product and the imported product for comparison.
Ask if some of the products can be purchased in smaller quantities or ask if you can buy it from one of their customers that purchases a lot of the chemical.
If you need help with finding better pricing, please give me a call. I am excited for you when we can work together finding ways to save your money. Savings on chemical means more profit on your jobs. Many of you have experienced the sound of my voice changing as I smile when I have found that a major supplier or two can be found miles from your house.

WE STRONGLY ADVISE THAT YOU CONSULT A CHEMIST WHEN CONSIDERING CONCOCTING YOUR OWN MIX.
Look at the MSDS's for cleaning products sold on all these websites. Study the first page. Some of these products are quite simple to make and will save you a whole lot of money. Many of these very popular cleaners that you use to clean gutters, wash houses, clean decks and wash buildings have only 1, 2 or 3 non-hazardous ingredients in them. You don't have to add the fragrance or colorant. WE STRONGLY ADVISE THAT YOU CONSULT A CHEMIST WHEN CONSIDERING CONCOCTING YOUR OWN MIX.

****Check out the Canadian Supplier's MSDS to find out what is in a mix if the Seller fail's to let you know or list the "propietary blend of chemicals". Many do not realize that the Canadian Governement requires that manufacturer's list all of the ingredients whether or not they are hazardous.*****

Tanks: Advantage of Horizontal Leg Tank vs. Square Tank
Something to think about:

Although horizontal leg tanks are expensive, they offer a bit of a baffle effect at the molded legs. Baffles help break up the sloshing back and forth of the liquid in the tank. The horizontal leg tanks are stable and easy to strap down with vinyl coated stainless cable and aluminum crimps, metal tank straps, pipes or bands.
Square tanks take up much less space than other styles but are more difficult to secure.
Call the company personally and ask if that is their best price. Ask if they provide any sort of discount such as a military discount.
Ask for the polypropylene bulkhead (if you need it) with VITON compression seals instead of the standard buna, Nitrile or EPDM. (If you have one that is leaking, either replace the seal with VITON or replace the entire bulkhead.
Should you get lucky and find a used tank, make sure it was not used for fertilizers or permeating organic based chemicals. Do not use fiberglass tanks. Totes, (the big square tanks with the metals cages) are great and offer a tremendous amount of storage but have several types of bulkhead and valve assemblies at the bottom which are sometime quite challenging to deal with. You may use them, convert them or plug them. You may plug them with sch 40 or sch 80 plugs and either pipe dope, non-drying liquid teflon or medium threadlock if using on metal to metal fittings or with high pressure.We always recommend buying your tanks locally instead of shipping. Roof Cleaning or Soft Wash Chemical Recommendations

Research the roof cleaning chemicals before choosing which ones to use. For example, powdered or granular chlorine sold now for around $150 plus shipping by a competitor, will cause a VIOLENT EXPLOSION if mixed improperly with water.
Be careful with Sodium Percarbonate. It is a powder with inert ingredients and will be difficult to rinse if used as a super-saturated solution. It is not as "GREEN" as some distrib's would like you to think. It is an oxidizing agent much like Sodium Hypochlorite and may cause a fire if in contact with the right material. It is considered VERY HAZARDOUS when in contact with skin.
Be aware of the chemical compatibility of your chemicals with your equipment and other chemicals.
Understand how to respond to a hazardous exposure, accidental release, storage procedures and shelf life.
Strongly consider insuring your company against pollution release. Most insurance policies do not automatically cover pollution caused by the chemicals used in roof cleaning. For example, TSP or trisodium phosphate, is a pollutant under the Clean Water Act.
Always carry copies of the MSDS sheets for chemicals used in your roof cleaning mix. Ask your supplier for digital copies so that you may make more than one copy easily. Use a three ring binder and sheet protectors for an easy to access reference. One of our local competitors called in two separate complaints to the Federal Department of Transportation. Having all documents in order and readliy available as well as correctly labelled containers resulted in painless inspections. The complainant did not realize that when she called FDOT, they researched the origin and location of the complaint. Federal DOT officers investigate compliance at the original complainant's facility(s). Lesson Here: Practice the Golden Rule.....
Use chemical sparingly to eliminate the need to pay for proper disposal.
Always properly label your chemicals.
Keep your chemicals organized and maintain a clean and well kept trailer or truck to detract the wrong kind of attention. Throw out or remove empty chemical containers, used water bottles, food wrappers, cans, plastic bags and other unsightly items.
(Please understand that these are only suggestions for you to think about. Roof cleaning chemicals are inherently dangerous. Arm yourself and your company with knowledge.)
Links for your review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvMqFVVA4hY&feature=player_embedded#!

http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/Build_Roof_Clean_System.html
http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/Roof_Cleaners_Corner.html
http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/Roof_Cleaning_Pump.html
http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/Roof_Cleaning_Hose.html
http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/Roof_Cleaning_Chemicals.html
http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/High_Pressure_Hose_Reels.html
http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com/Hose_Reel_Parts.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBrlv0l88ZU
We hope that the information written above proves to be helpful, money saving and of value to you and the success of your business. I look forward to hearing from you.
Pressure Washer Service, Inc
http://www.pressurewasherproducts.com
(800) 519-9279 (8-5 EST)
(727) 424-6600 Rex's Cell 24/7

It's good stuff, Lori.

Thanks for taking the time.

Al