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Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Jul 9, 2012

RE: Pain at the pump

garyw · Jul 9, 2012

Well, I wasn't going to get in this war, but you all are tempting me tooo much. I started out with a fat boy and abused the chit out of it for 2.5 years. The only time it ever got rinsed out was at the end of the first 2 seasons. Started out shooting a little over 40'. Second year dropped to about 35'. This year it would barely make 20'. That is when I switched to air, and I will never go back. I fact I just bought a 1/2 aodd to use as a transfer pump and back up if needed. (doubtful). I love the performance, economics, ( compressor will run over 19 hours on 4 gals of gas) and is now a lot quiter than it was in the videos I made due to replacing the mufflers.

I watch some of the videos on here and almost fall asleep they are so slow. On most houses, it is almost criminal how fast my system works. In the time it takes most in the videos to do one side, I would be ready to roll up hoses and head out. Everybody is always worried about productivity, but then limit themselves with a small inferior system. Listen to the "godfather of roof cleaning" like I did and get the system that will make your company the leader in quality and productivity.

Here is what I use, with a few improvements since I did this. We are right now at 70' distance, due to a new nozzle with a lifetime waqrranty.

http://roof-cleaning-institute.activeboard.com/t47968056/testing-videos-58/?page=1&sort=oldestFirst

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Jul 9, 2012

Hire fresh employees, train them for a few weeks and send them out with a compressor and air pump. Then come back and report how things are going, or how many checks you cut after the fact (catch my drift?). I like slow and steady. OR, dont hire employees then come report how much money you missed out on. No doubt you can rain a monsoon worth of luv with 50'-60' of distance. My experience has been that it will cause trouble for you unless youre an owner operator.

Guest

Question to all who use air setups. What do you do if the compressor craps out on you in the middle of a job? When a 12 volt pump craps out you quickly flip a switch and go back to work. thats how mine is setup.

The 5850 pumps out 80 gallons in about 16-18 minutes. Not to many roof require that amount of luv to clean. 15 minutes or less to setup 30 minutes to spray then about 15 minutes to pack up and get paid. Not bad for a 400 job.

I used to be an air pump all the wayguy until i was forced to switch to 12 volt and i will never go back. They spray just enough to where an employee can handle it yet they get the job done just as quick as a 3/8 all flo.

garyw · Jul 9, 2012

With my system with a 80 gal tank, if the tank was full when it crapped out, I would still have enough air to do 2 houses. It pumps to 175 lbs., idles down ,when it reaches 150 lbs and then throttles back up. On average house, it only does this about 2-3 times and idles the rest of the time.

I know what you mean about employees. In my Bellsouth career, I had anywhere from 12 to 23 employees reporting me all the time. On a daily basis they would leave the work center in trucks (23) carrying over $ 2.5 million in tools and the value of the trucks. Safety training was top priority due to the fact on any day a screw up could cost them their life, and I dreaded having to ever go and tell somebody's wife their husband would not be coming home. Work training was second priority, but quality was stressed over quanity. This may be where you need to concentrate more effort. Speed comes with time. Teach quality first and quanity will come.

I realize Bellsouth is different than roof cleaning, but I also had my own business for 23+ years and incorporated a lot of my management training into that business also, just like I am doing in my roof cleaning business.

Every business owner is different and has his own perferences. The best you can hope for is to learn from your mistakes, watch others in your field, and hopefully learn from them also.

Good luck to everyone.

Gary

Liberty SoftWash · Jul 9, 2012

I run both air and 12 v so I am good. I have 1 air pump, two 5850 and a 2 gl.

Roger · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Did just that !! Ordered new pump, buried old one.

Brats - Beer and don't forget the cheese curds !!

RCIA Founder

What pump did u order, and from where ?

Roger · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Delevan 5850 from PW Mall [ PRI Industr.] Same price as most and 1-2 day shipping. They are from Westmont IL.

I know the air systems are quicker and more reliable but for cost and inexperience reasons I will go with the 12V system as should most that are new to roof cleaning,IMO

RCIA Founder

Well, 12 volt pumps cost less, so you will be out less money if you don't make it in roof cleaning.

I cleaned thousands of roofs 15 years ago with a Shurflow 12 volt pump, and the Delevan 5850 blows it away, you will be fine.

How did the funeral for that pump go ?

Did you give it a proper burial ?

Roof Cleaning Raleigh NC · Jul 9, 2012

FYI. The 5850 that is 45 psi 5g/min. It is the same as the 5850 101E. The only difference is the factory setting of the pressure. Simple 1/16 allen wrench and turn it up to 60 psi. Just in case your local Agri supply place has that one you can simply turn it into the 101E model.

Roger · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

OOps- it is the 5850 101E.

Hey Chris, funeral went great but lasted toooo long. Hard to get going this morning !!!

Peter LeBlanc · Guest

A few of my competitors have bucket trucks, but the way I see it here in Florida, there is no way they are driving that rig around to the back of the house. Does anybody know of a bucket that reaches at least 3/4 of the way back on most homes? How about on 2 story homes? I do think it is a great idea to sell the job and I have used booms in the past for big jobs, but you still have to get on the roof sometimes.

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"