Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: TVCS on July 01, 2008, 07:32:38 pm
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Did some gutters and fascias today. Long job.
How do everyone else do them.
I poled the gutters and fascias, rinsed but could still see the dirt on the gutter clips etc and between the gutters and the fascia boards. You just couldnt get them really clean so I ended up going up the old ladder again. I have read on here how people will just pole them but IMO that only does half a job. Am I missing something.
Any tips and advice greatly appreciated as I picked up 3 more gutter jobs today and alreaddy have 2 others to do. I charge a good price but want to speed things up a bit. And the less ladder action I have to do the better.
Ant
TVCS
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Was this the 1st one with wfp on gutters?
i do about 2 a week with wfp very rare if i have to get the ladders out.
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Nothing will get them as clean - including all the intricate parts as a pressure washer and extendable lance.
You will have done a side in five minutes !!!
Is that quick enough for you
Rob ;D
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Nothing will get them as clean - including all the intricate parts as a pressure washer and extendable lance.
You will have done a side in five minutes !!!
Is that quick enough for you
Rob ;D
I second that, I use the same gear, great job done in no time at all and all from the ground.
I have one to do tomorrow, if I remember I'll get some photo's of all the gear in operation.
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Jeff
I haven't done any since we came off the residential work but if i remember right it used to take more time to set up the pressure washer than do the gutters
Rob ;D
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Its the same when your getting used to the lance, it takes longer to do the guttering, setting up and getting use to the way the lance handles.
When I first started, I told the Boss it was quicker from ladders than using the lance but as I did more and more, I became faster and faster (same as wfp I suppose).
When I arrive at a Job now the set up time is also much quicker, First thing is hose out and connected to custy's tap, pull the hose around the front, unload the pressure washer, plug the hose onto it, connect the lance, start the washer up and I'm on my way, less than five minutes if the custy doesn't stop me ::)
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Did some gutters and fascias today. Long job.
How do everyone else do them.
I poled the gutters and fascias, rinsed but could still see the dirt on the gutter clips etc and between the gutters and the fascia boards. You just couldnt get them really clean so I ended up going up the old ladder again. I have read on here how people will just pole them but IMO that only does half a job. Am I missing something.
Any tips and advice greatly appreciated as I picked up 3 more gutter jobs today and alreaddy have 2 others to do. I charge a good price but want to speed things up a bit. And the less ladder action I have to do the better.
Ant
TVCS
I had exactly the same problem. Here's my solution:
www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=57101.0#msg486954
It works brilliantly - and the whole kit cost less than £50 - a lot less messing around that carting a pressure washer and not much difference in time!
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And here's another approach that I haven't tried yet.
youtube.com/watch?v=NuOkIOfP-B0 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=NuOkIOfP-B0)
I still reckon that my broom type brush is better, though, as it has longer bristles to get into the corners of theose brackets and high up onto the fascia board.
(http://www.wally-the-window-washer.co.uk/18-06-08_0941.jpg)
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And here's another approach that I haven't tried yet.
[youtube.com/watch?v=NuOkIOfP-B0]youtube.com/watch?v=NuOkIOfP-B0[/url]
I still reckon that my broom type brush is better, though, as it has longer bristles to get into the corners of theose brackets and high up onto the fascia board.
Now that looks like hard work Wally, check it out, single story and guttering with no brackets.
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Nothing will get them as clean - including all the intricate parts as a pressure washer and extendable lance.
You will have done a side in five minutes !!!
Is that quick enough for you
siutable
Rob ;D
rob what the cost of setting up with a extendable lance and suitable pressure washer
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Nothing will get them as clean - including all the intricate parts as a pressure washer and extendable lance.
You will have done a side in five minutes !!!
Is that quick enough for you
siutable
Rob ;D
rob what the cost of setting up with a extendable lance and suitable pressure washer
The lance, gutter cleaner and Jets are on this page, and buy yourself a cheap pressure washer to begin with.
The gutter cleaner is right down the bottom on the right.
www.northerntooluk.com/products.asp?partno=22824E
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I have an extendable lance . i'll try it on the next job. What about the vents on the underside of the fascias? The p/w machine I have is pretty industrial?
MAybe I'm too picky when cleaning gutters but you cant do a 100% job with just a pole and brush IMO.
Wally, cheers for the input. I have an old brush like that and will try to mod it. Looks like the long bristles would be good.
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Looks like the long bristles would be good.
The long bristles are brilliant. The brush I use is quite old, I've no idea where I got it from. But it's great!
And having the spray on a trigger is great.
Spray
Scrub - lengthways, inside the brackets and up the back
Spray
Scrub - lengthways, inside the brackets and up the back
Spray
Scrub - lengthways, inside the brackets and up the back
etc
Until you're happy that it's all perfect
Spray to rinse
Onto the next section.
And minimum investment and messing about.
I don't want to buy a pressure washer just yet, but I DO want this work.
As I said, less than £50 and I'm all set up.
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I have an extendable lance . i'll try it on the next job. What about the vents on the underside of the fascias? The p/w machine I have is pretty industrial?
MAybe I'm too picky when cleaning gutters but you cant do a 100% job with just a pole and brush IMO.
Wally, cheers for the input. I have an old brush like that and will try to mod it. Looks like the long bristles would be good.
When faced with vents, what I do is stand almost under the eves and spray so that any water that enters stay's in the soffit section and does not penetrate the loft section, Just a precaution I take.
If using an industrial type washer, then hold the Jet 10'' above the guttering before pulling the trigger, when you pull it, the tip will kick upwards, keep hold of the trigger and lower the tip into the guttering to clean, before you release the trigger, raise the tip up 10'' again before you release the trigger as it will drop down.
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Does a preasure washer loose ppsi if you put an extended line and lance on?
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Do you use tfr or detergent through the p/washer, when the soffits have the black streaks on them. I have a petrol pressure washer 1500psi and a northern tool lance.I have given up doing the inside of gutters as the mess goes everywhere. Over neighbour's cars conservatories,windows etc. Takes a few minutes to clear the gutter but 10 X as long to clear up.
Isn't there a problem of water going up inside the soffits, or am I worrying too much. I have been wfp ing the upvc (tfr when necessary) comes up great but time consuming.
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Rob Hall
No they don't lose pressure. We use our pressure washers up to 200 metres away from the machine, we have added an omnipole set up to this with a turbo nozzle and can clean up to 10 metres - hard work and you need muscles of steel but no loss of pressure.
If you get runs coming out of the vents let them nearly dry, ;D stick an applicator on a pole with a microfibre cloth on it and just walk underneath rubbing the runs off!!!
Rob
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Thanks for the replies folks.
Today I have made the decision to remove the "gutters and fascias" stickers from my van and not advertise it anymore. We have enough work on. If any of my existing custies ask for gutter cleaning then I'll do it but I'd rather not have the hastle.
Problem solved I think.