[Pole2pole]

Anyone seen the forecast for next week. The BBC website is giving a pretty grim image up to and including Thursday with a bit of snow thrown in just to rub it in.  Which leads to the question.....How wet is too wet to WFP???

[David Halford]

Rain water is pure but will absorb minerals as it falls. So the rain water that hits the windows normally has a reading off around 15 TDS except on the occaisons we have very dirty rain from the south.

When pure water you apply to the window mixes with rain water of around 15TDS the water left to dry on the windows will have a reading of about 7 or 8 TDS. So you should get away with working in the rain as long as its not too heavy.

David.

[Pole2pole]

Cheers for that Dave. You've convinced me. All I'll have to do is convince the punters. 

[macc]

cheers for thah info dave, if 1 of my customers moans i can come back with sciance,

 

[Pole2pole]

Thats exactly what i was thinkin mac, but as Dave had explained it so incredibly well, i didn't wanna appear rude  Personally, i don't mind coming home like a drowned rat so long as the bills get paid, what worries me is the reception i'll get from my (less understanding) clients.

[Jeff Brimble]

David, where do the minerals come from in falling rain ?

[David Halford]

Jeff

When a body of water evaporates, it essentially changes form from a liquid into a vapour or gas. Water can change its form into vapour but absorbed minerals cannot and so these are left behind. This means that the water vapour that forms clouds is pure water.

When this water cools or condenses, it falls as rain. As the pure water falls it starts to absorb air-borne particles and as it does so, the water TDS reading rises. That is why the air seems cleaner and fresher after a really heavy shower. This is especially noticeable if we have had a few dry days.

You can test this theory if you test the quality of rainwater gathered in a puddle, you will find the TDS reading is lower than you may think.


David.

[craig jwc]

The only time i won't work is if it is really heavy rain.
So far i haven't had any complaints and to be honest the windows look alot better.
Got caught in a really heavy downpour last week on Dartmoor but carried on.
Looked at weather for this week and they predicting snow for my area on Thursday i think.
I've worked in the snow and not had any problems.

[dai]

I have measured the TDS of rain water that has collected on my containers, it was zero. After a spell of wet weather the TDS coming down the downspout off my slate roof was 7ppm Dai

[rosskesava]

Back to the original posting...

I think snow will be only over high ground.

As for working in the rain. I now don't bother. I got fed up with people not being happy about their windows being done when it's raining and I don't mean just a few spots on the glass, I mean serious rain.

Afterall, it is there choice and I don't know about other areas of the UK but down here last year we lost out of 195 working days just 15 to the rain.

Southern Water don't like it either with reservoirs averaging 36% full. Last year and so far this year has been really dry. Last Sunday it rained here for 15 hours and I cannot remember rain for more than a few hours for years.

The wind and the cold is a bigger problem. 43 days lost to that.

[Pole2pole]

Southern Water don't like you working in the rain??? Tell 'em to keep their noses out mate. What you do when it rains is up to you 

[rosskesava]

Southern Water don't like you working in the rain??? Tell 'em to keep their noses out mate. What you do when it rains is up to you

 

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Today I was cleaning some georgean windows (with Scrims!!) and it threw it down all over them.  I packed in and cleared off.

I returned later when it cleared up and decided to do the window again..............
Not a spot on it!!!!!!!!

Just goes to prove.............it's the dirt that causes marks when it rains NOT the rain water!

David

[Sir Squeaky]

I returned later when it cleared up and decided to do the window again..............
Not a spot on it!!!!!!!!

Sorry to hear that Dave.

If you want some good spots, may I suggest you use wfp.

Only kidding guys , careful now.

[pjulk]

I had the same thing today.
Just started cleaning and the rain belted down.
I waited and the rain turned to sleet then halestones.
With the wind it was blowing staight onto the glass.

Luckily i had a couple of gutter jobs needed doing so packed away my window cleaning stuff and did a couple of gutter jobs.

whilst i was doing that it stopped, Just finished the gutter jobs and it started again so no choice but to go home.

Paul

[Sir Squeaky]

We say to the customers it's not the rain making them dirty, but I think it's a lie really.

I cleaned my car spotless yesterday, and that rain today left dusty spots all over the glass.

Most people's windows were pretty bad this month.

Rog.

[pjulk]

We say to the customers it's not the rain making them dirty, but I think it's a lie really

Totally agree with you.
I have washed my car with pure water and its rain an hour or 2 after and there is spots all over it.

Thats why i only clean gutters when it rains as i have work for rainy days then.

I won't clean windows in the rain if the rain is hitting the glass.
But i will clean in light drizzle.

Paul

[windows_chepstow]

Bird muck, fly poo and cobwebs are all removed whether you're cleaning in the rain or not.

Okay, so rain may 'spot' a window; but you can only really see it if you examine your windows in a 'close-up' anal manner.

And what's the difference if you clean a customer's windows during the morning and then it rains in the afternoon?

That customer didn't pay £X amount for two-hours of clean windows.

I think it basically boils down to the fact that customers pay you £X amount each month (or what-every your cycle is) to maintain the cleanliness of their windows throughout the year; what-ever the weather.

If any of my customers don't like it; they're welcome to sack me!
But in my experience, most don't bat an eye-lid!

[macc]

southern water are only good for charging us £££££££s. they keep the resevoirs empty & flood hastings with sewage, which was on the news tonight they have know about the fault for 10 years, & will be sorted in 10 years time.