[texas girl]

Handsome smart window cleaning pros,

I am anxious to try out the wfp because no doubt  it will save time, but our markets are different.

For instance; almost every time I do the outsides I do insides also.

So, do you haul everything; wfp gear plus traditional tools for inside?

Is wfp messy?  Can you do the inside as well using this system?  On Friday we are doing a house that I have done for 20 years; large plate glass 20 feet high.

Also, have screens on 15 windows  second level; I always take the screens off from the inside. Use long extension poles in addition to ladder work.

I can see where the wfp system would be a life saver for the exterior of the plate glass.  The windows are going to be rough because it has been a year since the last cleaning.

My best well trained guy quit last Saturday. I have a helper but this is going to be mostly my deal. I can do it but it will be a challenge.

Plus the lower windows have oxidation from water sprinkler; any suggestions?

Hugs, 

Texas Girl

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

wfp produces a lot of water debbie, don't think i would want to use it inside someones property, Jay

[Ian_Giles]

Debbie,
WFP not suitable for inside work, far too much water

Outside very different though, a superb tool.

One thing we do not have over here are screens, so that is hard for us Brits to picture, as you say, the market and its requirements are very different.

Calcium/limescale build up is another thing again, at the moment, so far as I know, WFP won't touch it.
You have to use a product that is going to disolve the mineral deposit first.

I do a car showroom, on some of the windows (Huge plate glass affairs) there is often a lot of 'spotting' from the guy who is washing the cars on the forecourt.

This actually irritated me intensely as it is caused by him using the hose on a spray jet setting to sluice off the suds from washing the cars.

Bearing in mind that I am there every fortnight, so any mineral deposits will only have been there a very short time, I often have to go out and scrub some of the panes with applicator and a lot of elbow grease to get rid of these mineral deposits.
If it was 12 months between cleans I dread to think what it would be like

Wouldn't be a problem if they didn't jet the water off the cars, a gentle flushing with the full flow of the water from the hose would be much better.

For high work the WFP is tops, maybe a hot water system would be better for the type of work you describe though.
Grime baked on for a year would be more readily dissolved by this method.

With such a long time between cleans, every clean is a first clean, and would therefore be hard work with standard WFP.

A company such as Ionics, who do what I think they call their 'Thermo pure' hot water system, would be able to advise you.

For any form of regular, repeat cleaning WFP is fantastic, and, safety notwithstanding, is the reason it is taking off so quickly over here now.

Perhaps you will have to come over on a 'fact finding' mission I'm sure many of the WFP guys on the forum will happily give up some of their valuable working time to 'show you the ropes'
............sigh..........I have to say it I think they will all be happy for you to get to grips with there poles for some real hands on experience

Sorry moderators, not meaning to lower the tone

Seriously though, these systems are in use over there, so there must be users Stateside who can give you the info you need, over here we can only really talk about our own specific conditions.

Ian

[Roy Harding]

Hi Debbie

This company sell the brushes and pole they may be able to arange a demo

http://www.racenstein.com/html/contactus.html

[texas girl]

Ian;

I guess I am going to do this job the same way as the previous 30 times: traditiional indside and out.

I made an agreement with the client to charge a certain rate every 6 months. Problem is; it has been once/year for the past several years. 

This time I am increasing the cost to what it should be. She is one of my longest served clients; over 20 years. So it is tempting to not increase; but we all know how we do not like feeling as tho we are undercharging.

I am swamped before the holidays and over here; rain will deter people easily. They are spending usually $200.00 or more, so I understand.

So when I make the call to set up and the cleaning is delayed, it seems like time passes and before you know it; a year has past.

Last year I crawled into a cave for 4 months after my son's death; so that was another issue. The normal cleaning schedule is before the holidays and spring.

I  am back in the swing of things now. And of course, additional training for a new helper but that is a part of it.

Speaking of "training",  hands on learning pole gripping techniques
sounds like a very informative experience!

I am curious; how much does the pole weigh while the system is in use?  I am going to contact a company over here that was recommended; and I have done business with them for years; so I will check it out this month.

I have done this house alone several times, but I am spoiled now in that I do not clean that many windows; but I still got it! I will load up my truck with everything I need including my "Debbie's tool box".

105 lbs of determination and skill!  I hope I bring a smile to your faces sometimes. Life is short!

I appreciate your free spirit and your sense of humor Ian!

And remember; never give up and hit the floor running each morning!

Many hugs,

Texas Girl

[Ian_Giles]

Debbie,
The poles themselves are not that heavy, and even when you are using a long one, say 30ft or so, it isn't that heavy.
It is the angle you are using it at that can make it hard work.
Even an 18ft pole, which is really light, can be hard work if it is fully extended and you have to reach an upstairs window above a conservatory that is in a position where you cannot simply use the pole extended straight out in front of you.

The window may be, say, 10ft away to one side or the other, which means you are having to hold the pole at a very awkward angle, and also put pressure onto the glass you are cleaning (not that it needs much pressure of course)

Obviously when you get up over 40ft the poles are getting heavier, but in general use you don't have to be built like Arnold Swarzt.....er...swartzin****r..I haven't a clue how to spell Arnie's surname   (and I bet the software that runs the forum will edit out part of Arnie's surname too )

It would actually be quite interesting to hear from window cleaners on your side of the pond that use WFP over there, and to hear how they cope with the differing requirements.

Ian

LOL, I've just previewed it, and yep, it edits out that part of Arnie's surname and puts in 'black' instead :
I'll leave it there cos it amuses me, but perhaps that part of the name should be spelt 'negger'?
I'm always uneasy about self-censoring software, I understand the reasons for it, and agree with the aims of it.
But that is the problem with Political Correctness, it has the moral highground, after all, how can you dissagree with its objectives?
It wants to eliminate bigotry and bias, to make us think about what we are saying.
But if part of your name, or a part of a word that is non offensive, also contains the spelling of a word that IS offensive if used by itself in a differrent context, then it is changed to a politically correct word.
So as much as it tickles my sense of humour, it also leaves me feeling uneasy.

(You have no idea of the effort it took to constrain myself there I was almost leaving the realm of window cleaning altogether Well ok, I did a little bit, but my comments do stay in the context of the forum.........I think )

Ian