Question!!!!

[HotRed]

For those of you that do residential work, do you use a detergant first, then rinse w/ pressure? We are thinking about doing the down stream thing with the detergant, and was curious as to how many of you actually use a low grade chemical when cleaning outside of homes. In our area, outside of homes are usually stucco....so any thoughts?

So any input with this would be great. Oh and if this helps...we have a hot water pressure washer. (7.8 gpm for those of you that don't remember)

Thanks so much for any input!!!!!!

 

[grasshawg]

Stucco's pretty fragile, isn't it? Watch the pressure! Not sure about the chems.

 

[HotRed]

lol, I hope that we wouldn't go at the stucco w/ 3000 PSI, that could really do some damage! We ordered an adjustable wond so we can adjust the pressure according to the job. We are also looking around for an extension wond that is adjustable-if anyone has any info on these, that would be great!

If anyone knows a low grade chem. that could be used on outside of homes-that won't damage aluminum, please let me know-thanks!

 

[HotRed]

stucco is actually really fragile, we will actually have to turn the pressure down to almost nothing. We are thinking that we will have to get a good chem b/c of that reason.

 

[grasshawg]

Didn't mean to insult your intelligence. You know how brain dead some people can get. Sometimes, I can't even think of the obvious answer when any 3 yr old could figure it out. My wife calls it "cranial gas".lol

 

[CaroliProWash]

There's a banner on the top of the pages somewhere for SunBrite Supply - click on it and check them out. They have an extensive line of equipment and chemicals that will take care of whatever you need

Celeste

 

[Kevin14606]

HotRed.. what type of adjustable pressure wand do you have?

 

[CaroliProWash]

lol, I hope that we wouldn't go at the stucco w/ 3000 PSI, that could really do some damage! We ordered an adjustable wond so we can adjust the pressure according to the job. We are also looking around for an extension wond that is adjustable-if anyone has any info on these, that would be great!

If anyone knows a low grade chem. that could be used on outside of homes-that won't damage aluminum, please let me know-thanks!

Do you know about tipping your machine down?

Celeste

 

[HotRed]

You didn't insult me at all! Don't worry about that!! Yes, I defianately know how brain dead we all can get at times! Half the time I don't know if I am coming or going! lol

You know my husband ordered the adjustable wond, I'll have to ask him and get back to you on what type it is.

I know about changing the tips to reduce pressure, but b/c my husband is going at the jobs alone, we figured the adjustable wond would be more practicle for us.

We are set to start doing business the 16th and just making our last minute shopping trips and preperations!!

I hope 2006 will be a year of success for all of us! Can't wait to see what happens.

 

[PressurePros]

Stucco is a different beast than most housewashers on these forums talk about. You cannot get stucco clean from the ground. Most of the house has to be washed up close with some pressure. Chemicals ran through a downstreamer are rarely strong enough. (I am a proponent of downstreaming for houses with siding just not stucco) Sunbrite's Powerhouse is a good housewash for stucco. I mix my own blend of sodium metasilicate and some other goodies I have found to work very well on stucco or dryvit.

Also, be sure to learn the difference betwen stucco and dryvit. I have done stucco that would withstand a turbo nozzle at 4000 psi (slight exaggeration maybe) and dryvit that crumbled around window frames at 300 psi. Water can easily penetrate the seals around a drvit covered home. Always check the condition of substrate and the window seals before you start.

The dual lance adjustable wand is a personal preference thing but here are reasons I don't use them. One, they are heavier than a single shaft wand. Two, when you are spraying over your head and you open a dual lance, you end up getting soaked by the trickle or slow pressure stream that comes from the second shaft.

Here is a photo of some wicked stucco we did this past season. You might want to revisit your pricing on stucco houses.


<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/pressurepros/sidedrty.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/pressurepros/sidecln.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

 

[Larry L.]

Good looking job Ken,when I see volts my hair starts standing up

 

[StainlessDeal]

Beauty Job!

Ken, that thing looked NASTY! [puke] Nice job for that homeowner, how long had it gone without cleaning?

I've not done any stucco, not many around here and the one's that are around aren't spending.

 

[Navigator7]

Good looking job Ken,when I see volts my hair starts standing up

Volts?

Fantastic clean job...but volts?

 

[jthompson]

I'm not sure how well it will work on stucco, but I have used allbrite from sunbritesupply and it works great on getting the black stuff of off gutters and cleaning vinyl siding.

 

[Larry L.]

[getout]



electric wiring :smad:

 

[Navigator7]

[getout]
electric wiring :smad:

No doubt many a PW'r has ended his or her career with a careless moment?

#1 killer of concrete pumper's, mixer drivers and hose men.

Even those four scout masters got it this summer wasn't it?

 

[PressurePros]

Ken, that thing looked NASTY! [puke] Nice job for that homeowner, how long had it gone without cleaning?

I've not done any stucco, not many around here and the one's that are around aren't spending.

Scott I don't think it was ever cleaned to be honest with you.

The electrical lines: The guy I had with me that day was nearly paranoid about getting within 15 feet of them. You have to seriously watch what you are doing. To make matters worse the jacket around the line wire coming from the pole was worn. I couldn't even begin to imagine what an arc from that kind of amperage could do.

 

[PowerWashofVa]

Ken,

I have never washed a stucco or dryvit home. What is the difference between the two. I have only washed vinyl homes. There are a few in Central Virginia but have not been asked to wash one yet.

Thanks

 

[PressurePros]

Phil, stucco is a much more durable application. It is a layered application of a base coat, a scratch coat and the finish coat which is usually some type of acrylic cement. A contractor applies wire mesh to the house and these coats are layered on one by one with dry time in between each coat (very similar to plastering). Theoretically it can withstand the windforce of an F5 tornado.

Dryvit is less durable, in fact it's not very strong in my opinion though it is supposed to hold up pretty well. The first step is the attaching of a fiber board to the house. I have never seen it applied but I believe a couple of coats of acrylic cement are applied over that. The problem is, the actual coatings are much thinner. If you were to put on a glove and really hit a dyvit wall, you could at the very least damage it and more likely crumble a good portion of it. One of my guys put a ladder against a dryvit wall and put two nice holes in it.

The easiest way to tell the diff betwen the two is to knock on the house. If it sounds hollow, it's Dryvit or some type of EIFS.

 

[PowerWashofVa]

Thank You Ken..........

I was looking at my insurance policy exclusions, Dryvit (EIFS). I called my agent & he advised me not to do either since I'm not covered. I could live with that.

I checked into several other companies and I'm paying $500.00 year for $1000,000 & $5000 coverage for the machine (open trailer), no workers comp.

They told me to stay with myinsurance company, they would charge double. The other one was also double but only $500 ded.

Again I appreciate the help.

Phil