Window Cleaning Issues - Canvassing, pole systems, pricing, problems, etc.
Frozen hosePosted by Majestic (Majestic), 29 December 2003
This morning when I went to use my WFP the hose had frozen , and no water could get through .
Without going to the expense of buying a heated system , how do you other pole people stop the freeze 
Posted by sean_rimmer (Dom Matrix aka BRODEX), 29 December 2003
Majestic
I know this sounds a bit obvious, but if you blow all the water out of your hoses with an airline at the garage on the way home, (if you can wrestle it off the kids doing their bike tyres) there is nothing to freeze.!
DomPosted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 29 December 2003
Hi Majestic
While I was doing my training on drainage we came up with the same problem in winter.
So had to drain all equipment down and apply a small amount of anti freeze to stop hoses freezing up when we was ready to start work this was pumped out and stored in a container to be re-used when work was finished.
If your system has a pump this should be easy to attach a small container of anti freeze to fill hoses? Or not?
Once anti freeze is drained just flush lines to clean?
We also looked into blowing lines clear but did not always clear lines completely as can lay in bottom of coil (small enought to block jets) we had better results by reducing outlet to gain more pressure to pass through coil of hose.
Hope this helps to give another angle of your problem
Alan Posted by APS_PureWash_Sys (APS_PureWash_Sys), 29 December 2003
Majestic
quite a few window cleaners I know which have water-fed systems get round this problem by sit a small electric heater safely on a board ontop of the tank this seems to work okay for them.
hope this is of some interest to you
cheers
AndrewPosted by sean_rimmer (Dom Matrix aka BRODEX), 29 December 2003
Shinny Shinner
I would'nt recommend the introduction of antifreeze into the equation. Organic derived compounds contain non-volatile residues that could contaminate equipment/surfaces to be cleaned.
DomPosted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 29 December 2003
Hi Dom
Well we never came across a problem,
By attaching to a container and bypassing the main supply tank this would not contaminate it and avoid problems of flushing tanks.
Surely the flushing the hoses would not be as much problem as you mention and once flushed through you would not be contaminating any work area
You could experiment on a dosage as enough to stop equipment from freezing
It was only an idea take it or leave it
AlanPosted by sean_rimmer (Dom Matrix aka BRODEX), 29 December 2003
Shinny Shinner
I hear what you're saying and antifreeze used for drainage works, other pipeworks etc. would be considered good practice. With the pure water application however, the level of contamination only has to be slight, in order to cause a potential problem. All manufacturers brushes have multiple bristle heads, so the surface area is very large for the size of the brush body. Care would have to be taken when flushing pipes out, that the heads were not contaminated, so in all it might not be worth the hassel.. I'm not saying you idea wouldnt work, just that in my experience with chemicals, you always try to keep them apart at all costs..
cheers Dom Posted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 29 December 2003
Hi Dom
Fair enough but could surely to drain down a pole system can you not brake down so all the water to be removed i.e. brush heads removed etc.
A lot of worked I carried out was on supervisor roll to large fresh water/sewage works sites i.e. Thames water, southern water and Anglian so it was important to eliminate all risks of contamination. Staff where informed when precautions where needed in cold spells and steps where taken.
These precautions are not so drastic if it meant loosing out on a days work the next day if precautions where not taken. (Around 10-15 min. per day)
Out of interest have the company you work for looked into an anti freeze system to be fitted on pole systems?
I know of a company not so big who is looking around these lines but not heard of any others.
Good luck
AlanPosted by sean_rimmer (Dom Matrix aka BRODEX), 29 December 2003
Shinny Shinner
Simple answer to first point is suck it and see, maybe it will work? let me know how anyone gets on...thats how we learn.! The company I work for does'nt believe the 2 technologies are compatible (ie. pure water glass cleaning and Ethylene/Propylene glycols usage as freeze protection) however there maybe some other applications for the usage you describe in complementary fields. Thanks
DomPosted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 29 December 2003
Hi Dom
Will do
Good luck
AlanPosted by elfords (elfords), 6 January 2004
It may seem obvious but having experienced frozen hoses in the past are solution is to remove all hoses and poles from the vans during cold spells at the end of each day and store them in the workshop where we have have electric heaters with anti-freeze thermostats. It is a slight inconvenience but it is the simoplest solution that has worked for us. With regards to the van systems all pipes are lagged and the pump is lagged overnight with foam the tanks have never frozen, not yet anyway! Hope that helps and roll on the summer eh
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