Get listed in the Spick and Span Directory

Window Cleaning Issues - Canvassing, pole systems, pricing, problems, etc.

Protecting systems from frost

Posted by stevekennedy (stevekennedy), 28 January 2004
Anyone got any ideas for protecting a wfp system from frost? I remember we left our carpet cleaning machine in the garage overnight and the pump broke due to frost. I think it was the same kind of pump as is used in pole systems.

SteveK
Posted by denzle (Denzle), 28 January 2004
If you park your van at your house, could buy an electric thermostatic oil filled radiator and leave it in the van overnight. I don't use a WFP so i don't know for sure but this might work. Or maybe lag everthing in polystyrene and foam from your local plumbers merchant.
Denzle
Posted by Rob_B (Rob_B), 28 January 2004
I keep all my stuff in the house, but how about something like a greenhouse heater (usually parrafin so don't know how safe they are), or if it's in a garage with electrics buy one of them timer switches and get a little electric heater to swicth on 15mins every hour.
Posted by stevekennedy (stevekennedy), 28 January 2004
Thanks for the suggestions guys,

Carpet machine was in my dad's garage. Our house is on a council terrace. The van is on the street unfortunately, so got no electric  Sad

Will try lagging the hoses etc. Excellent idea  Grin

Any idea where I can get one of these paraffin heaters? Sounds like one of them might do the job.

PS. Robb, Nice website. V. Impressive.
Posted by Rob_B (Rob_B), 28 January 2004
I would try one of the big diy stores for a greenhouse heater. Garden centres usually charge the earth.

Cheers about the website comment. Only cost £32 which included 2 year registration of rbwindowcleaning.co.uk. Its one and one starter package, dead easy to do.

Posted by stevekennedy (stevekennedy), 28 January 2004
Been thinking of getting my own website going. Might copy some of your ideas  Grin  Wink
Posted by stevekennedy (stevekennedy), 28 January 2004
Found these heaters on the web for anyone interested:

http://www.diy.com/bq/product/product.jhtml?PRODID=169434&textLocation=top

http://www.diy.com/bq/product/product.jhtml?PRODID=169435&paintCatId=&CATID=183024

SteveK
Posted by Old_Master (Old_Master), 30 January 2004
We have  splashproof electric heaters with frost stat protection - so when the tempreture drops to freezing the heater clicks in, only £32.99
Tube heaters 2' 80watt £11.98
3' 135 watt £13.98
also Zodi Hot Vent 11 propane gas heaters £127.62

Hope its OK advertising  Grin
www.omnipole.com
Posted by Diamond_Vision (Jeff Brimble), 30 January 2004
OK listen carefully, one way of carrying on working at or about freezing is to put some " Isopropyl Alchohol" into your water supply because it dries spot less.
Now u may know I am tight with the water and get by on 2x 5 gallons a day so it dont cost me much to mix it in but for you other guys who use 0000s of gallons it might cost. You can order it from any good independent chemist or pharmacy or an industrial chemist.
So remember to buy me a pint or four.
If it grows much colder then your bristles will freeze up, then its time to put it back in. ! ! ! !
jeff
Posted by WavieDavie (WavieDavie), 30 January 2004
Handy hint Jeff, thanks for that. What is your dilution rate? How much should you put in a 2 gallon bucket which already has detergent and water in it?

ALSO
Isn't Isopropyl Alcohol what some Austrians put in their wine a few years ago? Is that where you first heard of it?  Wink

All the best - hic!
Posted by jonesy5 (jonesy5), 30 January 2004
Very nice hint, it would be nice if Dom could ok it  Wink Grin
Posted by peterf (peterf), 30 January 2004
on 01/30/04 at 22:45:08, WavieDavie wrote:
Handy hint Jeff, thanks for that. What is your dilution rate? How much should you put in a 2 gallon bucket which already has detergent and water in it?

ALSO
Isn't Isopropyl Alcohol what some Austrians put in their wine a few years ago? Is that where you first heard of it?  Wink

All the best - hic!


Dave I don't think it would be too kind on your hands, but we need Dom to verify that.

You can get cheaper alternatives for putting in your squeegee bucket, the benefit of the Isopropyl Alcohol is you add it to your pure water, it doesn't leave spots when the water dries.  



Peter
Posted by Diamond_Vision (Jeff Brimble), 31 January 2004
Like peter says its not for buckets, but for wfp as the subject asks. 1 cap ful per litre approx.
Posted by WavieDavie (WavieDavie), 31 January 2004
Thanks Peter and Jeff,

I have a small amount of wfp work, so duly noted for when the "bad weather" finally gets here!


Posted by Old_Master (Old_Master), 31 January 2004
We use Isopropyl Alchohol (antifreeze) in our steam cleaning units in the winter to stop them freezing over night- we recycle it into a bucket to be used again.
I wouldnt try to use it on a pure water system because the usual antifreeze has a dye in it- also it would i am sure damage some parts of systems eg. DI resin.
It would certainly damage reverse osmosis membranes.
Posted by peterf (peterf), 31 January 2004
Isopropyl Alcohol is just a rubbing alcohol, it is nothing like the antifreeze used in cars, although it could be an additive, if that is the stuff your thinking of?  I don't know if Isopropyl Alcohol will damage resin, I have never run it through resin, I just add it to the purified water.

peter
Posted by Old_Master (Old_Master), 31 January 2004
Isopropyl Alcohol is used in Antifreeze,some products that contain isopropyl alcohol also contain methanol, ethanol, or ethylene glycol.
It was just a word of caution Peter we
dont want people buggering up their systems.


This page is a thread posted to the cleanitup forum at www.cleanitup.co.uk and archived here for reference. To jump to the archive index please follow this link.