[steve doyle]

Hmmm, interesting one this,

I have to agree andy, I clean using water only, the results i get surpass the expectations of the customer which is what i am interested in along with the ease of the job . Routine chemical or detergent additions seem unnessacery and add a risk factor.

I am not "anti chemicals" as it were but once or twice a year for a specific problem would be about the frequency i would need them.

As for damage from water pressure or chemicals I believe water pressure damage is less likely, easier to spot occuring and quickly stopped. Chemical damage is hard to spot when occuring and difficult to stop once its started. There is also plants, pets etc and the run off to consider.

The safety issue with chemical use plus the gain really makes me feel they are not worth the aggrivation for routine use.

[Roger Oakley]

 Chemical damage is hard to spot when occuring and difficult to stop once its started. There is also plants, pets etc and the run off to consider.

Not if you know what you are doing.

[Andy Foster]

Absolutely right Roger, unfortunately not everyone does know what they are doing, which is where the problems can occur.

However, the question isn't about competence, it is about the need to use chemcials when water would do a perfectly good job.

We all have our own opinions and ethical stance on chemical use (and indeed we are all entitled to them).

Thanks for the open discussion.

Andy

[steve doyle]

 Chemical damage is hard to spot when occuring and difficult to stop once its started. There is also plants, pets etc and the run off to consider.

Not if you know what you are doing.

While i appreciate where your coming from with this, I feel that my statement was accurate.

1, Chemical damage is harder to spot occuring than pressure damage because it is rarely occurs instantly and you can be working on another area of job when signs become visable.

2, Any discoloration can be difficult to spot or not always visable untill dry.

3, If damage does occur with chemicals, you cannot stop it instantly unlike the trigger on a gun.


If your "not if you know what your doing" reply refers to not making an error in the first place then all well and good, I am simply suggesting that for those of us that have ever made a mistake or may well in the future It can create alot of aggrivation and heart ache.


The potential problems combined with neglible "routine job" improvements mean i am not prepared to use chemicals unless to resolve a specific problem.

I Think people obviously make their own decisions about best practise as this thread demonstrates but for those people who are novices to this field i would like to displace any myth that routine chemical use is the norm or compulsary.

[Roger Oakley]

Absolutely right Roger, unfortunately not everyone does know what they are doing, which is where the problems can occur.

However, the question isn't about competence, it is about the need to use chemcials when water would do a perfectly good job.

We all have our own opinions and ethical stance on chemical use (and indeed we are all entitled to them).

Thanks for the open discussion.

Andy

Andy sensible reply it was an open discussion.

[Roger Oakley]

 Chemical damage is hard to spot when occuring and difficult to stop once its started. There is also plants, pets etc and the run off to consider.

Not if you know what you are doing.

While i appreciate where your coming from with this, I feel that my statement was accurate.

1, Chemical damage is harder to spot occuring than pressure damage because it is rarely occurs instantly and you can be working on another area of job when signs become visable.

2, Any discoloration can be difficult to spot or not always visable untill dry.

3, If damage does occur with chemicals, you cannot stop it instantly unlike the trigger on a gun.


If your "not if you know what your doing" reply refers to not making an error in the first place then all well and good, I am simply suggesting that for those of us that have ever made a mistake or may well in the future It can create alot of aggrivation and heart ache.


The potential problems combined with neglible "routine job" improvements mean i am not prepared to use chemicals unless to resolve a specific problem.

I Think people obviously make their own decisions about best practise as this thread demonstrates but for those people who are novices to this field i would like to displace any myth that routine chemical use is the norm or compulsary.

Steve,
You may feel you statement was accurate,
But here are my answwers to your 3 points
1, I suggest you all do some research, learn what chemicals really do.
2, You can neutralise a chemical if you know what you are doing, see staement one.
3, Chemical damage can be visible straight away if you know what you are looking for, unlike an etchced surface, which can sometimes only be seen when the surface is dry.

I don't know what you do, but we only pressure wash, be it decking, paving, building washes etc 52 weeks, 12 months of the year so I think I know what works, I have enough of you guys email or phone me for advice.

Anyway don't really want to get into a big debate with this subject as we will all have our own opinions , I will say this, do some research on this, do some tests, you might learn something.

[steve doyle]

Well roger I Also pressure wash full time.

Having worked for 5 years for chemical manufacturers I understand what chemicals do and how they work thank you.

Without this becoming an argument your condescending responce didnt actually address any of the 3 points i made.

 1, Chemical damage is harder to spot occuring than pressure damage because it is rarely occurs instantly and you can be working on another area of job when signs become visable.
" I suggest you all do some research, learn what chemicals really do."
()

2, Any discoloration can be difficult to spot or not always visable untill dry.
" Chemical damage can be visible straight away if you know what you are looking for, unlike an etchced surface, which can sometimes only be seen when the surface is dry."
(yes they can be visable straight away but often are not as per my statement 2. chemicals invariably take time to work).


3, If damage does occur with chemicals, you cannot stop it instantly unlike the trigger on a gun.
" You can neutralise a chemical if you know what you are doing, see staement one."
(yes you can neutralise chems but it takes time, its not instant and can take several minutes as point 3!)

Personally it bothers me not one jot what you choose to use and how, nor will i try to suggest you should do anything different as its of no interest for me to do so. if you do feel the need to question the acuracy of my posts feel free but please do it factually.

I will end my involvement in this thread now but you do make a very good point that its always important to research the chemicals you are going to use and continue learning.

steve

[Roger Oakley]

Steve
Sorry if you thought my response was condescending, it wasn't meant to come across that way.  I think the "what is the best ways to clean" debate could run on forever, so best everyone do what works for them really. You are right Steve it is now a good time to end this thread/debate.