Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: mick hay on September 26, 2011, 01:17:42 pm
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im about to get a gutter vac, can anyone who has one convince its a good investment?
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Im in two minds as well which ones you looking at getting?
Guess once you have it you have it so least you can just use it as and when its needed hey also i dont do millions of gutters insides but when i do i hate doing them ha ha (soooo messy)
My question would be are the cheaper end vac's like clarke 20 and 30 any good because i'd buy those at them prices.
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if i do, it will be the clarke 30. I dont do any gutter cleans at mo, but am wondering if it really is a good earner!!
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They look pretty good don't they mate... I just wonder if the poles will fit in my van.. If and when I normally do gutters I pole them with a gutter scoop which works very well but I hate the mess and the ladder work. Just looks nice and simple with the vac. :)
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Hey Mick
Will give you a bell later m8.
Wayne
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Hello,
Just to let you know the poles are 5'3" (1.6 m) long in total.
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Hey Mick
Will give you a bell later m8.
Wayne
cheers Wayne...have you got one?
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Should easy go in the van then do you own one?
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Got one of Nicks ones.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/mike28/IMAG0213.jpg)
I forgot to do a before photo !!
Found it easier over large extensions to get up so you're underneath the gutters rather than leaning right across. They will do it but the poles are a bit heavy if you're going across. Just take the vac up !!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/mike28/IMAG0212.jpg)
They certainley empty them out fine though.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/mike28/IMAG0224.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/mike28/IMAG0225.jpg)
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I have a large 3000w vac with a generator that gets towed behind the van. I also have a 1500w Lidl vac that stays in the van all the time and uses the customers electricity.
If you want commercial work then go for a big vac and generator. Domestics then the small vacs are fine provided you don't expect miracles - they won't clear a well blocked S bend but will suck out silt and leaves from the gutters.
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So do you all find them a good add on? plenty of work for them? Are the custies paying the price you want?
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No shortage of work, just depends how much you expect to charge. Most of my customers want everything done outside plus soffits etc.
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So do you all find them a good add on?
Definateley preferable to using a ladder and a scoop !!!
plenty of work for them?
There is for ours!!
Are the custies paying the price you want?
Not sure i understand this question, if they don't pay the price we want then we don't do them?
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well, ive been told on average for a 3 bed semi, with 3 lengths of gutters, (with no real problems) would take 30 mins, from arrival to leaving, so to me thats worth £45, just emptying.
To clean outsides soffits etc, extra £75.
Sound fair?
Are you also getting custom from outside your window customers too?
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So £15 per side for the inners then... I normally charge £15 to £20 for washing down fascia n guttering but if they went for both I'd give discount to incorrage both jobs been done..
Gotta get me a vac I thinks ;D
And nice pic's there matey looked like a nice little job is that the Clarke 30
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get off the ladders and get a vac ;) done 4 in the past week, 3 of them could not be cleaned without a vac ;D
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are my eyes playing ticks on me or is that really a vac on the roof?
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are my eyes playing ticks on me or is that really a vac on the roof?
yeah, usually i strap it on my back like a back pack and then vaccum away from the top of the ladder. Thats how i've been told its best.
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has anybody got a link to these 1.6m poles you are using , where are they from ?
Cheers Rich
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So £15 per side for the inners then... I normally charge £15 to £20 for washing down fascia n guttering but if they went for both I'd give discount to incorrage both jobs been done..
Gotta get me a vac I thinks ;D
And nice pic's there matey looked like a nice little job is that the Clarke 30
yeah its the 30 mate.
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Hello,
The poles are our poles (Gutter Cleaning Systems) they are 1.5M long plus the swage which slots the poles together on top which takes the total length to 1.6M.
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Nick,members who use gutter vacs.Those mirrors for
Inspecting and looking into the gutters while working,
I wear specatcles( glasses ) can ya really see whats going
On `up there`even at 15 or 18 feet let alone 30 feet or more ?
Lewis Doubtfire
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are my eyes playing ticks on me or is that really a vac on the roof?
yeah, usually i strap it on my back like a back pack and then vaccum away from the top of the ladder. Thats how i've been told its best.
Although I find that entertaining why is the vac pictured on the roof?
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Here you go Richy :-*
http://www.guttercleaningsystems.co.uk/poles.html
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is this clarke 30 working from a generator or electric
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are my eyes playing ticks on me or is that really a vac on the roof?
yeah, usually i strap it on my back like a back pack and then vaccum away from the top of the ladder. Thats how i've been told its best.
i dispair :-X you have a gutter vac and take it up the ladder ;D ;D ;D ;D HELLO
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Here you go Richy :-*
http://www.guttercleaningsystems.co.uk/poles.html
you can buy 4 aluminium poles of ebay for £60 ;D ;D
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is this clarke 30 working from a generator or electric
I run mine off a generator. Not sure what anyone else does.
Nick,members who use gutter vacs.Those mirrors for
Inspecting and looking into the gutters while working,
I wear specatcles( glasses ) can ya really see whats going
On `up there`even at 15 or 18 feet let alone 30 feet or more ?
Yes you can see fine with the mirror even with glasses. What i would say about the mirror is that they are prone to be knocked off so its best to secure them extra with a few wraps of insulating tape or summat so if you knock it then it won't fall off. I changed the mirror supplied for a larger mirror so the angle i need it at to see is not as critical. But to be honest you do get a 'feel' for it, a quick run along with the mirror just confirms its clear.
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mike, how long have you used your gutter vac for, also does it really suck all the thick mud and dirt after diging it up with the tool supplied, i am really wantig to buy one, just need to know it actualy works, sorry to ask so many questions, i dont want to part with money for a gutter vac if struggles to perform, also is this vac a 110v or 230v with the genny, thanks
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mike, how long have you used your gutter vac for, also does it really suck all the thick mud and dirt after diging it up with the tool supplied, i am really wantig to buy one, just need to know it actualy works, sorry to ask so many questions, i dont want to part with money for a gutter vac if struggles to perform, also is this vac a 110v or 230v with the genny, thanks
We've had it about 2 months, maybe a few weeks longer. It does suck all the thick mud out yes, i've never needed to use the tool with the long thing on it yet in the wet or dry. The vac is 230/240 v , the genny i have well i already had it and its does either.
As mentioned on earlier threads, i thought it would struggle on gutters with a very narrow gap (i.e big slate/tile overhang) but you can get a narrower nozzle for that (which we've got).
As Hydro mentioned although they will pick a brick up almost they won't pull roots out of an 'S' bend, not that i expected them to, as clearing a downspout is a whole different game to cleaning out gutters.
The poles can be a bit heavy if you are using them at angles going towards horizontal, a good modification (i hope Nicks reading this!) would be to have the final nozzle adjustable and removable. That would negate having to buy a complete 'U' section for different nozzles but more importantly could give you the flexibility of changing its angle when reaching along over connys sideways. The poles can be a very snug fit, so you could emery them to make them a bit looser and easier to fit. We machined ours slightly and reversed the way they fit so dirt cannot get sucked into the joins (if that makes sense?)
All in all very pleased.
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I have a contract , which maybe dependable on Gutter Cleaning ,, 3 storey Hotel ,, so its 40ft minimum ,, what poles , what Vac , and is it a one man job ?
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Daft not to have a gutter vac
It is another service to add onto and it keeps you and your staff safe
More money and reduced H&S got to be a no brainer
If you are going to get one dont muck about get what we consider the best and get it from Omnipole
Hasn't let us down although been treated harsh and worked hard, has it paid for itself? oh yes and not just in gutters
We oftem pick up the window cleaning from hotels, care homes and offices because we do both
Gordon
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If you are going to get one dont muck about get what we consider the best and get it from Omnipole
Gordon, i'm curious as to why you would recommend the Omnipole one as it is very expensive. Granted the cheapest route is to get a wet and dry vac and diy it. I chose Nicks gutter vacs as they are the cheapest ready made option. Up and running out the box so to speak. Whats so good about the Omnivac?
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seriously!!!!!
you bought a gutter vac but you still get up on a ladder to clear out the gutters?????
do you have a wfp system and if so do you still get up the ladder to use that!!!!
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seriously!!!!!
you bought a gutter vac but you still get up on a ladder to clear out the gutters?????
do you have a wfp system and if so do you still get up the ladder to use that!!!!
Like Judge Judy says...(you can tell i don't start early!! ;D ), if it doesn't makes sense then its generally not true !!!
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Well you dont need to take it onto the roof for a strat :-X
seriously tho, why get a vac then hump it onto a roof ???????????????????
just get a 135 deg end nozzle you can then get over lower levels no problem.
the jury is still out (for me) on cheap vacs - the Omnovac will pull out plugs of earth and weed from 4 storeys up ( as shown on other threads ) and a totally blocked swan neck with a 2 ft long 'weed/plant' other than ice the Omni vac never fails to clear a gutter no matter what the weather ( be aware of using 240v in the rain ! ) and been happily working for over 2 years without any problems - time will tell weather the clarke will last as long....
Darran
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We are Gutter Cleaning Systems...our largest individual customers for our weedhook are Omnivac owners....oops!!
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and another jumps on the bandwagon!
http://www.grippatank.co.uk/GrippaVac-Range.html
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carbon-Fibre-Gutter-Vacuum-Pole-Grippatank-340grams-/120783469759?pt=UK_HomeGarden_CLV_Cleaning_CA&hash=item1c1f417cbf#ht_1680wt_1270
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hM0iCmAgz0
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Well you dont need to take it onto the roof for a strat :-X
seriously tho, why get a vac then hump it onto a roof ???????????????????
just get a 135 deg end nozzle you can then get over lower levels no problem.
the jury is still out (for me) on cheap vacs - the Omnovac will pull out plugs of earth and weed from 4 storeys up ( as shown on other threads ) and a totally blocked swan neck with a 2 ft long 'weed/plant' other than ice the Omni vac never fails to clear a gutter no matter what the weather ( be aware of using 240v in the rain ! ) and been happily working for over 2 years without any problems - time will tell weather the clarke will last as long....
Darran
Explain to me how you move a vac along a gutter if it is so powerful that it can pull a two foot clump out of a downspout?
Do you think its possible for such a vaccum to pull a gutter out of its retaining clips? If not, why not? I reckon
its harder to pull a two foot clump out than pull a gutter out of its retaining clips?
As you'll well know, the vac pulls your poles into the gutter making it hard to move along. I took the vac onto an extension as its was a three storey house (although you can't see that from the pics) and its very difficult to move along when your poles are almost horizontal. I thought i made that clear in my comment with the pic.
Like anything, a gutter vac is an invaluable aid to cleaning out gutters and does it far better than doing it by hand with a ladder and scoop. But potential gutter vac users should beware, if you hit loose end caps, downspout fittings then you will have to get up the ladder to put them right if you knock them off.
If you've been working with an Omni for two years then i'm sure you're far more experienced than me at doing it. Pity you havn't posted up any of your experiences for the OP who needs convincing that they're any good.
Regarding whether the clarke will last two years, well the consumer protection act tells me that it should do, so i'll go with that.
When mine won't clear a gutter i'll be the first to tell you. And when it does at four levels i'll post some more pics if i go up the ladder. Oh, no i can't go up !! Sod it , i will , with a camera just to show ya !!! ;D
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seriously!!!!!
you bought a gutter vac but you still get up on a ladder to clear out the gutters?????
do you have a wfp system and if so do you still get up the ladder to use that!!!!
Like Judge Judy says...(you can tell i don't start early!! ;D ), if it doesn't makes sense then its generally not true !!!
sorry not looking for an argument but that reference is lost on me
do you use your gutter vac off a ladder??
and as a foot note
how do all you gutter vac users cope with those stupid mesh systems???
either the clip over or the internal ones??
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right just read that last post about the 3 storey extension bit
got you now :)
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We are Gutter Cleaning Systems...our largest individual customers for our weedhook are Omnivac owners....oops!!
Is that because the Omnivac is so popular ? :P
Mike - if you search the threads you will find many, many posts and pics where i have promoted the use of gutter vac's - of any make beacause they are safer than using ladders - IMO the smaller items are not as effective as the larger stuff - ie.. you need a weed hook as it wont suck out weeds - you have people taking them up ladders to get closer to the gutter - 'mock up' blocked gutters are used to 'show-off' how good they are - rather than filming a 'real' blocked gutter
We have never pulled out a gutter from it's clips - they are stronger than you think - but yes be careful of end caps !
if you are having trouble moving along the gutter it maybe that the roof felt has been left long and laid into the gutter - then its like using the nozzle on a carpet.
Unlike others i have no agenda with recomending any particular vac - i know they are good - some better than others and dont want to see things overhyped only to lead peoples dissapointment
Best regards
Darran
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if you are having trouble moving along the gutter it maybe that the roof felt has been left long and laid into the gutter - then its like using the nozzle on a carpet.
A carpet that's not stuck to the floor Darran. The nozzle grabs the felt and it's like a tug of war with a golden retreiver. The trick is to run along the top of it as best you can but then also try to get underneath it as a lot of the rubbish is under the felt. I still don't know why some roofers do this >:( Also watch out for another of my pet hates - the sat dish installer who has used the gutter as a handy channel for his wires over a 30 metre length >:( >:(
Re the wire mesh on the gutter, as far as I'm concerned that's game over before it's even started. I just tell them to get the guy who installed the mesh to come and clean the gutters ;D
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Yep totally agree with you on both counts scoop
PITA when the gutter has been used as a cable run ::)
Darran
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Darran,
As you have set yourself up as an expert on gutter cleaning, you really should point out that you have never actually tried and operated any of the kits that you criticise.
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhh there we have it yet again !
i have merely put forward my experience's and opinions - which i might add i am perfectly entitled to do on a open forum.
rather than being 'prickly' because people ask a few questions or disagree with your sales pitch and have found other suppliers to be excellent at both domestic and commercial work you take offence.
just to remind you that on another thread/forum it was you who slated me and tried to pass me off as a 'rival' - which plainly is not the case.
personally i hope you sell many, many vac systems because the more people that use these safely from the ground the better !
having said that i think you should be selling it on it's own merits and not by rubbishing other companies systems
As for trying one - feel free to drop one off for a a week or 2 - as you know i'm only five mins down the road :-*
Lighten up a bit and respect other people once in a while
all the best
Darran
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Darran,
As you have set yourself up as an expert on gutter cleaning, you really should point out that you have never actually tried and operated any of the kits that you criticise.
yawn yawn yawn
"im about to get a gutter vac, can anyone who has one convince its a good investment?"
so nick when you put a quote like this when you are a surpplier what do you except,or are you just trying to get more sales.hmmmmmmmmm
there i was thinking the forum had rules on suppliers. :o :o :o :o :o
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Omni guttervac works well for me :)
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If you aint got a gutter vac, your a nobody, simples
Gutter vac is king and its so cool, trendy as hell infact
BUY ONE TODAY, YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE
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Done another job today, took no pics sorry, but mine pulled out big heavy clumps of grass and growing weeds. What i had to do was lift it up from the gutter and then as its to big to go down the tube, lift it over the gutter switch the gutter vac off and let it drop down. Now a question..........where my intake goes into the drum there is a 90 degree bend/shield sort of thing and this is a potential (actual!) blocking point. Can i remove (cut away) the shield so the contents just fly into the drum (probably aiming straight at the filter) or do i have to leave that little angle jobby on?
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Like you said it will fire the crud directly at the filter/motor. Omnivac modify their inlets so that the ninety degree bend is eliminated. Quite simple really just a tube that runs closer to the drum wall. They give it a fancy name like cyclonic inlet and claim it boosts suction. I don't understand why the Clarke versions aren't modified the same. Someone could make a few bob just by supplying the inlets i would imagine.
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Like you said it will fire the crud directly at the filter/motor. Omnivac modify their inlets so that the ninety degree bend is eliminated. Quite simple really just a tube that runs closer to the drum wall. They give it a fancy name like cyclonic inlet and claim it boosts suction. I don't understand why the Clarke versions aren't modified the same. Someone could make a few bob just by supplying the inlets i would imagine.
Whats the inlets on your aldi/lidle one like? Also, i'm not asking you to be responsible if i get it wrong but would you take a chance and saw some of that 90 degree of a little bit?
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I have tried in the past without the deflector but it goes straight for the filter. lidl vac and Eastern Trading version that I have are the same. Really need an inlet like this.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/StreamVac-Gutter-cleaning-21ft-reach-guttervac-/180588009037?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D3129911562734820472#ht_1297wt_1037
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GutterVac-4200-watt-Gutter-Vac-Cleans-52-Ground-/170570399642?pt=UK_B_I_Business_for_Sale_CV&hash=item27b6c9bf9a#ht_2182wt_1037
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I only use 38mm hose. I think the latest Omnivac has 100mm inlet. Not sure how it works. massive suction too.
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Ok, thanks for that. I'll take a chance and trim it back towards 45 degree.
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Darran,
As you have set yourself up as an expert on gutter cleaning, you really should point out that you have never actually tried and operated any of the kits that you criticise.
yawn yawn yawn
"im about to get a gutter vac, can anyone who has one convince its a good investment?"
so nick when you put a quote like this when you are a surpplier what do you except,or are you just trying to get more sales.hmmmmmmmmm
there i was thinking the forum had rules on suppliers. :o :o :o :o :o
I think you'll find that that was written by "MICK HAY" not "NICK DAY". ;)
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We got "given" a Gutter Vac set up earlier this year when we bought out another window cleaning round, tried it once and for us on small jobs it's more hassle than using ladders.
Majority of our customers want their whites cleaned as well as their gutters emptied so for now we are just doing them from ladders and making very good money from it.
If work comes in that requires the use of a gutter vac then we have it, but mostly we cope quite well and safely from ladders.
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The bigger and more powerful the vac is the better it will be. However, once you get to Omnivac size for residential then the more of a pain in the arse it is, particularly if you want your own power. 6kva generator is a monster and near impossible for one man to shift. The small vacs are less efficient but so easy to cart about and most customers don't object to you using their electric.