Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Nick Day on September 16, 2016, 12:36:09 pm
-
It's taken us 2 years of constant trial and error but we've finally perfected a device that can unblock swannecks from the ground without the need to take ladders and taking the whole swanneck apart. Some of you may remember we put a video on a couple of years ago of the prototype working, here's a video of it doing a customers gutters who had reported a blockage in her downpipe which we were able to clear from the ground without ladders. We use it on every job and it's amazing how many blockages we come across in the swannecks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2SxVJ1kxVE
-
Been using this and just disconnect down pipe at the bottom.
http://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/whats-new/quick-loqtm-gutter-spike.html
-
We've found this to be fairly satisfactory.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1474058572_image.jpeg)
-
It's taken us 2 years of constant trial and error but we've finally perfected a device that can unblock swannecks from the ground without the need to take ladders and taking the whole swanneck apart. Some of you may remember we put a video on a couple of years ago of the prototype working, here's a video of it doing a customers gutters who had reported a blockage in her downpipe which we were able to clear from the ground without ladders. We use it on every job and it's amazing how many blockages we come across in the swannecks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2SxVJ1kxVE
I personally would not mess about like that especially on easy accessible blocked ground floor swan necks.
I've found most blockages are caused by a solid object trapped in/around the top bend so no amount of faffing about with that thing will get it out surely ???
Half a job springs too mind as if you don't remove what has caused the blockage in the first place it will only block up again quite quickly.
Do you have a phobia of using hop-ups/ladders Nick?
-
Been using this and just disconnect down pipe at the bottom.
http://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/whats-new/quick-loqtm-gutter-spike.html
Looks a useless as a chocolate fireguard if you ask me ;D
-
Been using this and just disconnect down pipe at the bottom.
http://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/whats-new/quick-loqtm-gutter-spike.html
Looks a useless as a chocolate fireguard if you ask me ;D
Well you're wrong.
-
OK then but still I will not be rushing out to buy one ;D
-
I always remove the swan neck and clear by hand, you'd be there forever with that on some jobs I've done.
-
I guess it has it's place, very very occasionally, but for the vast majority of first floor domestic cleans the tool of choice really ought to be clearing and dismantling by hand by using a ladder.
-
I guess it has it's place, very very occasionally, but for the vast majority of first floor domestic cleans the tool of choice really ought to be clearing and dismantling by hand by using a ladder.
I agree. This tool would have been no good at pulling out the massive dock plant I removed from a customer's downpipe yesterday. Took quite a bit of tugging ...
-
I'll probably just continue clearing them by hand as that is the best way.
I've seen them bunged up with lumps of mortar, bits of roof tile, rooted in plant life, tennis balls, families of slugs, all sorts really.
-
we find a bit or curtin rail track the best , only needs to be a small bit , bends right round the swan neck and it doesn't do any damage to the gutter or the track itself
-
Most guttervac camera surveys I do it's very common to see one or more downspouts blocked.
To be honest most of the time I don't need to use ladders and/or have to take the joints apart. That's if I can get a guttervac downspout nozzle I made in and down to the first bend it can quickly sort any blockages out. Not only that it's a very quick way to test if it's free flowing or not by simply putting my ear to the downpipe and listing to the amount of air going through it. If the downpipe is open at the bottom you will hear a good volume of air rushing through it or not too
However on awkward access when ladders are not a safe option and/or the joints are fixed sold like cast iron ones etc if that don't work I will try to jet them clear first using tap pressure using a hose pipe and cone nozzle attached to the top of a wfp. Then if that fails the last resort is to use a pressure washer drain jetter to try to jet them clear.
-
Where d'you get your cone nozzles from Smurf?
-
We've been testing this for over two years, it has now become a huge part of our kit. We leave every job knowing we will never get called back. It takes literally a few minutes to run it down every downpipe and around the swannecks. You never know if you've cleared any apart from sometimes if they are blocked as in the video it might take a few seconds for it to bite into the blockage, and then it just screws down, we pull it back still turning and gyrating let it go back...job done every time. We remove the actual weed in the downpipe with our downpipe fork (no matter how big) so all that can be left is roots and mud. We have even removed a small sycamore sapling. It made no difference to the downpipe screw.
Our customers love it with all customers fascinated to see it work. It is so basic and obvious nobody doubts it's ability when they see it work and in just a few seconds they know that the pipes are fully cleared.
Our stats on the site show it to be way ahead of any other viewings, and the way the bookings are coming in, demonstrates the importance that they put on the clearance of the downpipes and the importance they put on the no use of ladders!!.
-
We've been testing this for over two years, it has now become a huge part of our kit. We leave every job knowing we will never get called back. It takes literally a few minutes to run it down every downpipe and around the swannecks. You never know if you've cleared any apart from sometimes if they are blocked as in the video it might take a few seconds for it to bite into the blockage, and then it just screws down, we pull it back still turning and gyrating let it go back...job done every time. We remove the actual weed in the downpipe with our downpipe fork (no matter how big) so all that can be left is roots and mud. We have even removed a small sycamore sapling. It made no difference to the downpipe screw.
Our customers love it with all customers fascinated to see it work. It is so basic and obvious nobody doubts it's ability when they see it work and in just a few seconds they know that the pipes are fully cleared.
Our stats on the site show it to be way ahead of any other viewings, and the way the bookings are coming in, demonstrates the importance that they put on the clearance of the downpipes and the importance they put on the no use of ladders!!.
Thats when you do a video showing it in action, not when there is a couple of leaves in the gutter. Not knocking you but ive never really seen a proper video done by any gutter vacuum retailer showing how effective there equipment is on a proper bunged up guttering and down pipe cleaning job (which is what most of them are), it always seems to have a few leaves and a couple of bits of moss (dry) as if they've been laid there purposely for a video.
-
You never know what you're going to get on a gutter cleaning job until you start doing the work.
It's quite common for swan-necks to simply come apart when knocked, possibly because the down pipe has slipped, they weren't fitted and cut to the right length when originally installed or have moved over time or simply are unfit for purpose now. Show me a tool apart from a ladder that'll deal with those scenarios.
Same can be said for end-caps. Easily knocked off.
-
Unless you use a transparent swanneck it is going to be impossible to show it working on video. It should be pointed out that it is a standard pipe bend clearing technology i.e a motorised screw clearing pipes we just adapted it for gutter cleaning.
In that video the leaves were resting on the blockage. I should also point out that if you have a roof tile that has slipped down against the gutter, the screw will go under the tile and clear any muck under the tile. It is also excellent for running into corners with overhanging lead flashing. We have encountered and dealt with all these problems.
-
Slack Bladder it may be common where you are but it certainly isn't here. We have never knocked off and end cap or had a swanneck fall to bits and we have encountered thousand's, so to claim it being regular doesn't apply here.
-
I'm so tempted to respond sarcastically to that, but I'm not going to bother.
-
Why sarcasm?? people on here are just looking for facts.
-
Here is a fact for you Nick.... If you look at your vid you will see the end bit of guttering is not attached/seated properly to the downspout union clip so is going to leak anyway. ;D
-
That can't be right, poorly seated and ill fitting swan necks and end caps, no, surely not.
-
Why sarcasm?? people on here are just looking for facts.
people come on here to have a laugh, to slate someone and knock them down, to rip apart someones idea, to brag oh and to try and sell there products without having to pay for advertising ;D
-
You never know what you're going to get on a gutter cleaning job until you start doing the work.
It's quite common for swan-necks to simply come apart when knocked, possibly because the down pipe has slipped, they weren't fitted and cut to the right length when originally installed or have moved over time or simply are unfit for purpose now. Show me a tool apart from a ladder that'll deal with those scenarios.
Same can be said for end-caps. Easily knocked off.
Do you use a vac Matt?
-
Customer: Hello, is that the guttercleaningsystems people?
GCS: Yes, that's right madam.
Customer: I appear to have a leak from my first floor gutter, it's dripping water everywhere, right at the end, you know, by the pipe thingy bit that comes down the wall, outside.
GCS: Ah, righty, that sounds like a job for guttercleaningsystems bla bla bla and our super flexy coat hanger thingmajigbobsurunclewhatchamecallit.
Customer: Pardon?
GCS: No worry, we'll be along right away, we've got a new fangled deviceythingy that'll unblock anything downpipey thingy.
Customer: Oooo, marvellous, that sounds just the thing. My husband said it might be that the gutters have become dislodged though with all the weight of leaves in them for the past God knows how many years since they've been cleared and what with all that water in them as they've not been able to run empty. Surely won't the seals be a tad booggered?
GCS: Ummm, nooooo, no, I don't think so. Tell you what we'll get our coat hanger thingymabob out we'll give it a whirl, that'll sort it, regardless.........
2 weeks later.
Customer: Hello, is that GCS? You know that coat-hanger thingymabob, well after it rained last night ......
-
You never know what you're going to get on a gutter cleaning job until you start doing the work.
It's quite common for swan-necks to simply come apart when knocked, possibly because the down pipe has slipped, they weren't fitted and cut to the right length when originally installed or have moved over time or simply are unfit for purpose now. Show me a tool apart from a ladder that'll deal with those scenarios.
Same can be said for end-caps. Easily knocked off.
Do you use a vac Matt?
No.
-
I always ask the customer if they have a particular problem. If they say they have a leak I always tell them we will take a look to see if they have a pile up of muck causing it. If the gutter is okay we advise them they need a seal to contact out local plastics supplier and leave with no charge. Never lie to customers.
We did a job last week were the customer had water pouring over the gutter and it had rotted the wood on his window frame. When we looked a builder had left lumps of concrete in the gutter, the muck had built up and stopped the water flow. We vacced out, the small vac also lifted out the concrete. We got paid. We have never hade a call back...EVER
-
It annoys me lots when I knock end caps off and the swan neck disconnects from the down pipe when gutter vacuuming, Gotta get me bloody ladders out after iv just explained to the custy that this 2grand piece of kit can sort anything out.. ffs and I'm not even joking. These device thingamajigs can only take you so far before you've got no choice but to do it by hand
-
that was a fake blocked swan neck,anybody can see that. a handlefull of dry leaves tucked in the neck wont fool im afraid. as said erlier when a neck is really blocked no cheapo gizmo will do it
-
Likewise Nick I always ask if they are having any issues and always conduct a full guttercam survey whilst on a quote. That way I can see what I’m up against and can find out and show them more often than not what is causing the issues. Then it’s a simple case of pricing the job up accordingly or not wanting to do the job at all I will tell them .
Regards to repairs, gutter creep, new parts required etc that is quoted and charged separately if/ when required. However If I feel the repair job is more hassle than it’s worth I will pass it on to one or more local firms to quote instead.
Using a guttervac I've found Its quite easy if not careful to damage unions, clips etc when using a guttervac especially if the gap is small even using the right size guttervac nozzle for the job. Not great if you have priced a job up to use a guttervac then go oops! how the hell am I going to sort that out... ???
Awkward access 2 storey and 3 storey got to be the worst ones to cockup methinks... Been there, done that, YEEHA! ;D ;D
-
Geri cheek I am 67 years old and left school in 1965 with 2 "O" levels. I neither have the ability, desire or the energy to fake anything, and if I was to fake anything it would be something far more valuable than a device for clearing muck out of gutters.
That bit of film was done two weeks ago (ignore the camera date) at the property of a lady who is a professor at the U.E.A. She was fascinated when I showed her the downpipe clearer and immediately saw that it was an obvious way to clean bends. This technology has been used for years, we have simply miniaturised a technology to be used at height for gutters that has been and is still used for clearing drain pipes.
-
Most guttervac camera surveys I do it's very common to see one or more downspouts blocked.
To be honest most of the time I don't need to use ladders and/or have to take the joints apart. That's if I can get a guttervac downspout nozzle I made in and down to the first bend it can quickly sort any blockages out. Not only that it's a very quick way to test if it's free flowing or not by simply putting my ear to the downpipe and listing to the amount of air going through it. If the downpipe is open at the bottom you will hear a good volume of air rushing through it or not too
However on awkward access when ladders are not a safe option and/or the joints are fixed sold like cast iron ones etc if that don't work I will try to jet them clear first using tap pressure using a hose pipe and cone nozzle attached to the top of a wfp. Then if that fails the last resort is to use a pressure washer drain jetter to try to jet them clear.
Giving away all the secrets papa
-
that was a fake blocked swan neck,anybody can see that. a handlefull of dry leaves tucked in the neck wont fool im afraid. as said erlier when a neck is really blocked no cheapo gizmo will do it
How dare you suggest that !!! It was for demonstration purposes don't you know - - fair play and credit where it's due it's a new idea in gutter clearing and maybe after some developement it will be essential part of gutter clearing
Darran
-
I would have thought the last thing you'd want to do in gutter clearing is force the blockage further down the downpipes.
-
It doesn't force the blockage down, it cuts through it bringing most of it up. Then you can either wash it with a hose or we just leave it till the next rainfall, we've never been called back yet!! We had a job this morning with 9 blocked swan necks which were all glued together, they were cleared in 10 minutes.