Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: jeff1 on October 24, 2006, 05:07:04 pm

Title: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: jeff1 on October 24, 2006, 05:07:04 pm
I'm still a Trad cleaner, but next year I am going over to WFP.

I have been checking my customers windows for compatability for WFP and yesterday I went to one  of my customers of some nine years, and realised his windows may be best done Trad style, This is because all his windows have two lots of transome bars on them,
over the years I have taken to leaving my applicator in the car and washing with a cloth, The water gets behind the bars and Takes ages to finish running from behind the bars, with the cloth I can continue with the work and not worry about running back over my work to check for runs.

My question is if I did decide to use WF I'm I going to have loads of trouble with water running behind the bars, and infact pooling on some of them, or is it best kept to Traditional? any advice from you guy's would be helpfull  :-\
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: MNWC on October 24, 2006, 05:39:39 pm
Hi not sure what you mean any chance of a pic ??
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: jeff1 on October 24, 2006, 05:47:46 pm
Hi Marcus
Sorry I didn't take my camera with me.

If you can picture a window 3' Tall and 1' wide and the windows appear to be split into three smaller windows

were as in reality it is just strips of small beading that is not even fastened to the glass, so when you soak the window the water runs behind the beading and down the window,

if this doesn't make any sense I will try and get a picture tomorrow.
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: windows_chepstow on October 24, 2006, 05:54:20 pm
Jeff,

Do you mean the windows on newish houses that have stuck on plastic strips to give a 'Georgian window effect'?

If this is the case, you can do them no problem.  I gave Ian Giles a run of these houses prior to me going WFP, as I found them a pain to do trad.

He still does them WFP.

Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: jeff1 on October 24, 2006, 06:13:42 pm
Hi Tosh

its not a newish house, but from the ground it looks like there are three seperate pains of glass in all the windows,

but like I said, in reality it is Just one pain of glass, these strips are stuck or pinned to the side rails of the frame or even mortised into the side frame, over the years these bars have warped and on some you can put your fingers behind these bars (made of the same wood by the way) some are still tight against the glass, if I wash with an applicator water just seeps behind these wooden bars and takes ages for  it all to come out, this was my worry for WF, this guy is fussy but a very good customer, I would sooner do it with WF but if the water takes ages to finish seeping from behind the bars I'm worried it will carry any dirt down the windows.
I was wondering if this one would best be kept Traditional?
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: windows_chepstow on October 24, 2006, 06:21:54 pm
It sounds like it's best done trad to me.  I've a few dotted around my round with badly oxidised frames and stuff; that I still do with ladders.

Sometimes I think it's a pain, other times I welcome the change of working practice.
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: jeff1 on October 24, 2006, 06:36:44 pm
I Think your right Tosh, and the same here, I think I would probably welcome the change once in a while. I would have loved to have done it WF, on my own it takes 2 hrs.

So I have just decided to wait until I have a little spare time and the customer is in London, then give it a Bash with WF, if any problems do come to light with the bars, at least I can put it right before he gets home.
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: macmac on October 24, 2006, 07:34:48 pm
hi
i have some of these on my round and to be honest if they are old windows wf is not a good solution but to be fair it,s a case of trial and error.just try a couple of windows to start with and see what they come up like, there will be years of dirt behind that wood. don't worry too much, after a few days of wf you'll be gladd of the change back to trad!
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: D.Salkeld_Ltd on October 24, 2006, 08:07:07 pm
My opinion is, I think you will be able to do them WFP.  But at first they will be a nightmare.  The idea is you will have to get all the muck out from behind the strips once you have you'll have no problems.

I had a simmular problem with some "open" window vents on a house that is UPVC and has frames done.  All the crap in the vents took a couple of cleans to wash out now they make no odds.  The first clean I had to go back and scrim every pane below the vents!

David
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: S_RICHARDSON on October 24, 2006, 09:29:36 pm
Stick to trad.
especially for peace of mind!
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: pjulk on October 24, 2006, 11:48:06 pm
This could be done with WFP with a good flow of water.
But as you said the bars were warped and im thinking this would probably cause problems.

Trad i think would be best.

If its a largish job when you get WFP do a few windows and do the rest Traditional and look at the one's you used WFP on to see how they have dried.
If everthing is ok WFP the lot the next time.
If not stick to traditional

Paul
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: matt on October 25, 2006, 04:59:48 pm
i have a house like this (well i think it is)

i just use LOADS of water first clean or 3 and that flushs behind the bar out

not had a issue with it
Title: Re: Advice needed from the experts
Post by: jeff1 on October 25, 2006, 05:42:18 pm
Thanks Matt
I will give it a try when my customer is in London, and I could spent a little more time correcting any errors.