Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: M & C Window Cleaning on May 04, 2007, 02:33:51 pm
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Any of you WFP-ers had problems with water shortage in the hot dry summers? Obtaining water / hosepipe bans / standpipes / customers or customers nieghbours / your own nieghbours even, complaining about waste of water etc. If so how do you deal with ?
This is not a dig at WFP guys and gals, it's info gathering at the mo as I'm hoping to go WFP later this year and the more I know the more prepared I'll be.
I ask the above question as in recent years, in Essex anyways, there's been a lot of talk of h'pipe bans and the like and it affecting tradesmen like ourselves who use a lot of water. This year, round our way the grass and some of the trees have barely got going this spring and they're dying off already.
Mark
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when we had the hosepipe ban last year as long as you could proof you were usung it for work puposes your ok. i might be wrong but its the goverment that have to bring a draught order in ans then it affects companys
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collect rain water off your premisis or house roof let your customers know that you are saving water all year round and it saves you money..
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collect rain water off your premisis or house roof let your customers know that you are saving water all year round and it saves you money..
I might have got a bucketful over the past month, that'll go far ;D
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I might have got a bucketful over the past month, that'll go far
We've not even had that. There's been a couple of medeocre showers that have wet the floor, but not enough for any run-off, though they have promised some for the weekend.
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we had hose pipe bans last summer, your ok if your using it for legitimate business use and its not connected to a mains supply when your cleaning, a few customers and nosey parkers questioned it until I explained, they just see a hose pipe and jump to conclusions afterall ;D
but I think having a flow control on your hose goes some way to showing customers your not wasting water unescessarily
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How do you get rainwater through the RO. I do have a booster pump, would gravity fed be enough?
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I think rain water would not need to go through a ro it's pretty pure
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So whats the tds of rain water, suppose it varies and is dirtier in citys
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Last time I measured the tds of rain water, it was 005 so in theory you could do windows with that tds reading, but you would need a lot of rain to keep you going.
If you find customers moaning about you useing water, just tell them you have a well at the bottom of your garden and you also pay the £1,500 extractiion license to the water board,
Its what I say, when customers have asked me, what will I do in a water shortage, it works every time. ;)
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I joined the federation of small businesses last year and i read in all the bumf that I was given that if you need water to run your biz then you are ok (it wasn't written so beautifully as that but you get my point.) I have 3 1000lt tanks in the garden so if asked I claim that i only use rain water.
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By definition all water has been rain at some point(undergone the cycle of evaporation and precipitation), so technicaly that would be correct.
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there's been a lot of talk of h'pipe bans and the like and it affecting tradesmen like ourselves who use a lot of water.
Mark
We are an easy target. There was nothing said of Coca Cola in kent using millions of ltrs per day, it takes 3ltrs of water to make 1ltr of coke. That is only one buisness.
Then there is all the leaks. If they weren't so busy making millions & only keeping the share holders happy this problem would not be so big.
As for me, i have a mortgage, bills & children, even if banned i'm working. I will loose the lot if i dont work so i will take it up under the Human Rights law.
Macc
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Thats A Very Good Statment Macc i may be wrong dont quote me but if they bring in Drought orders the goverment have to compensate (not that we would get much) also like other post say i got some right nasty looks of the old biddys last summer i just explain and tell them i pay good money for this water :D :D
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id just climb my ladder. problem solved
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???
How about if the windows 40 ft up ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Perhaps if you fancy it come do some work for me, if you like going up that high on ladders ;D
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id just climb my ladder. problem solved
Not for me, i have not invested in Wfp for my own safty to go back on a ladder.
Imagine coming off the ladder, broken bone or back & the ambalance crew wheel you past you van with your Wfp set up sitting there doing nothing. No way, my safty comes first & ladders are a risk i'm no longer prepared to take.
Macc
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id just climb my ladder. problem solved
Not for me, i have not invested in Wfp for my own safty to go back on a ladder.
Imagine coming off the ladder, broken bone or back & the ambalance crew wheel you past you van with your Wfp set up sitting there doing nothing. No way, my safty comes first & ladders are a risk i'm no longer prepared to take.
Macc
My sentiments entirely.
Marcus
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If a water authority bring in a "ban" it will only effect business who do not use water that is detremental to their business so after health and safety bought in that other methods must be used first before laders i:e wfp then you can carry on using water as you need it to run your business we have no other way of cleaning windows safetly.
car washing ....they can shammy the car dry
golf course...you can still play golf on dry greens
window cleaning...we have to use water to run our business you cant bring in a new h&s law and then chuck it in the bin when we have a water shortage.
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The consultation doc says it's an offence to have your private car cleaned in this manner, your private dwelling. So the onus is on the householder.
You might be prepared to run the risk, the house owner probably wont.
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This is all very enlightening stuff. I appreciate your imput. It's given me a lot to think about and some useful info to use if customers inquire.
Mark
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Most likely they will ban WFP on houses as it is non essential use and waste of water. Commerical work will be the health and safety issue.
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The water situation is much better this year than last - more reserves in the reservoirs.
Questions from householders generally are these.
Q.How much water do you use in a day?
Honest answer: About 100L or 20/25gallons a day - (I work say 16 days a month x 12 = 192 days a year @ 200L a day = 38400L divided by 365days in a year = 105L a day. The waste from the R/O I don't "use") ;D
Q. Where do you get your water from?
I collect rainwater
By definition all water has been rain at some point(undergone the cycle of evaporation and precipitation), so technicaly that would be correct.
during the winter months in water butts. I've got a filter system
that "distills" it to a pure state.
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What is the actual water situation in Essex this year? Does anyone know and where would you get the info from?
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What is the actual water situation in Essex this year? Does anyone know and where would you get the info from?
Take the family up to Hanningfield reservoir and have a look. ;D