Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Kevin R on July 24, 2008, 10:39:21 pm
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I just got my new hot wfp unit fitted by Varitech. Heres is a picture.
Its diesel powered unit. This is the first unit built by Varitech so I got a good price for being the guinea pig.
So far I am very pleased with it ;D
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how much is it usually? Luke
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Does Varitech have a website!
Andy
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how much is it usually? Luke
Does Varitech have a website!
Andy
I'm Not sure of the price as Mike has just started building them, its early days ;D They don't have a website but you can call them on 01626 830 830.
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What make of heater is it? Is it plumbed into your vans diesel tank?
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What make of heater is it? Is it plumbed into your vans diesel tank?
its a webasto, yes its plumbed into the tank ;)
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Excellent. I have a Thermopure which is a webasto heater, very reliable never had a problem with it. Im having a new van fitted out at the moment, not Ionics, which im having another webasto fitted to the system. Im also a guinea pig, ill post some pics when i get it back end of next week. I think we will see a lot more suppliers going down the hot water route!
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Excellent. I have a Thermopure which is a webasto heater, very reliable never had a problem with it. Im having a new van fitted out at the moment, not Ionics, which im having another webasto fitted to the system. Im also a guinea pig, ill post some pics when i get it back end of next week. I think we will see a lot more suppliers going down the hot water route!
I haven had time to test it properly but I cleaned my van(nearest thing to hand) on one side with cold and the other with hot, I did a quick once over nothing more but I was amazed how much cleaner and dryer the hot side was.
I think hot will become much more popular with time ;)
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Enjoy your new toy, and first cleans! ;D
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Enjoy your new toy, and first cleans! ;D
I have a large office block to do on Monday morning. Apparently It hasn't been cleaned for 5 years or more. I looking forward to seeing if it does a better job ;D
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Ha ha, that will be a proper test! Lets us know how you get on. :)
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hi kevin when you have used it a while could you let us know what the running costs are for the diesel and also whether you have any problems with hoses or brushes now that hot water is passin through them .
thanks trevor
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Hi Kev R
missed you by minutes yesterday. Got the bits you left with Mike, thanks, left the money with him next time you're out there. I've got an Ionics hot brush you can have as I don't use it.
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Hi Kev R
missed you by minutes yesterday. Got the bits you left with Mike, thanks, left the money with him next time you're out there. I've got an Ionics hot brush you can have as I don't use it.
Thanks Wayne. ;D
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Hi Wayne, how does the Ionics hot wash brush differ/compare with the normal cold brush and... why dont you use it ?
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Well the hot pure water is a dream.
The pure water leaves the machine at 60 degrees C but its a constant 52 degrees C at the brush.
It really does make the microbore floppy and very easy to manage, a lot less kinks today. Some brushes go a little bit softer which actually makes the vikan rectangle a really nice brush, however I still prefer my salmon double trim which is a soft brush anyway but it doesn't seem to be affected much at all.
I used the system all day today.
I did a large bi-monthly commercial this morning. The job is mostly large glass panels set in a deep frame. The spiders are always keen to live here as its bi-monthly. Usually the job takes me about 1 hour due to scrubbing like mad to remove the corner nests. Today I was done in about 40 mins as the 52 degree C pure water just dissolved them. Also by the time I got to the end of the panel the first sections were dry which made checking my spotless work easy.
I then did a couple of large residentials, one with georgian sash which usually takes a lot of effort again due to spiders and tree sap but it was easy today.
The next house is all white upvc (PVC-u) and its done monthly. The glass is spotless anyway and there was no real advantage to using hot except on the frames. The heat made removing the little black dots (fly/spider crap) easy. Usually I cant remove these dots.
I am glad I have bought a hot system as it does make the job a bit easier on the dirtier jobs, and I did like the fact that its pretty much dry before you leave.
Its a definite advantage on bird poo as it whips it straight off, with no messing around with wetting then going back.
So far Im very happy ;D ;D ;D
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Its an all new cleaning experience isn't it! ;D Glad you are enjoying using it.
Just out of interest, where is the header/coolant tank?
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Its an all new cleaning experience isn't it! ;D Glad you are enjoying using it.
Just out of interest, where is the header/coolant tank?
Its inside the stainless box ;)
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From the pic at a quick glance, i didn't think the box looked big enough.
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From the pic at a quick glance, i didn't think the box looked big enough.
Mike has done a really good job fitting it all together, He particularly wanted everything in the one box making it a neat no fuss add on two any existing system.
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It looks really neat and tidy, like the rest of your van. ;D you should see in the back of mine!!
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Hi Wayne, how does the Ionics hot wash brush differ/compare with the normal cold brush and... why dont you use it ?
I use to like the old Ionics commercial brushes because they done a good job and felt good to work with although they lost their shape quickly.
I didn't like the Ionics multipole (domestic) brushes because they are narrower and very floppy to work with.
The new Ionics commercial brush is much stiffer, designed for hot WFP users but I've never really got on with it simply because it's too stiff, (even using hot water), and doesn't splay very well at all. It may be alright for cleaning really filthy conservatory roof's but it's not for me for cleaning glass, simply because it doesn't splay very well.
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Thank you.
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Well I spent the day doing a first clean at a factory & offices today. The first real test for me and my new "hot Box".
One thing I noticed very quickly was that I needed to turn my flow rate down. Usually I set my Varistream on 2.5 on the dial but this was too much, water seemed to be going everywhere. I turned the setting down to 2 and that seemed about what I usually use. I dont know but I guess the hot water must expand so you use less?
The second thing I noticed was spiders nests and bird poo (even baked on) were not a problem, very quick to remove which speeded things up a bit. Also greasy finger prints were removed with ease.
On one part of the building (in direct sunlight) I had a bit of a problem with the water steaming off the glass and drying spotty. I think this was a combination of hot wfp and heat from the sun. Im not sure if cold wfp would have faired any better. I left this section too the end of the day and re-cleaned the glass only. No spotting once dry.
My favorite thing apart from the bird poo and spider nest removal was that the glass dries quicker than usual. Making checking your work much easier than before. However it was very hot today so how noticeable this will be the depth of winter I dont know.
I do believe that hot wfp has saved me time. You can get a window to a good result very quickly. After I had cleaned several I got my confidence and was able to clean much faster with less effort than usual.
All in all a good day ;D
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Kev, if you're using hot water on south facing side on hot day, glass is extra hot from the sun and needs more rinsing IMO :) The larger the glass, the more it's baked and absorbing heat from the sun, so the more water you'll need, worse if it's tinted glass. 8)
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Thanks Wayne, this glass had a mirror film on the inside 8)
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Kev, if you're using hot water on south facing side on hot day, glass is extra hot from the sun and needs more rinsing IMO :) The larger the glass, the more it's baked and absorbing heat from the sun, so the more water you'll need, worse if it's tinted glass. 8)
More if your using cold.
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Kev, if you're using hot water on south facing side on hot day, glass is extra hot from the sun and needs more rinsing IMO :) The larger the glass, the more it's baked and absorbing heat from the sun, so the more water you'll need, worse if it's tinted glass. 8)
Yes you defo need to rinse more if it is in direct sunlight and the glass is hot. I found this out when using the system for the first time, but the beauty as you say, is you can check on your work once you have finished.
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The way the weather is at the moment Hot water is hardly worth the expense.
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The way the weather is at the moment Hot water is hardly worth the expense.
You are probably right! I dont use it much on regular cleans in hot weather, only first cleans.
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It was 30 degrees in the south today and my hoses were really hot,the water was coming out warm.
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No need to use hot wfp on normal cleans this time of year unless the windows are heavily soiled in bird pooh or new cleans to save some time. The sun will heat the water in the uncoiled hose laying on the ground sufficient enough to make a noticeable difference anyway. Save the diesel for your heater for later in the year when it really makes a difference.
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So guys if you were doing a quarterly clean would you use hot?
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No probably not in this weather, depends on how bad they were.
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I use hot on weekly cleans,... it's hard going back to cold stiff hoses once you've gotten used to hot!
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If the quarterly clean is on a main busy road or heavily soiled I probably would, depends how dirty they are. If they're not bad, I wouldn't bother using hot wfp, just extra water for scrubbing first.
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Nathanael... Can i ask you how much (Total) it cost you to set up your hot system..
Bazz...
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The way the weather is at the moment Hot water is hardly worth the expense.
Wrong! this time of year, the water can dry too quick and cause spotting, hot water system will help on hot glass because equal heat exchange
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hi I don't want to p-ss on your fireworks mate BUT at that temp you will
break windows I know we have 3 times now and its not funny trying
to explain to the custys may be 40 deg and 20 in winter which is what
we use for the last 3 years but still windows let go and crack even now
probably cracked 50 ish windows bit here bit there but still a crack so
beware sorry to go on Edd
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The way the weather is at the moment Hot water is hardly worth the expense.
Wrong! this time of year, the water can dry too quick and cause spotting, hot water system will help on hot glass because equal heat exchange
You`ve been listening to Reuben to much,buy 1 in winter cos it`s cold and by 1 in summer for your above reason,old Reuben must have blisters on his hands from rubbing them to much lol. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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hi I don't want to p-ss on your fireworks mate BUT at that temp you will
break windows I know we have 3 times now and its not funny trying
to explain to the custys may be 40 deg and 20 in winter which is what
we use for the last 3 years but still windows let go and crack even now
probably cracked 50 ish windows bit here bit there but still a crack so
beware sorry to go on Edd
Edd,
the 50 ish windows you've cracked.... were they mainly small, single paned, set in wooden frames held in with putty? That's the ones I hear pinging sometimes in the winter when it's very cold outside and I've had my water a bit too hot for my liking.
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The way the weather is at the moment Hot water is hardly worth the expense.
Wrong! this time of year, the water can dry too quick and cause spotting, hot water system will help on hot glass because equal heat exchange
You`ve been listening to Reuben to much,buy 1 in winter cos it`s cold and by 1 in summer for your above reason,old Reuben must have blisters on his hands from rubbing them to much lol. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Lol ;D he did show me on one of his road shows!
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I don't listen to numptys
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Nathanael... Can i ask you how much (Total) it cost you to set up your hot system..
Bazz...
Saw your post on ACS and answered there,...
:)
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Nathanael... Can i ask you how much (Total) it cost you to set up your hot system..
Bazz...
Saw your post on ACS and answered there,...
:)
Plugging your site again ;D Talking of which, where's window washers (Ian)? Either on hols or got finger cramp :D
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Nathanael... Can i ask you how much (Total) it cost you to set up your hot system..
Bazz...
Saw your post on ACS and answered there,...
:)
Cheers Nat....
Ill have a look in the morning as im off to nod land now..
Bazz...
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you will learn the hard way it looks like just let me know ....and be honest the first
double glazed unit you break IT WILL SHOCK YOU so be prepared
one window we broke was a perfectly fitted upstairs unit then BANG !! oh sh.. we said
still payed the £60 to repair it then had a word with the glazier and he said that when it
was fitted it was packed to tight in the frame and the heated water must have expanded
the glass enough to make it break and break it did that wae only one story of double glazed
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I've had Hot WFP for 5 months now,... not a single broken/cracked window. I just keep the temp at about 40 Degrees Celsius,.. works for me!
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you will learn the hard way it looks like just let me know ....and be honest the first
double glazed unit you break IT WILL SHOCK YOU so be prepared
one window we broke was a perfectly fitted upstairs unit then BANG !! oh sh.. we said
still payed the £60 to repair it then had a word with the glazier and he said that when it
was fitted it was packed to tight in the frame and the heated water must have expanded
the glass enough to make it break and break it did that wae only one story of double glazed
Edd
one of my hot wfp customers had a double glazed large pane of glass shatter into tiny pieces which I clean using hot but luckily for me it happened when I wasn't there. The customer said it was badly fitted and just went, but it was fitted 6 months previously and went on a hot day in the spring.
During cold spells I place the brush in the centre of large panes of glass to disperse the heat equally to the edges to minimise the glass cracking. Do you start in the centre or at the top on large panes of glass?
I personally think thermal shock weakens glass and in time it is possible to give, but that's just my theory. I'd like someone to prove it to put uncertainty out of my head.
Not a lot is known about how hot continuous water being rinsed over glass affects it. I would like to understand more if anyone knows?
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take a glass - freeze it then immerse it in a bucket of hot water - thermal shock.
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take a glass - freeze it then immerse it in a bucket of hot water - thermal shock.
I can understand the glass cracking in a small bucket of hot water. Would it still crack in a much larger bucket of water because the cold heat from the glass is being absorbed by a larger quantity of hot water in the much bigger bucket.
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take a glass - freeze it then immerse it in a bucket of hot water - thermal shock.
I can understand the glass cracking in a small bucket of hot water. Would it still crack in a much larger bucket of water because the cold heat from the glass is being absorbed by a larger quantity of hot water in the much bigger bucket.
I would say yes it would crack imo
its the impact and contracting of the glass that cracks it glass is pourus