Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: johnm on November 29, 2008, 07:59:52 pm

Title: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: johnm on November 29, 2008, 07:59:52 pm
had a few bad days last year
any tipa
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: johnm on November 29, 2008, 08:00:27 pm
tips sorry for spelling
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: pjulk on November 29, 2008, 08:34:34 pm
If you are on about overnight take them indoors.

If they freeze whilst working it would be the pole hose.
If you main hose freezes whilst working use a larger diameter hose.
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: dd on November 29, 2008, 08:49:18 pm
Try to drain the water from the hose if left on van overnight and on your first house only turn on pump when you are set-up and ready to wash.
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: matt on November 29, 2008, 08:56:02 pm
im starting tomorrow at 6  ( ish ), so ive just been out and drained my system
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: East coast window cleaning Services on November 29, 2008, 09:18:07 pm
Snap im in the west end tommorow morning looks like a cold morning ahead. but back to the topic ive found that having your van floor and sides ply lined makes a huge difference to not having any. Are the guys who are frezzing up during the night ply lined?
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: Jeff Brimble on November 29, 2008, 09:21:21 pm
P&R I often think about making a hot box for the whole van or maybe a lined  ex freezer van ?
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: East coast window cleaning Services on November 29, 2008, 09:24:32 pm
tbh im still trying to work out some some diy heater system for the back of the van. was thing along the lines of a greenhouse 3ft tube heater, Problem is wiring it up into me vans electrical system
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: sparklebright on November 29, 2008, 10:44:33 pm
In the past to avoid frozen hoses I have lined the van with self adhesive foam costs approx £100, and works v well.

Or a mate of mine ran an extension to the van and put an electric heater in there for very cold nights...

DO NOT I repeat NOT use a parrafin heater as I did first year as this leaves a film of smut all over the inside of your van and the inside of your tank if you leave the lid off, lost a day cleaning it out. And by film of smut I don't mean a series of Bernard Manning jokes
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: matt on November 29, 2008, 10:50:58 pm
some of the self build campervan types, drill holes every so often though the ply lining and squirt expanding foam in, this is s.posed to make the van ALOT warmer, you will then only need a small heat source in the van
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: steve a on November 29, 2008, 10:53:46 pm
Just use a small 5oo watt oil filled radiator set just above freezing on the thermostat and your van will not freeze.
The other problem is freezing of the hose leading to the pole. I have been known to carry a couple of buckets of hot water for first jobs of the day and run the hose through those( just lay it in the water)

Steve a
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: steve a on November 29, 2008, 10:55:01 pm
some of the self build campervan types, drill holes every so often though the ply lining and squirt expanding foam in, this is s.posed to make the van ALOT warmer, you will then only need a small heat source in the van


good idea, may try it meself. ;)
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: Wayne Thomas on November 29, 2008, 11:03:05 pm
I use an ex-freezer van which is insulated with fibreglass from floor to ceiling. When it's cold it's freezing but with a little heat it's like an oven. I always run some hot water through hosereel and pump at night so van is warm in the mornings.
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: Londoner on November 30, 2008, 07:43:27 am
I put a heater in the van and/or bring gear inside. Last winter I did that but one day  on my first job the hose in 15mins froze solid just through lying on the ground.  I have had it happen with the pump as well, its working fine when you turn it off  and then its frozen up by the time you turn it back on.

I was thinking of buying some of that isopropanol this year. That, they say is the answer.
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: Londoner on November 30, 2008, 08:08:25 am
some of the self build campervan types, drill holes every so often though the ply lining and squirt expanding foam in, this is s.posed to make the van ALOT warmer, you will then only need a small heat source in the van

In America when they build a new house (they are all timber frame) they fill the space in the walls up with that foam and it insulates the houses beautifully. Mind you its about 8" thick all round the house so it should do.
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: johnm on November 30, 2008, 10:13:34 am
DID SOMEONE IN THE PAST SUGEST ALCOHOL IN TANK ANY SUGESTIONS?
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: Dave Turley on November 30, 2008, 10:22:53 am
I just put an electric fan heater in my van 9f it's due to freeze that night, set just above frost setting.

easy peasy. the fan ensures that the warmer air is circulated around the van.

and as for freezing in the hose, this will be my first winter with hot water, so hopefully I won't have that problem any more.

it might even keep the pole warm enough so that the top sections don't freeze up!  :D
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: s.hughes on November 30, 2008, 12:32:02 pm
If its that cold then stay at home
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: Neil Williams on November 30, 2008, 05:46:50 pm
Whenever possible have the hoses running off the ground, and I don't mean just 2 inches so it's creates a massive trip hazzard, I mean 7 feet off the ground over the top of vehicle/walls etc.
Cold water going through rubber hose on the ground where the ground is freezing means that hose and water will freeze up.
www.safetyawarecontractor.co.uk
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: NWH on November 30, 2008, 07:11:17 pm
Whenever possible have the hoses running off the ground, and I don't mean just 2 inches so it's creates a massive trip hazzard, I mean 7 feet off the ground over the top of vehicle/walls etc.
Cold water going through rubber hose on the ground where the ground is freezing means that hose and water will freeze up.
www.safetyawarecontractor.co.uk
Not if you have hot water it won`t,the reason you can work in the coldest conditions WFP is that if you set the temp on minimum it won`t freeze.On minimum it will be warm enough to stop everything freezing and not hot enough to crack glass,the warmer it gets during the day the hotter i turn up my water most days you can work almost maximum if you want to although the hottest setting is not needed.
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: matt on November 30, 2008, 08:54:10 pm
some of the self build campervan types, drill holes every so often though the ply lining and squirt expanding foam in, this is s.posed to make the van ALOT warmer, you will then only need a small heat source in the van

In America when they build a new house (they are all timber frame) they fill the space in the walls up with that foam and it insulates the houses beautifully. Mind you its about 8" thick all round the house so it should do.

indeed, its sprayed on the inside of the framework, its also a VERY good fire retardent aswell
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: Dean Taberner on December 01, 2008, 06:44:57 pm
Whenever possible have the hoses running off the ground, and I don't mean just 2 inches so it's creates a massive trip hazzard, I mean 7 feet off the ground over the top of vehicle/walls etc.
Cold water going through rubber hose on the ground where the ground is freezing means that hose and water will freeze up.
www.safetyawarecontractor.co.uk

How is this possible without erecting about 12 scaffolding towers?

Dean
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: RSWindows on December 01, 2008, 07:06:40 pm
If its that cold then stay at home

If only it was as easy as that  :D
Title: Re: how do you stop hoses freezing
Post by: neil100 on December 04, 2008, 05:38:28 am
At night when its going to very cold,I bring the batteries into the house to recharge. I throw a thick duvet over the hose reels and pumps.

The van is parked on the drive next to the houseat night,the van is plylined with loft insulation behind the plylineing.

I have a thermometer in the van,40 minutes before I go to work if its freezing outside I check the temp in the van,if its freezing or just below say -2, I put a van heater on for 30 mins on the hottest setting,When I go to work its plus 15 degrees C in the back of the van. I direct the van heater at the pumps to make sure theirs no ice in them.

Then its off to work to earn some lol.

Neil