Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: kevin James on January 04, 2009, 09:10:08 am

Title: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: kevin James on January 04, 2009, 09:10:08 am
Morning all, cold again last night!
Normally I use modified van mount (quad), but last week -4 at night & -1 during the day meant no can do with the reel. Have managed to earn at least a £100, by using the Omnipole backpack which now gas a lid that makes carrying easy. ( too heavy & cold on yet back!). By adding a leetle screen wash& ipa and using a shortish length of hose so it rarely contacts the ground plus using one pole for everything means there's alwaysca flow, I can work in sub zero. A big plus with the additives is that the water dont freeze when lying on the ground!
Using slowest speed on the backpack means you can do 2 houses before refill!
Any help?

Kevin.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Jeff Brimble on January 04, 2009, 09:31:33 am
Bet your faster on domestics, bpacs rule OK UK  ;D

I wear mine on a MOD radio difficult load carrier frame, it makes it a lot easier and have the USA style uprated straps.Some put them into a seperate carrymore type carrier which again helps. I dont think wearing the current packs banging against your back will be comfortable so can understand why many of you use them as a grab-and-go unit and put them on a trolley. But it slows you down. When its this cold I keep the water inside the house, the slight diff in temp makes a lot of diff, you cannnot do that so easily on that fantastic 4x4. Yep keeep the hose off the ground does help a lot and keeps it out of the dog do.As your finding you dont need to use as much water as people say you do, so less to carry on your back.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 10:19:46 am
here are my concerns and they were the same last year ( though last year it only meant a few late starts )

you start the day at say 10.30 - 11.00 ( the time is now 10.15 and its MINUS 1, the ground is white )  because before then its 0 C, its going to freeze on the floor

say the temp picks up above 0 C, you go out now you know come 2.00 if you work the ground will stay wet and freeze that night

now to me that means a short window of 3 hours to work, is it worth it ? ? ? ? ?

Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: elite mike on January 04, 2009, 10:27:25 am
its no good matt you will just have to go surfing ;)

just pop your 6 mil on, toasty ;D
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Oakley Windows on January 04, 2009, 10:28:29 am
Gonna have go with whats available to be honest. It'll make things inconvenient, but running out of toilet-paper mid-poo is inconvenient and thats never as bad as you fear  ;D
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Paul Coleman on January 04, 2009, 10:29:36 am
here are my concerns and they were the same last year ( though last year it only meant a few late starts )

you start the day at say 10.30 - 11.00 ( the time is now 10.15 and its MINUS 1, the ground is white )  because before then its 0 C, its going to freeze on the floor

say the temp picks up above 0 C, you go out now you know come 2.00 if you work the ground will stay wet and freeze that night

now to me that means a short window of 3 hours to work, is it worth it ? ? ? ? ?



I say.  If I'm behind with my work then yes, it is worth it.  If I'm up to date then maybe take several days off and work a weekend to catch up.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Klean07 on January 04, 2009, 10:43:40 am
Looks like taking another week off. The weather forecast for next 5 days is looking a bit grim for wfp work.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/wm/bromsgrove_forecast_weather.html
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: elite mike on January 04, 2009, 10:47:25 am
Looks like taking another week off. The weather forecast for next 5 days is looking a bit grim for wfp work.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/wm/bromsgrove_forecast_weather.html

cheer up at least its dry ;)
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: dai on January 04, 2009, 10:48:58 am
Looks OK for me in Llandudno, should be able to work in that.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Jeff Brimble on January 04, 2009, 11:01:48 am
Hi Dai, if the salt air stops rain water from freezing but you use RO/DI pure does it still help  ???  thought you were from Holywell ?
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: dai on January 04, 2009, 11:13:20 am
Hi Dai, if the salt air stops rain water from freezing but you use RO/DI pure does it still help  ???  thought you were from Holywell ?
With TDS in the 50's I am DI only, it works out about £1 a day.
I live in Penyffordd Holywell, but most of my work is in Llandudno, that's where I was living when I started back in window cleaning in 1993.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Jeff Brimble on January 04, 2009, 11:31:43 am
LLan ( we like going there and Conway) was one  of the places I should have moved to when I started with the c/f modulars, looks like loads of guest houses at 60ftplus  etc but I would guess they are too tight and summer season only cause they have all moved to Cannaries- lucky so and so's
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: DaveG on January 04, 2009, 11:48:15 am
First day back tomorrow and it looks like its gonna be a scorcher!   

+5 c
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: dai on January 04, 2009, 12:58:26 pm
LLan ( we like going there and Conway) was one  of the places I should have moved to when I started with the c/f modulars, looks like loads of guest houses at 60ftplus  etc but I would guess they are too tight and summer season only cause they have all moved to Cannaries- lucky so and so's

Your right about them being tight Jeff, I had a couple of them and they demanded that the windows could not be cleaned during mealtimes, [outsides] Dumped years ago.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 01:10:01 pm
its no good matt you will just have to go surfing ;)

just pop your 6 mil on, toasty ;D

 ;D ;D ;D

i had a text from some1 down in cormwall new years day, they had gone camping in the van and had hopes of a surf
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Tosh on January 04, 2009, 01:18:30 pm
It's after 1.00 pm here and everything is still frozen, even my trad gear!

It's our first day back tomorrow, but I've got a load of inside work for Wor Lass (I do the outsides), just to break her back into a routine.

Taken about fifteen minutes ago:

Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 01:28:07 pm
ive just had to run our rabbits water bottle under a hot tap and leave it in the sink with hot water to defrost it, its 1.30

if its the same next week then i cannot bring myself to work and spray water on the ground
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: ftp on January 04, 2009, 01:31:48 pm
that's where your going wrong Matt, spray it on the windows - far better.  ;D
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 01:37:40 pm
ive just had to run our rabbits water bottle under a hot tap and leave it in the sink with hot water to defrost it, its 1.30

if its the same next week then i cannot bring myself to work and spray water on the ground

or do i worry too much, should i just get on with it and think, ive been paid, not my fault if at night the water freezes on the floor
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 01:39:19 pm
that's where your going wrong Matt, spray it on the windows - far better.  ;D

your a star, thats where i have gone wrong, i knew it must have been something, now i know, 750 quid days here i come  ;)
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 02:38:48 pm
allmost 3.00 and its 1 C

now if you get water on the floor, you know in a few hours it'll be ice

i am trying to convince myself its ok to work in these temp, im struggling though
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: chris@c.m.s on January 04, 2009, 02:44:28 pm
I worked yesterday until about 4pm and the water was freezing on the ground, if its bad tomorrow I'll be off to get some salt.   
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Tosh on January 04, 2009, 02:49:19 pm
allmost 3.00 and its 1 C

now if you get water on the floor, you know in a few hours it'll be ice

i am trying to convince myself its ok to work in these temp, im struggling though

I think you've got to judge each job on its situation.  If your water is falling onto grass; then you've no problems, but if it's falling onto a path or pavement, then you've got to salt the area it hits. 

Don't clean doors/entrance areas with WFP at all; use trad.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: dai on January 04, 2009, 03:57:06 pm
I am lucky in so far as most of my 25 liter containers were left empty. I have 3 that are frozen absolutely solid, just filled up for tomorrow.
I found out that my Mrs who usually fills them for me had not been checking the TDS, the last jobs I did before Christmas was with TDS in the 50's, I'm surprised I had no complaints.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 08:26:29 pm
I am lucky in so far as most of my 25 liter containers were left empty. I have 3 that are frozen absolutely solid, just filled up for tomorrow.
I found out that my Mrs who usually fills them for me had not been checking the TDS, the last jobs I did before Christmas was with TDS in the 50's, I'm surprised I had no complaints.

funny enough last year i was using water with TDS of around 70, not 1 complaint

it was just that i hadnt checked the TDS and my RO had gone to RO heaven
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: Feen on January 04, 2009, 08:49:06 pm
Haven't read all the replies so if I've missed something I apologise, but how a bit of trad? I'm no suggesting you go up a height (God forbid :o). I've got my work schedule lined up for next week and I know what I have in the way of bungalows. If that's all I can do due to the cold, I'll still be working. No need to worry about water freezing on the ground or spreading salt. If you are not able to clean windows other than by wfp, I'd ask yourself why.
Title: Re: Wfp in minus temps......
Post by: matt on January 04, 2009, 08:56:15 pm
Haven't read all the replies so if I've missed something I apologise, but how a bit of trad? I'm no suggesting you go up a height (God forbid :o). I've got my work schedule lined up for next week and I know what I have in the way of bungalows. If that's all I can do due to the cold, I'll still be working. No need to worry about water freezing on the ground or spreading salt. If you are not able to clean windows other than by wfp, I'd ask yourself why.

good call

shame i got all mine done the week before christmas, hindsight and all that  ;)