Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: LWC on January 05, 2009, 08:39:38 pm

Title: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: LWC on January 05, 2009, 08:39:38 pm
Should we still be working? Leavning water around that will only freeze???

I cant get my van up the lane because we have running water across the lane, its made the biggest sheet of ice ive seen and is very dangerous.

So whats the verdict, i could probably go out with my backpack tommorow...but should i?
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: gary999 on January 05, 2009, 08:45:08 pm
i use very little water per house not doing doorways at mo the mess
i leave behind is always tight to the wall of the house cant see a problem
if you mind what your doing
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: chrisyg on January 05, 2009, 08:46:43 pm
Well you need to earn a living, so you must reduce the risks to others just like your would normally, with safety cones, barrier tape etc.

Make use of de icing salts to reduce it freezing on public pavements/ private properties.  If its a issue relating to driving, then you must make that judgement relating to your driving skills and the road you will be travelling on.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: peter holley on January 05, 2009, 08:49:25 pm
8am-5pm today no complaints ...did doors trad
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: DaveG on January 05, 2009, 08:50:59 pm
Does water with isopropanol added freeze when its left on the ground?
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: ftp on January 05, 2009, 08:53:18 pm
Isopropanol evaporates very fast so the water left will freeze.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: gary999 on January 05, 2009, 08:55:01 pm
biggest problem i had today was getting back home i live on top of
a hill in a culde sac couldnt get up there so instead of wheel spinning
for half hour and going sideways like most of the halfwits were i got off my
arse fetched me shovel and a bucket and went to those big yellow gritting
barrels and spread grit over about 200yrds of road.ten mins later i drove up
to my house no problem ;D you should have seen the looks i was getting
anybody would think i had just invented the wheel,bloody halfwits >:(
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: DaveG on January 05, 2009, 08:57:12 pm
Isopropanol evaporates very fast so the water left will freeze.

Thanks ftp

Just something i was wondering about  ::)
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: LWC on January 05, 2009, 08:57:47 pm
I have much experince in driving in slippy conditions, i get the vivaro stuck every day lol!!
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: matt on January 05, 2009, 09:00:05 pm
i stopped working at 3 today, only because it was getting really cold AND i wanted to get home and rebuild my spare pump box with my new pump

it was 5.30 and i was messing about with the spare pump , i couldnt get it to suck the water up, as it happens the pipe between the filter and the pump had spilt, but as its a really short bit of pipe i didnt spot it :( so i wasted 45 mins of my time checking everything )

anyways, the water that was on the ground outside my garage froze in about 30 mins

personally i think we are pushing it alittle too far working and knowing the water WILL freeze as soon as it gets dark the the temp drops

Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: LWC on January 05, 2009, 09:03:24 pm


personally i think we are pushing it alittle too far working and knowing the water WILL freeze as soon as it gets dark the the temp drops



Would say i have to agree, its why i asked the question, a customer stopped me before xmas when the weather was like this and said i know its ok now but when tonight comes we'll be frozen over and your water will be ice in the morning, and i totally agree that it will.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: gary999 on January 05, 2009, 09:16:54 pm
are you all leaving great puddles everywhere i have my flowmaster on number 1 setting so min water dont tend to leave water on any walk ways and if there is
any excess water underneath sills by the time temp really drops it would have
already drained away
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Oakley Windows on January 05, 2009, 09:57:27 pm
i stopped working at 3 today, only because it was getting really cold AND i wanted to get home and rebuild my spare pump box with my new pump

it was 5.30 and i was messing about with the spare pump , i couldnt get it to suck the water up, as it happens the pipe between the filter and the pump had spilt, but as its a really short bit of pipe i didnt spot it :( so i wasted 45 mins of my time checking everything )

anyways, the water that was on the ground outside my garage froze in about 30 mins

personally i think we are pushing it alittle too far working and knowing the water WILL freeze as soon as it gets dark the the temp drops



I finished at 2.30 myself today considering this.

Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: pingu on January 06, 2009, 07:29:56 am
I am cancelling all this weeks work...it's been down to - 10 during the night and now at 08:26 it is -7.9 now even if the temp does rise and the Dutch Met office are saying that it will be around -2 for the day...how could I work wfp and not cause a hazard?

I have just transferred 66% of my projected earnings for this week into my personal account and we'll see what happens next week.

Every week last year I transferred a little money into a savings account 'just in case' I do hate the thought of using saved money to subsidise my self but what can you do and I do not think I would want to start trad in this weather the ground is like sheet ice with a snow covering.

So how is it for you?

Dave.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Dave Turley on January 06, 2009, 07:37:06 am
just get some cheap plastic bags of table salt from the supermarket and put that down, no probs
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: pingu on January 06, 2009, 07:43:19 am
Dave did you read my post? oh the Dutch met office have updated their info..it'll hover between -4 and -7 depending on location.

Cheers
Dave.

jeeeeeeeees at 09:06 it has just dropped to -8.1 and dropping :-\
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Rob.Hall on January 06, 2009, 08:29:43 am
Not going out today.

Was on to do an estate but water freezing as it hit the ground.

Temp suposed to hover on freezing all day

Could not live with myself if an oap slipped and hurt themselves because of me.

Even with salt its not worth the risk.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Russell Macdonald on January 06, 2009, 09:04:30 am
Not going out today.

Was on to do an estate but water freezing as it hit the ground.

Temp suposed to hover on freezing all day

Could not live with myself if an oap slipped and hurt themselves because of me.

Even with salt its not worth the risk.

A man with some sence.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: seandyer2003 on January 06, 2009, 09:07:45 am
Dave did you read my post? oh the Dutch met office have updated their info..it'll hover between -4 and -7 depending on location.

Cheers
Dave.

jeeeeeeeees at 09:06 it has just dropped to -8.1 and dropping :-\

-6 in manchester, dont think im going out till gets better, should be 0 by 12 the forecast said :(
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: mick hay on January 06, 2009, 09:13:13 am
Im in manc sean. My car thermometer says -8!!

Supposed to rise to 0 degrees midday, then back down again, but then you got the problem of everything freezing up on the job! Unless it goes to 1 or 2 degrees, think will be fighting a loosing battle  :(
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: matt on January 06, 2009, 09:14:15 am
MINUS 5 here and ive just dropped my daughter off to school, its just gone 9.00

its not going to get above freezing is it  ? ? ? ? day off then
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: simbo on January 06, 2009, 09:15:31 am
i don't think anyone would expect to be seeing me its still minus 7 here.
paul
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Sir Squeaky on January 06, 2009, 09:36:01 am
No chance today.
Entire system including tank is solid.
Not due to get above -1 today even if I thaw it.

Can't get any water anyway!

Sunny day and you can't work.
Frustrating isn't it?
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Oakley Windows on January 06, 2009, 09:39:17 am
No chance today.
Entire system including tank is solid.
Not due to get above -1 today even if I thaw it.

Can't get any water anyway!

Sunny day and you can't work.
Frustrating isn't it?

Roger cant you get water because the pipes are frozen?

Why dont you get a hair-drier on them to thaw them out?
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: seandyer2003 on January 06, 2009, 09:48:04 am
Im in manc sean. My car thermometer says -8!!

Supposed to rise to 0 degrees midday, then back down again, but then you got the problem of everything freezing up on the job! Unless it goes to 1 or 2 degrees, think will be fighting a loosing battle  :(

Yeah ?? whereabous mick??

Temp and weather changes so quick from one part to another of manc, im near middleton,  but i think i ve given up apart from going to do a few shops and a commercial, and maybe one or 2 odd houses that i do every now and again near me :( not alot of money to make up for being off for 2 weeks though - looks like saturday is a working day again! i wanted to try never do that this year :(
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: seandyer2003 on January 06, 2009, 09:49:19 am
No chance today.
Entire system including tank is solid.
Not due to get above -1 today even if I thaw it.

Can't get any water anyway!

Sunny day and you can't work.
Frustrating isn't it?

Ive been saying that all morning looks bad dont it that you are inside and theres no rain or wind, outlaws are here and i think they think im being lazy, wait till they go out in a bit and freeze haha
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Sir Squeaky on January 06, 2009, 09:52:27 am
No chance today.
Entire system including tank is solid.
Not due to get above -1 today even if I thaw it.

Can't get any water anyway!

Sunny day and you can't work.
Frustrating isn't it?

Roger cant you get water because the pipes are frozen?

Why dont you get a hair-drier on them to thaw them out?
Hair dryer?!!
The hose is 2 inches wide and 100ft long!
I think the IBC tank is frozen as well.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Tosh on January 06, 2009, 09:56:16 am
I took my barrels into the house last night, along with pole hose and backpack.

I've just loaded the car up and it's warming up now (my damp scrims had frozen solid ;D).

Anyway, it says its -4 Celcius on my car thermometer, but it doesn't feel like it; the sun is shining and there's no wind.

So we're off to work; we left it later in the hope it would warm up a bit; I've plenty of salt and today we trad the ground floor mostly.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Oakley Windows on January 06, 2009, 10:02:19 am
No chance today.
Entire system including tank is solid.
Not due to get above -1 today even if I thaw it.

Can't get any water anyway!

Sunny day and you can't work.
Frustrating isn't it?

Roger cant you get water because the pipes are frozen?

Why dont you get a hair-drier on them to thaw them out?
Hair dryer?!!
The hose is 2 inches wide and 100ft long!
I think the IBC tank is frozen as well.

Sorry mate, didnt realise it was 100' long  ;D

Some of us wont be working until well into next week at this rate.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: mick hay on January 06, 2009, 10:33:18 am
Im in manc sean. My car thermometer says -8!!

Supposed to rise to 0 degrees midday, then back down again, but then you got the problem of everything freezing up on the job! Unless it goes to 1 or 2 degrees, think will be fighting a loosing battle  :(

Yeah ?? whereabous mick??

Temp and weather changes so quick from one part to another of manc, im near middleton,  but i think i ve given up apart from going to do a few shops and a commercial, and maybe one or 2 odd houses that i do every now and again near me :( not alot of money to make up for being off for 2 weeks though - looks like saturday is a working day again! i wanted to try never do that this year :(

im in irlam/cadishead. thing is, im supposed to be in walkden today, that usually drops a a few more degrees  :(
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: simon smith50 on January 06, 2009, 10:48:29 am
down to minus 9 overnight here in swindon i'm trad now but don't want to take the risk as ice almost everywhere
luckily i've got a commercial job to do 6 days a week now not window cleaning been and done that so will wait until about lunchtime and try again then
not what we need after christmas though is it
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: johns window kleen on January 06, 2009, 11:27:57 am
Still -3 in Norfolk. Everything frozen up in my van. Not going above 0 all day.
Bloody frustrating after a 2 week break. Even if I can get thawed out I wouldnt risk it as the pavements are allready full of ice, and dripping any WFP water outside any houses or in my case a Solicitors Offices {which I was supposed to do today} would be inviting trouble.
This occupation is so frustrating at times.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Oakley Windows on January 06, 2009, 11:29:06 am
Bloody frustrating after a 2 week break.

You said it   ;)
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: simbo on January 06, 2009, 11:34:43 am
i just tried to drive to the shop and could not even get up the street, only a slight hill but just rolled back down. Beautiful sunny day aswell begining to hate this part of my biz.
paul
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: johns window kleen on January 06, 2009, 11:42:13 am
I am sitting at the PC, missus at work in nice hot office. Kids both at school, and me the main bread winner sitting on my arse pretending to be enjoying being off, but I feel so bloody lazy and annoyed at the timing of this freeze up.
Does make you consider other options sometimes dont it?

Oh well the only thing Im looking forward to is Spurs mullering Burnley tonight!
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: Paul Coleman on January 06, 2009, 11:45:15 am
I've got about £40 worth of bungalows to do that I normally do with a squeegee which are overdue.  I've got into doing some domstic stuff now though so they'll keep for tomorrow.  At least I can put screenwash in with the water in the bucket  :)
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: scud on January 06, 2009, 01:01:31 pm
  It is still freezing hard in the shade here, started this morning but pole got stuck up, then stuck down, so I came home.
  Am ped bored now, but sat at pc chatting ti naughty ladies!!
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: herbiefatboy on January 06, 2009, 02:24:18 pm
johns window kleen where are you in norfolk?
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: johns window kleen on January 06, 2009, 02:31:29 pm
The London Exiles bit, that I stumbled on by accident 3 years ago. Thetford.

You in Norwich then. Thats a nice place, but when we went shopping their on xmas eve I couldnt believe how many shops and office blocks had really dirty windows going towards the station direction . The missus then told me to get a life and stop looking at windows on my day off.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: herbiefatboy on January 06, 2009, 03:35:55 pm
john thats what i do look at dirty windows on days off must be sad
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: dai on January 06, 2009, 04:17:58 pm
The little Porozene heater with the frost stat kept all my stuff from freezing. I drove 27 miles to my first job, and in spite of being really close to the sea, my water froze solid as soon as it hit the ground.
My polehose would have frozen up too if I had tried to carry on. Sod the ladders, so another day off.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: mark f on January 06, 2009, 05:27:18 pm
well at the moment i do half wfp and half ladder work, so have started last 2 days after 9 am and just doing ladder work. I have another ladder day tomorrow but then i really have to start wfp. I need some of that isapropranol. . . .
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: gary999 on January 06, 2009, 05:27:49 pm
me and my big mouth saying the cold weather had been doing me no harm,went out
midday first job okay got stuck in traffic by the time i got to a row of 5 i clean about 2ish
water froze on window soon as i started :'( gave up went home far too risky
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: pjulk on January 06, 2009, 06:43:09 pm
Myself i won't use WFP whilst the weather is a cold as it is.
If someone slipped and hurt themselves i would feel really bad.

I'm happy to trad in these cold spells.
Title: Re: Even if you are thawed out...
Post by: simon smith50 on January 06, 2009, 06:53:31 pm
been back trad now about 8 weeks
now looking at loosing the ladder with these temps  telescopic poles and app and blade
got new wagtail flipper coming tommorrow so see where we go from here
thanks to the guys at window cleaning warehouse for everything