Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: neil100 on January 08, 2010, 06:14:59 am
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This is my 30th winter w/cleaning and I have to admit its the toughest spell of weather we are working through.
For the last 3 to 4 weeks None of my w/c friends who live where I do which is in Lancaster, North west of England have worked because of the cold weather.
We are still working all be at a reduced rate, First I am not knocking anyone who is sitting at home waiting this cold snap out. But be warned you may have a long wait if the cold snap lasts till the end of March ,will you survive?
For me if its possible to work ,I work, If its to cold for me not to work I wont. At the moment its not cold enough to stop me. FACT. So here are some positive tips on how I am working with the temp below freezing.
My van sides are fully insulated and plylined,it helps to keep the van warmer. The van is parked next to the house with a small van heater set just above the frost setting so the temp inside the van is kept at a constant 5 degrees C. When I am ready to start work I turn the temp up on the heater to full for 20mins so its a tropical 20 degrees C in the van.
We start work at 11am. 3 hours later then normal, this morning the mercury read -4 degrees C when we set off. I have a window cleaners bucket with lid on which is 3/4 full of very very hot water. This bucket is then covered over completely with insulated foil bubble wrap. Being silver foil it reflects all radiant heat back to its source so the water will stay hot for 3 to 4 hours. If the brush head freezes at any stage during the working day or the valve freezes or pole hose they are placed in the hot bucket of water briefly to unfreeze.
All the telescopic pole sections are given a coating of a special patented ceramic oil. This is thicker then WD40 and lasts far longer. It stops water forming on the pole sections so the pole sections will not freeze up during the day and it helps the pole sections to really glide in use.
Footwear - wear snow boots they are water proof ,warm and they will give you the best grip available on snow and ice. You will be amazed at the grip on ice.
Be selective in the areas you work. I have a days work in a village that’s 2 weeks late as its colder there by 3 degrees then any where else. I know if I go there I will freeze up, so I don’t go. I avoid hills were the van could get stuck and I chose work and position the van if I can with the sun shining into the van as there is a little warmth in the radiant heat of the sun.
The temperature is colder in the shade then the sun so we will clean the tops in the shade then move round to the sunny side clean all the tops then back to the shady side to clean the bottoms. We clean all windows on a reduced flow. All doors cleaned by hand. Any front or back door steps that water drops onto from window above which have been cleaned with very little water are wiped down.
I only collect the money when the hoses and poles are back in the van. You want the water to keep flowing when working as its less likely to freeze.
I have a thermometer in the van and I can manage to keep working up until - 2 degrees C.
We stop work at 3.30pm approximately as the temp is starting to drop and if you stay out beyond this time you will freeze up. Ok its only 4 ½ hours work a day but at least we are ticking over and some money is coming in. Most houses have gas central heating so if its on the windows wont freeze.
If you don’t want to work in it then don’t. But for me I will work till my brushes freeze over.
Keep safe Neil
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I went out to try and trad a few bungalows with a big bucket of HOT water yesterday but couldn't do it. The water was freezing on the window before I could get all the way down with the squeegee.
Every week religiously for quite a long time now I've been putting £20 a week away into a sickness fund so I have that to fall back on but I don't really want to touch it.
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What an excellent informative post, taken you time to do it this morning-for others, well done. 8)
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Thanks Neil a very sensible and useful post.
I am in a similar position and have just been doing what I can.
I use a submersible aquarium heater in my tank plugged in overnight. The tank warms thru and then acts like a radiator to keep the van warm too. Along with my oil filled radiator it's ok. But then we have only gone down to minus 4 here.
I feel sorry for people in Scotland. Can't see anything much will help them.
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I agree with the others, good post, Neil, and come Monday even if its still freezing I'm going to be determined to get out and work; but so far I've actually been enjoying the extended guilt-free holiday.
However, there's only so long I can 'mince about' and I guess the only thing that's stopped me working is the state of the side roads because there has been short periods during the day where I reckon I could've worked.
So far I've only been driving when I think its important, and work hasn't been, but come Monday I think I will have to re-prioritise.
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i keep trying but its -14 here at the moment in manchester :'(
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i keep trying but its -14 here at the moment in manchester :'(
-14?????? some people just use any bloody excuse to skive ::) ;D
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iam going to unplug my fridge and save on my electric bill
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A tip for you this morning stay in bad,
just looked at the van, cant even get the doors open.
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A tip for you this morning stay in bad,
just looked at the van, cant even get the doors open.
Wor Lass says I have to go to work today; she's had enough of me! >:(
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Tosh we all sympaphise with her.... ;D
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Shes finally joined the club then
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Top post Neil. :)
Some excellent and encouraging advice which should help to keep some of the guys with an income still coming in.
Cheers
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;D I'm trying to wangle out of work, giving excuses about conservatories freezing and stuff, but she knows a couple of jobs that I can do no problems. >:(
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Tosh
Don't do it, what if you pranged your car.
It is now weekend, just have an extended one and worry about work on Monday
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Neils post is good.......he mentions keep away from hills where you could get stuck..... stops us then, as we got stuck before xmas on a hill (1.5hrs to go 600 yards, with 12 people shovelling tracks)..This hill???? 600 yards from our house :-[
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Tosh
Don't do it, what if you pranged your car.
It is now weekend, just have an extended one and worry about work on Monday
hi dave
there are a few round here that have pranged ;D
was going out but i have had a rethink ;D
might go and do a bit of collecting tonight on foot though
get some cash flow going ;)
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Really good post Neil, far better to try to work if you ca than just admit defeat, it's amazing how cold you can work in if you give it a go.
Also good to try to heat the water to warm if you can.
Another tip, empty the pole hoses after every stop.
Still feel sorry for the guys in Scotland that are buried.
Simon.
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top post :)
nice to hear a can do person who will do
when necessary if at all possible.
i use a back pack ive got insulation hosing on the backpack
hose and i have my hose on outside of pole so i cut up
strips of the insulation hose and taped it to the fifteen foot
of pole hose that normally trails on the ground it has stopped
it making contact with ground reducing freezing up almost
completely.this has enabled me to keep my flow to an reduced rate
1 ltr per min so im not splashing water anywhere
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great post neal, really appreciate the tip on oil on the pole this has been a major problem for us in that the sections freeze and get stuck,
Thanks
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Neil, thanks for that it's posts like that that keep me coming back to CIU. Up here in Edinburgh it's been the worst I can remember since I was a wee lad, i've managed to do 1 day this week. It's a hard one to be sitting about indoors when it's wall to wall blue skies and sunshine, but if anything it feels even colder this morning.
Cards on the table on Monday though it's back to work no matter what and i'll certainly be using some of yours and some of the other guys on here tips. I'm liking that 11.00 am start rule, that could be implemented all year round (I wish).
Keep yer peckers up (Dambusters theme plays loudly in the background as I leave room to go
and put the kettle on)
;)
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Well done to that guy with the 1st post, im sitting at home looking out the window looks beautiful but i no it's deadly out there, managed 2 days this week, im a real pusher with work and never miss any days however after 21 years this week certainly beat me so for those of you sitting at home theirs not much you can do.
cheers
jim 1st class Liverpool
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Neil100 thanks for a well informative post. That's the value of a forum like this for me.
I've been searching around where to get a ceramic oil such as Neil suggested. Google isn't giving up much this morning. I'll keep digging and if I find a supplier I'll post here.
tia
Graeme
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Neil100 thanks for a well informative post. That's the value of a forum like this for me.
I've been searching around where to get a ceramic oil such as Neil suggested. Google isn't giving up much this morning. I'll keep digging and if I find a supplier I'll post here.
tia
Graeme
http://alturl.com/rz7v
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Neil100 thanks for a well informative post. That's the value of a forum like this for me.
I've been searching around where to get a ceramic oil such as Neil suggested. Google isn't giving up much this morning. I'll keep digging and if I find a supplier I'll post here.
tia
Graeme
http://alturl.com/rz7v
That's Silicone oil, not to be let anywhere near your pole, Silicone oil will seriously ruin the cleaning if it reaches the brush, which it will if it's on the pole.
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I've never heard of Ceramic oil ? I've used ceramic ingredients for years in my auto detailing business, but they're always used as an abrasive, as in Detailing clay, which uses ceramic ingredients as the abrasive ingredient, or some polishes that have ceramic particles as the abrasive working ingredient. I'd guess any oil with ceramic ingredients would be abrasive and damaging to a pole and it's fittings. Do you have a link to this patented Ceramic oil ?
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Do you think you're insurance will pay out if you put any water on the ground that freezes (which it will) and someone slips and puts a claim in ? Then the insurance find out that you where knowingly cleaning in minus degrees.
I think working wfp when the temperature is below zero is just wrong, if not for the sole fact that you're releasing water in freezing temperature, risking not only yours and your staffs health but putting customers at risk to accidents too.
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Ceramic or Silicone oil is produced by silica sand so it could be abrasive or smooth. Also used in hair products and sealers.If does get on glass it will make the glass hydrofobic and water will just run off . But if applied and wiped of I think it would be better.It can be washed off with soapy water with borax added.
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just been looking at the forcast apparantly sunday,monday tuesday its above freezing ranging from 0 to 3,went out this morning and again water on window just froze up
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a special patented ceramic oil
Could you tell us what it is called and where we could buy some please ;)
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For those asking about the Ceramic oil here is a bit more info on the oil:- Ceramic Wet is so unique and leading edge its been patented!
Finish Line have combined engineered ceramics with the slipperiest fluoropolymers available, and put it into a base of premium pure 100% synthetic oils
Every time you use Ceramic Wet, it builds a ceramic coating into frictional surfaces that results in increasingly smoother performance
Ceramic coating allows the chain to run extremely clean since dirt does not stick to it easily
Overall drive chain noise is reduced for near silent running and gear changing
Ceramic Wet delivers the ultimate in long lasting, yet clean running performance
Provides long intervals between applications, perfect for riders who like to spend their time riding not maintaining their bike!
Its a cycle oil but superb on poles.If you check the website they also do a ceramic wax which is also excellent.Are the web site.If you like cycling youwilllove it.
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Lubricants-Oils-Degreasers-Finish-Line-Ceramic-Wet-Lubricant/FINILUBE370
Been at worktoday -5degrees when we set off at 11am but the first pole froze out at 3.40pm.
Keep safe Neil
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The thing that worries me mostly is what customers will say when you start spraying water on their paths/around their house etc which will then freeze - no matter how much salt you chuck on it!!
I've only done a couple of days this week due to the fact I could only barely drive our car up our back lane let alone pull a trailer too! But I really need to do some next week.
I've made a list of stuff I can do whatever the weather which will keep me ticking over. It also means that if the weather does clear up a bit I can prioritise on the work that may cause me problems in the minus temps.
Here's hoping the weatherman is wrong and more snow is not heading our way...
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Neil100 thanks for a well informative post. That's the value of a forum like this for me.
I've been searching around where to get a ceramic oil such as Neil suggested. Google isn't giving up much this morning. I'll keep digging and if I find a supplier I'll post here.
tia
Graeme
http://alturl.com/rz7v
That's Silicone oil, not to be let anywhere near your pole, Silicone oil will seriously ruin the cleaning if it reaches the brush, which it will if it's on the pole.
Thats what Mr Gardiner recommends mate.
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Do you think you're insurance will pay out if you put any water on the ground that freezes (which it will) and someone slips and puts a claim in ? Then the insurance find out that you where knowingly cleaning in minus degrees.
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=87584.msg783163#msg783163
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i have the streamline lite-5 pole hose which works in temp down to -5 never had it frezze yet , just other parts and on glass
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Yep, the freezing pole info is well cool.......Sorry about lingo...been around my boy a lot recently ::)
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My tip is using a back pack or trolley so you haven't got as much hose on the ground. I only do the upstairs with wfp so not as much water used. Also use a towel on downstairs windowsill to catch most of the water so that less falls on the ground and freezes. Use trad on downstairs.