[Martin McCarthy]

Hi everyone,
I'm about to buy a rotary system and am torn between the Texatherm and the Thermadry. I am a little concerned about the the requirement of Texatherm to have to heat up a water tank for the pads, but I was very impressed with the demo I saw of it's cleaning potential.   I have also seen the Thermadry which wasn't as impressive a demo but it does have what seems to be the advantage of heating the pads on the machine and therefore not having to have to heat a great water tank.  I'd be greatful for any thoughts on this particularly from anyone who has had experience of both systems before I make my decision.
 

[jasonl]

The above 2 systems in my opinion are an expensive way of overcomplicating a simple job.

One new buffer £5-700 http://www.restormate.co.uk/epages/15094.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/15094/Products/NPR1515

 You will need a pad holder and brush for this too.

Big pile of pads £300  http://www.carpetbonnets.co.uk/Products.html

 ones with green and brown strips are best 50/50 split with each

One electric sprayer £120  http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/shop/backpacks/wcw-backpack.html 

you will need a spray wand with this

Enough Nemesis/fusion clean to clean £10k worth of revenue £150 http://www.restormate.co.uk/epages/15094.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/15094/Products/Nem05


http://www.worldofclean.co.uk/index.php?productID=626

A good sebo vac and a rake and you have all you need to clean the vast majority of carpets effectively.

You can be away with brand new kit for under a 1000, half that if you buy used.

[Joe H]

I have had the Texatherm system and a DriFusion which  is very very similar to the Thermadry.
The Tex system is very efficient., but its down to the chems at the end o fhte day I feel.
I used to heat the water up at home whilst I was having breakfast. By time I got to job it had only lost a few degrees so didnt hold the work up.

I now just have a 15" rotary and use Nemesis/M-Power of Fusion Clean
Last night I did an empty office using the Fusion Clean. Came up well and smelt nice.

In conclusion, I agree with JasonL

[fenman]

As a low moisture cleaner for 11 years I agree with Jason and Joe that " bespoke" systems are ok but not necessary as all you need can be purchased elsewhere.
In my opinion the most important bit of kit when bonneting is your vac.
We use a pilelifter on all jobs and it still amazes me the crud that you pull out of a carpet.

[jasonl]

Yes a well serviced vac with a good rake makes a good difference to the end result, I vac in 2 directions , then vac again on traffic lanes, several times often.

[Joe H]

I had the opportunity to use a pilelifter a few weeks ago. The machine was awesome but costing about £2k   

[Steve Chapman]

just out of curiosity how would you get on with a thick wool carpet in a customers house ?

would a rotary system clean as effectively as it does on commercial type office carpet ?


steve

[Shaun_Ashmore]

On thick pile carpets I used the carpet scrub brush when I had a dry fusion machine then finish of with a standard bonnet.

Which ever system you use you have to believe in it and you can get the best cleaning that way.

Shaun

[Magic Dry Perth]

I have the Texatherm system have for a long time, I am very happy with it and get great results.  If you feel the Texatherm gives a better clean get it if not dont.  I have used other types of bonnet cleaning but never feel that the standard of clean is as good as I get with texatherm.

I do as Joe did I heat the tank in the morning and so am never slowed down.  Its like cars some love Holdens others love Ford but both get to to point be but some more smoth than others.  So find out which will get you there smothly and go with it.
Ian

[idealrob]

Jason you are 100% right, others are paying £1400 more for a electric paint stripper attached to the rotary.
You have the experience over the last 2 decades and the important bit, making money and doing a good job.
Because of the job losses on Teesside the council are helping us and many business in our business area to start or add new services, we are getting new £1700 website, promo  cards, leaflets, seo help and £2500 + vat  towards any new machinery, glad we are in a dissadvantaged area.
Getting Dry fusion upholstery machine, and all pads ,detergent etc, as using my Nilfisk rotary, just going to use dry fusion ringer, unless anything better

idealrob

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

So what is the advantage of the heat being used in the dry fusion/thermadry/texatherm systems or is it just part of the overall marketing of the sytems as being different to just buying what Jason has suggested ?

[Mike Halliday]

Steve, i think the heat element is pure marketing, it add nothing to the cleaning process.

with the DF & thermodry the heat does not pass through the pad with enough efficiency to make any difference,with the texatherm the heated pad will cool within 30ft of being on the carpet.

its all a load of rubbish and only there to make them different from other bonnet systems.

but I do believe their chemicals are excellent especially the DF ones and that's what makes them excellent cleaners not the heat.

(ps; post has been corrected)

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Cheers Mike

[jasonl]

I have used DF and texatherm extensively , and see no advantages to the quality of clean , just a bigger initial outlay and more to go wrong with the slightly more moving parts in those systems.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Mike the heat was to bond the protector to the carpet fibres

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

yea right : : :

but it doesn't get through the bonnet!

I've worked with Df on a big job, when i felt the bonnet it was just a little bit warm,  not enough to make any difference

[Shaun_Ashmore]

When I had a df machine it did make the pads hot, I tried a cotton bonnet on and it left heat marks like radiator lines but more like a triangle where the plastic grip plates didn't go.

Which pads did you use? the df pads did get the heat through also I always had the temperature on full.

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

I was using the df pad supplied with ther machine, when you say 'hot' do you mean too hot to touch or warm?  at first I thought the machine was not working and it was just friction that was creating the heat

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I could put my hand on the pad just, it wasn't a pleasant heat IMO I don't think it dried the carpet any faster or cleaned any better, when I do LM cleaning I can get just as good with my buffer it's the products that make the difference.

Years ago a friend of mine had a CD franchise and he used to carbonate formula 90 and got good results occassionally he would heat the pad up in the customers microwave but he said it made the pad be more absorbant.

Shaun

[clinton]

The plate on the d f machine did get hot but as mike said i too did not think the pads got that hot.

I still find even with out the heat the soil repelant does work and in most of my commercial contracts it does work with just my buffer and solution.

Always thought the d f was a good marketing tool thats all..