[richyp]

i am looking to buy a pressure washer for spraying tfr onto guttering via a telescopic lance and blast off, also to do drives ways so nothing to heavy. i was looking at a honda gx 160 5.5bhp on  ebay.... if i bought this machine would i be able to use one of those flat floor scrubbers also. thanks

[simon w]

Hi Rich.

I'm not sure that pressure washing white upvc at height is enough to remove the kind of dirt and algae that you find on gutters, fascias and soffits even if your using TFR. "If only it was that easy". The reason I say this is we do a lot of UPVC cleaning and I have found that the only way to clean these to an acceptable standard is using a degreaser or TFR a green back abrasive sponge and rinsing with hose pipe.

we recently did a upvc clean and the only way to clean the barge boards on the sides of the property was with a pressure washer and telescopic lance as there was no access for a ladder, we used a degreaser to help loosen the dirt but found that although the loose surface dirt was washed away staining that you can remove by hand wouldn't shift. The customer was happy with the result because they accepted that this part of the property could only be cleaned this way. We also do a lot of pressure washing driveways etc, with 5.5 HP Honda machine this provides very good results but I'm not sure if it's powerful enough for a whirl-away etc.

[jeff1]

Take a look at my website under gutter cleaning and you will see that is all I use now is a pressure washer and the lance to clean white,black and grey upvc guttering I use ecover from Gardiners you can see the before and after picture results.

There are occasions that the white upvc doesn't come up after the first blast with the lance but if that happens Just a quick rub with a brush reblast and the Job comes up as new every time, I can do a 3 bed semi inside guttering, outside, faciac's and soffits in half an hour and that's front and back with the lance.

[richyp]

where i the best pace to buy them from, is there any good sites about. i need a lance also and do these machines come with the nozzles etc, sorry for all the questions but i have never used  commercial washer before

[simon w]

Hi Jeff.

Interesting reply, I wish I could do a full upvc treatment clean in that time sounds interesting I will have a look at your web-site. If you've got house bricks below your upvc I suppose it's no problem, but how do you manage when you have rendered walls which are painted white? Surely all the dirt from above will get washed all over the walls below.

[jeff1]

Here is where I got my lance, gutter cleaner and the Jets from.
http://www.northerntooluk.com/products.asp?partno=22824E

If the preassure washer does come with Jets you should see them stored on the top but if you want to clean the insides of the guttering then you need to buy the gutter cleaner thats listed right at the bottom of the page.

The lance does take a bit of getting used to at first and when you pull the trigger to start it have it about 10" away from the guttering and then lower it down into the guttering and when you finished and before you release the trigger again move it around 10" away from the guttering to avoid any damage to your lance or the guttering due to kick back.

Use the black Jet for applying your detergent and the white one for cleaning.

[richyp]

cheers jeff, wot size engine would i need to use a floor scrubber

[simon w]

Hi Jeff.

Interesting reply, I wish I could do a full upvc treatment clean in that time sounds interesting I will have a look at your web-site. If you've got house bricks below your upvc I suppose it's no problem, but how do you manage when you have rendered walls which are painted white? Surely all the dirt from above will get washed all over the walls below.

Rich

Have a look in your Yellow pages most areas will have a local supplier for cleaning machines and equipment. If you can find a local supplier who sells PW'S then you will be able to see what your buying before you part with your cash, also if they specialise in pressure washer sales then they can probably customise your equipment to suit your needs.

[jeff1]

Hi Jeff.

Interesting reply, I wish I could do a full upvc treatment clean in that time sounds interesting I will have a look at your web-site. If you've got house bricks below your upvc I suppose it's no problem, but how do you manage when you have rendered walls which are painted white? Surely all the dirt from above will get washed all over the walls below.

Hi Simon
I have actually done a few rendered buildings with pebble dash finish's, Ok this is what happens.

Like I said it takes a while to get the hang of the lance and then again it takes a little longer to become better at using it, the first time I began to use the lance dirt and crap went just about every where and the clean up time used to take just as long to do as the guttering but once you get the hang of it the amount of dirt sprayed can be kept down, so dirt runs down onto the render then put a low pressure Jet onto the lance and stand further back, switch on and spray the render don't get to close or if the render is loose you can blow it off, stand well back and move forward until you can see the dirt wash off the render and no you don't have to do it all, another thing I found by standing to close with the wrong Jet fitted was It was beginning to clean the render and you don't want that, so low pressure Jet and stand further back a few quick blasts and render is cleaned of any over spill.

[jeff1]

cheers jeff, wot size engine would i need to use a floor scrubber

Richy I have never used one but if you look at northern tools pages they often say what pressure is needed to operate a certain tool then you can decide what you want from the details supplied. sorry I can't be of more help with the scrubber.

[richyp]

jeff

i am about to buy that lance and does that 3/8 coplin fit with the honda?

[Window Washers]

I at the mo clean gutters and sofits with wfp and tfr, and never had any complaints about the finish

[richyp]

yeah, buts quicker with a lance i reckon

[ftp]

I use one, far quicker on the brackets and fiddly bits and easier under the soffits. Blooming heavy though, but you can rest it on your leg/hip.

[Nathanael Jones]

Pressure washing can earn great money, but the kit starting out can be costly.
You'll need a 13HP, 4gpm machine to run a flat surface cleaner properly. The best way I've found to have it setup is with the washer in the van and 200' of hose. Dragging the machine, barrel, etc in and out of the van & around houses is hard work,.. those big machines are heavy!

I use a lance for cleaning gutters. Its much quicker than WFP,.. but on occasion I still find I have to pre spray with TFR to get good results. The extendible lances are heavy too until you discover the knack of using them!

[ftp]

Have you tried the belt Nat, or are they not worth the money?

[jeff1]

I heard to many complaints about the harness so I never bought one, When you get the hang of it you will learn to adjust its length so you can rest it on your hip or your leg.

Your first few will take you longer but still quicker than ladders but you will get faster the more you do, My own personal record is 6 houses one after the other and I was knackered afterwards.

Buy or make your self a gutter scoop so you can scoop gutter gardens out but if you see a Job with a gutter garden then up your price to account for your extra time spent scooping them out.

[Milltown Cleaning]

im having quite a lot of requests at the mo for gutter/fascia work.

i have done the work both ways - WFP and powerwashing.

by far the best method i find, is to prespray with tfr and then pressure was off the dirt. WFP is good, but very slow, though you have the benefit of the extendible pole.

at the moment i just have an ordinary short lance, but one of those extendible yokes looks good. would they work with a 1300psi, 21li/min petrol washer?

[Window Washers]

im having quite a lot of requests at the mo for gutter/fascia work.

i have done the work both ways - WFP and powerwashing.

by far the best method i find, is to prespray with tfr and then pressure was off the dirt. WFP is good, but very slow, though you have the benefit of the extendible pole.

at the moment i just have an ordinary short lance, but one of those extendible yokes looks good. would they work with a 1300psi, 21li/min petrol washer?

21L per mins at 1300psi 

[ftp]

Mine works well with 7lpm and 120 bar. Much more and I think it would shoot out of my hands. 

(or I could drown)