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Back in 2009 I started to research roof cleaning because a friend of mine was selling a house and the potential buyer said it needed a new roof because it was black. Need I say more! In my research I found RCIA and started reading etc. I also read other forums PT State, PWI, etc. Talk about confusing.. In the end I bought the equipment needed because I already had a half ton truck at the time. I went with the 12v setup and use it to this day. My first rig to setup was about $650.00, I had the truck, back then I bought the basic pump 5850, hoses, spray gun, used ladders, two 55 gallon drums, etc. In Des Moines, Iowa no one had ever heard of roof cleaning. I even had one guy ask me if I was going to sweep his roof. LOL Needless to say I realized then this wasn't going to be an easy sell. That is when I also realized having the equipment is one thing and selling a cleaning is another. Glad I still had a day job. Over time I was able to educate home owners to roof cleaning and started getting business. Still was a hard sell. So, I changed my market to cedar shakes roof cleaning and things turned around. I then traded my have ton truck for a F-250 and purchased the fat boy system from Bob @ Pressure tek. I still use a version of it today but have designed my own system. Thus my second rig. My cost was about $1800.00 for my second rig equipment. The I went one step further and did a partial wrap and a set of side board signs. I realized branding and marketing was much more important than the cleaning system I had. That cost was about $3000.00. Best investment I made through all this. There is a big hurdle from looking good and being good. I get calls, emails, weekly from others wanting to talk about roof cleaning. They say "I'd like to pick your brain". I laugh at how they always say I am not in your area and won't be competition. I am not indicating I am the best roof cleaner or have the best system but I may well be one of the best branded for the service. I don't have crews or trucks, I do all the cleanings myself. There is just Maria, my ground person and myself. We work from May 1st to November 1st and always gross well into the mid six figures every year. We also don't work 5 or 6 days a week. I am 66 years old and those days are gone. Though locally we do all types of roofs and siding and deck cleaning. www.sullivanroofcleaning.com Our main business comes from Cedar Shakes roof cleaning. www.cedarshakesroofcleaning.com Yes, a niche service. Since I first started I have seen this industry take many turns. I see as many selling the roof cleaning equipment etc., as there are roof cleaners. Well, not that many, but you get my point. What I hear from the many calls, emails I get about roof cleaning is they spend their money on some system but have no money for marketing and branding. They put the wagon before the horse! The equipment you use will not make you a dime if people don't know who your are. There are three basic things that any potential customer must know: 1.) Who are you. 2.) What do you do. 3.) What is in it for them/benefit. If you don't get this out there and people don't see it, all the great systems, equipment, solution etc. have very little value to you building your service. If you have a truck, van or trailer already, you can build a very nice cleaning system for well under $2000.00, in most cases for around $1000.00 if you know where to purchase. My point here. Don't spend your money on looking good, spend your money on being good. Branding your service. The three elements above. Equipment just gets the service done, branding gets you the service/job. Because I have built my branding, I have not marketed directly my service in the last two years. I have no advertising budget. Everything comes off my branding. But starting out I had 70% of my budget going to marketing and building my branding. In the last 7 years I know of 5 others that tried to start up roof cleaning in my area and today they are all gone. Oh, they had real nice skids they paid thousands for and nice looking rigs, a lot better looking than mine. But they didn't have the branding and couldn't afford it after spending all their money looking good. So once again this year we have earned well into the six figures in our short season and they are gone. Not because I have the best cleaning system or that I am the better cleaner but because I had the better branding of my services! Food for thought.

I remember back when I first started cleaning roofs part-time. Had a half ton pickup, bought some 55 gallons barrels on side the road for $20.00, bought some ladders off Craig's list for $100.00 and bought a 5850 pump, chem. hose etc. for about $650.00 and was in business cleaning roofs. I had about $800.00 invested in my first set up.Minus the truck Cost. Since then I did buy a 2008 F-250 8' bed $15,000.00 used, and all my equipment was about $2,000.00 as I build my own system stickily 12v. Starting out was no easy task. No one in my location, Des Moines, Iowa, had ever heard of roof cleaning. Fast forward to now and I get more requests than I can handle. Every year I have to have my friend Neil Krans, Show Me Clean Roofs, come up from St. Louis area to help me do all the jobs. Starting out we did asphalt, then switched to cedar and have done some metal and tile. Now days we do all cedar roofs and Neil does the others for me. Though Neil does cedar also. We have stayed small with just myself and Maria. Bigger isn't always better. LOL We net, not gross, into the 6 figures every season just cleaning roofs. Yes there is a business to be had in cleaning roofs! In our season we work about 90 working days on average. What I learned, I learned from all my mistakes over the years. I also didn't listen to the naysayers either, who said you can not do this that way and that cannot be done that way etc. I also realized that having the latest greatest solution/mix or the newest and biggest skid/system, wouldn't get me to my place today. I basically use the same solution/mix I started with or developed and never tried to change it. I also stayed with the same 12v cleaning system, other than upgrading i.e. from 5850 to fatboy pump, bigger tanks etc. Being the best roof cleaner, which I am not, having the newest/greatest rig, which I don't, using the new and improved solution/mix, which I don't, didn't get me into a steady profitable roof cleaning business/service. What worked for me was marketing and branding my service. What I learned was there are three things potential clients want to know or care about. 1.) Who are you. 2.) What do you do. 3.) What is in it for them or the benefit. In 2016, my recommendation for anyone starting out or trying to build their roof cleaning business/service, it to use 70% of your budget on your marketing and branding your service. Use the K.I.S.S. principle, keep it simple stupid. Years back most cleaned roofs with the same basic solution/mix, same basic equipment/rig. You can spend your budget money on the latest and greatest but will that really get you the business you need to pay for it and make a living? If potential customers don't know who you are, what you do, and what is the benefit to them, all that latest and greatest means nothing. For 2016, consider investing in your marketing and branding of your service. Once you have done that you can always upgrade if you want because you can afford it. It is like buying a brand new car but you don't have enough money left for gas to drive it. So what do you have? A Nice new car! I am sure you get my point. Other than our present Florida market, where we are right now, we did no marketing last years. Our branding and other customer referrals got our business. My advice to anyone just getting going or starting out, use the majority of your budget for marketing/branding your service. That's what I did and I run Sullivan Roof Cleaning instead of Sullivan Roof Cleaning running me because of such. Good luck and have a good 2016.

Hello Guys, Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa here If you lived here in Florida, you would know we have been softwashing down here for many many years! A "softwash system" is what we have been using to chemically clean roofs and exteriors w/o pressure washing, for many years. In this forum, you will learn how to build your very own softwash systems, and how to roll your own softwashing chemicals. There is no need to buy expensive,, pre fabricated softwash skids, when you can easily build your very own softwash system. You do not need questionable, and very expensive softwash chemicals for your systems. Before you buy any ready made Softwash System, or "training", post any and all your soft wash cleaning questions here, so we may help you build your own system, and do it yourself.

People today are constantly bombarded with advertisements from every direction by companies and other people trying to sell them products or services. We have become quick to ignore or filter out the barrage of sales pitches. When you’re promoting your roof cleaning business face to face with others and you don’t make an impression after 30 seconds, you will be forgotten about. Hence you must always be ready with your 29 second pitch. The pitch must answer five questions: What is the problem? Add drama or fear to make it more interesting. What is it that I do? What is my cause or product? How can my service better people’s lives or make them financially better off? How am I different from the others (differentiation)? Here is my 29 second pitch as an illustration: We’re being invaded and most people don’t even realize it yet. Have you noticed any rooftops that have ugly black streaks and stains? That’s air born algae that quickly multiply and spread over the roof’s surface. Besides being unsightly, it’s destructive and costly. Roughly 50% of roofs are replaced simply due to their ugly appearance or premature deterioration that could have been prevented. I’m here to bring you the good news that Advantage Roof Cleaning Company has a safe and inexpensive process that kills the algae, cleans away the streaks and restores the shingles to their proper condition.

We're American-ProTech, a multiple award winning RCIA certified company, that got our start right here years ago. We specialize in roofs. It's what we do. Pictures speak volumes. And there are plenty more on our website.

The choice between sizes doesn't have to just either/or. You can have more than one hose size if you want. I will guarantee you two things about the 3/4" hose-it will spray farther when you need it and it's major overkill 99.9% of the time when you don't. I totally agree about using the extra distance of the bigger hose when you need it for safety reasons to keep you off the roof but dragging it around to do a simple house wash or easy roof will get old in a hurry. The 5/8" hose with a 1" pump and a big ac will reach 99.9% of the roofs I do and I do mostly tall steep roofs. I get an easy 75' of distance horizontally. The key is keeping the other restrictions to a minimum. Eliminate unnecessary 3 way ball valves, avoid a trigger gun and use a 3/4" ball valve pvc pipe setup instead, don't use a hose reel unless the manifold is at least as big as your hose, unspool all of your hose and make sure it has no sharp turns in it, etc. and experiment with spray tips. Most importantly to max distance use the shortest length of hose you can! Any setup will spray farther with 75' of hose versus 300'. I use 3 sections of 5/8" hoses approximately 75' each with no hose reel and I camlock them together as needed. I keep an eye on the camlocks and have had zero issues with them coming apart, leaking etc. Just be careful when dragging hose around by relieving the strain on the joint by grabbing behind it same as you should do for the spray wand.

We are extremely pleased to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, American-ProTech, TheRoofCleaningCompany.com, has been awarded the Angie's List Superior Service Award. This award is limited to the top 5% of businesses nation wide. For the record we spend $0.00 on advertising with Angie's List. Our addition to the greater Atlanta Market in 2015 puts us in 4 states, and the list of services offered by our professional staff continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We got our start right here at the RCIA, and are extremely grateful for the organization lead by the Godfather of Roof Cleaning, Chris Tucker. It all started right here. Lots of reading. More reading. Leadership roles and more reading. Networking and even more reading. Planning, execution, strategy and more planning. LOTS of hard work. As the founder of the company, I've spent the last two months in the deep south, not working, but re-energizing; Formulating our new strategies and sharpening the saw. 2016 will certainly be a banner year and we got our start right here at the RCIA. Frankly, we won't forget it.

We put in a bid on a 40 building Condo project, and the head of the HOA asked us to come to the homeowners association meeting, to address the members of this community. I got to get up in front of about 35 people, and put on my dog and pony show. Then, I answered all of their questions about roof cleaning, plant protection, insurance, etc, etc, etc. Yes, officially I am "retired", and Apple Roof Cleaning is now run by my Son Jamie. My Son asked me to go address these folks, and I am always up for anything to do with the cleaning of roofs

Hey guys I saw a thread on here not to long ago asking about bleach proof clothing. We found a company and a designer that does these shirts and they look fantastic and they don't bleach out. What do you guys think?

One day, you roof cleaners will check your voice mail afer a long day out cleaning roofs. This is what we had today, 14 new messages. OK, 1/2 were medical bill collectors, or Idiots promising to put us on the first page of Google, LOL You ought to hear me when I get those guys wanting to put me on the front page of Google. I "start crying" and "Beg them" NOT to put me on the front page of Google, LOL I tell them we already have more roof cleaning work then we can handle! Keep at this profession guys, it takes about 5 years for the miracle to happen.

So we had another harness save. My main roof guy was coming down from a roof and his ground man had just come down off the ladder on a 2 story house. When the ground man came off the ladder, he shifted it. As soon as my roof man stepped into the ladder, it went out from under him. He fell about 5 feet and was stopped up short by his fall arrest system attached to the safety anchor they had just installed (my guys are trained to be harnessed until their feet are on the ground. He was able to lower himself down using the descender we invested in. The next day he was sore and bruised up from the harness taking the impact, but it was FAR better than the alternative of hitting the concrete from 2 stories up. Guys...it is REALLY easy to become complacent. It is really easy to think you are never going to fall from a roof. But it was just last year that one of our fellow roof cleaners was killed on the job site. As great as this business is, never ever forget that it is a dangerous profession. A fall can seriously injure or kill you. Think about what that would do to your family and friends before you step up on that 2 story roof. Safety anchors are not that hard to install and safety equipment is not that expensive in light of what not having safety equipment *could* cost you. Operating safely and stressing it to your clients shows professionalism and sets you apart from the competition. Be safe out there.

This was a fun project we tackled this week. This home was never finished and basically abandoned in the woods for about 15 years. Owner is beginning renovations and asked Spray Wash to help. We never used a pressure washer here, soft-wash only with the booster pump. Rust stain were treated with F-9

It is also about READING Lozmar. No one gets spoon fed here, w/o making some effort to at least READ.

Sprinklers. We always set sprinklers up on decks to keep them wet all the time. And, they are the last thing we pack up. Keeping the decks really wet stops this from happening.

Sodium Percarbonate mixed at 8 OZ. per gallon and Sodium Hydroxide added at 2 oz. per gallon and applied with dedicated pump and neutralize with oxalic mixed at 6 OZ per gallon. You could also DS Sodium Hydroxide I've done it many times on Cedar,..and is actually my preferred method due to speed. Cedar that is just grayed out is VERY easy to clean. Cedar with heavy moss takes alot of rinsing, so having a good "On Board" rinsing pump is a necessity,...counting on the customers' water is a gamble at best. And if they're on a well,..that will need to be discussed beforehand. YES, these need to be charged for appropriately. Nothing like doing an asphalt shingled roof. The results though are very gratifying. Jeff

Cleaned a dirty house and roof this morning. Lady reminded me of my kids at Christmas. She was so happy and pleased that she baked us some home made cookies and also gave us a $200.00 tip. Performing excellent work sure has some great benefits.

Sorry for the late reply everyone, Thank you, we sent a very long time on it and was a very good learning experience. It is, same county I'm in! There cement tiles. Wasn't really expecting these tile jobs, we got another to do this weekend also, haha. 2800sf roof (: The picture's on the top of the roof turned out AMAZING, I was very happy to see how those turned out. Thanks everyone,

Just a reminder fellow RCIA members!!! We have TriBangers and Quadbangers (JRODs) for $14.75 each. These fit nicely into a USPS flat rate box for just over $5 and change and will arrive to most address in the USA within 2 days. For those of you whom live outside the US, don't worry, we will ship to you, too. DualBangers are $10. These are most popular with the pressure washers. To Recap The Recommended Nozzle Orifices: 3/8†All-Flo Pump or Air Diaphragm Pump 0015, 1515 & 2520 are IDEAL Use ANY NOZZLE SIZE to conserve chemical and reduce run-off. Try 0020, for a controlled straight shot, 0520, 0525, 0520 & 0525 to apply chemical to tight spots like gutters or fascia boards, 0025, 0030, 0035 and 0040 for increasingly heavier straight shots of chemical to reach distances (larger the orifice, the shorter the distance above 20), 1520, 2520, 1525, 2525, 1530, 2530, 1535, 2535, 1540, 2540, 1550 & 2550 for increasingly heavier spray application 1/2" All-Flo Pump or Air Diaphragm Pump 0020, 1520 & 2525 are IDEAL Use ANY NOZZLE SIZE to conserve chemical and reduce run-off. Try 0025, for a controlled straight shot, 0525, 0530, 0525 & 0530 to apply chemical to tight spots like gutters or fascia boards, 0030, 0035, 0040 and 0050 for increasingly heavier straight shots of chemical to reach distances (larger the orifice, the shorter the distance above 20), 1520, 2520, 1525, 2525, 1530, 2530, 1535, 2535, 1540, 2540, 1550 & 2550 for increasingly heavier spray application Delavan 5850 5 gpm @ 60 psi & Everflo 5500 5.5 gpm @ 60 psi 0040, 1550 & 2550 are IDEAL May use 60’s, 70’s 80’s and 90’s but will result in runoff and excessive chemical consumption Rarely 4050 (Spray pattern is ‘misty’ at edges) Fatboy 7870 7 gpm @ 60-100 psi 0050, 1560 & 2560 are IDEAL May use 70’s, 80’s and 90’s but will result in run-off and excessive chemical consumption Rarely 4060 (Spray pattern is ‘misty’ at edges) These are 1/4" Meg Nozzles by Spraying Systems or General Pump. Sometimes they can be found in PVDF or Kynar in orifices of 30 and smaller. Please note the following: Nozzle orifices are affected by many factors. The Inside Hose Diameter, Hose Length, Number of Hose Lengths, Fittings or Restrictions, Type of Chemical Applicator, Use or Non-Use of a Wand, and Hose Reel or No Hose Reel all directly affect the distance achieved a nozzle.

There should be a D.I.Y on this site for a soft wash system... I think when i get my air setup complete.. i am going to make a step by step instruction for a basic roof cleaning system 100 gallon with pictures parts, part numbers etc. But it should be kept confidential to paid members of this forum. let me know what you think.

Have you wondered how to correctly set-up your softwash system? We recommend simplicity as the guiding principle when setting up your system. For the KYNAR Air Diaphragm Pump Systems we recommend the following: 3/8" Pump: Minimum 5.5 gas HP air compressor 1/2" Pump: Minimum 9 gas HP air compressor 3/4" Pump: Minimum 13 gas HP air compressor 1" Pump: Minimum 13 gas HP air compressor (Ingersoll Rand offers an outstanding model) ALWAYS use NON-Collapsible hose on the suction side of the pump. You should be able to stand on the hose without smushing it flat like you can with clear braided poly hose. Use a PVC Slotted Filter on Suction hose in SH tank. Throw out that low grade, rotting, rusting 'stainless' or nylon filter. (Thanks, Chris Tucker)Have your hose barbs crimped on by a hydraulic crimper to prevent leaks, cuts from hose clamps or pressure loss which affects distance. (We offer crimped ends on all hoses in 316 Stainless Steel, Sch 80 PVC, Brass and whatever you bring to us!)Set your dedicated regulator/filter to 90 PSI.Drain your compresor tank(s) of water at least once daily.Avoid polypropylene hose barbs (too soft and contain fiberglass, sometimes), nylon hose barbs, galvanized fittings, steel fittings and garden hose fittings.Avoid using elbows or 90 degree fittings as much as possible.Minimize the use of extra fittings and ball valves. (I see softwash systems with 4, 3-way ball valves before the pump!) Think, Hose in: Hose outDon't have a tank? Can you get by with a tote or a 55 galon drum?Do not use PVC hard pipe to plumb your pump.Do not use Check ValvesDid you consider the need to mix chemical in the middle of the job? Do you need to install 3-Way Ball Valves before and after your pump to help your transfer chemical faster?Do you have your chemical delivered? How are you going to transfer your chemical to your rig? Do you need to install 3-Way Ball Valves or 3 Way Hose Barbs and Ball Valves to transfer chemical? These pumps were engineeered to pump SH 24/7! Use them at capacity!Use Non-Drying Liquid Teflon instead of Teflon tape on PVC to Metal and PVC to PVC. Throw out the Teflon tape. It does not have any use on your rig. (Metal to Metal: Use Medium Threadlock.) ***Important***When choosing the NON-Collapsible Suction hose Inside Diameter (ID), measure the suction port of your pump and multiply by two. For example, the 3/8" All-Flo has a 3/8" Female National Pipe Thread suction port on the bottom of the pump (either side). This pump requires a 3/4" ID NON-Collapsible Suction hose with a PVC slotted filted installed on the end. The 1/2" Yamada has a 1/2" FPT and would require a 1" ID NON-Collapsible Suction hose with a PVC slotted filter installed on the end. (We carry the special Reducing Hose barbs 1" Hose Barb x 1/2" mpt in Stainless Steel, Sch 80 PVC and Brass and can crimp it on for you.) Using a Hose Reel? Choose Titan Hose Reels Order the Aluminum Reel with the Stainless Steel manifold. (Rinse everyday)Ask for the Super Swivel (8620A) instead of the stock swivelDon't order the reel that just fits all of your 200' of hose. Pay the extra $15-20 and order the next size up.Consider a U-Channel Reel if you have an open trailer and can mount the reel on the railing. However, don't forget to order the brake kit. It does not come standard.Enclosed Trailer: Do you need to hang your reels to free up the space?Install a 3-Way Ball Valve BEFORE your reel to eliminimate exposing your reel to full strength SH when transferring chems.Ask for a 1/2" brass street 45 (2354) to install on the drum of the hose reel. This prevents the hose from sticking straight out and developing a flat, weak spot. 12 Volt Systems: It is CRITICAL to keep it SIMPLE Use a deep cycle, high cold cranking amps, fully charged marine battery ~5 gpm 12 Volt Pumps: Use 10 Gauge Wire, heat shrink tubing, heavy duty, water-proof 25 amp switch, inline fuse holder 25 amp fuse, minimum of 1/2" ID hose or 5/8" (better) and 0040, 1550, 2550, 4050 or larger 1/4 MEG nozzles. ~7 gpm 12 Volt Pumps: Use 10 Gauge Wire, heat shrink tubing, heavy duty, water-proof 30 amp switch, inline fuse holder 30 amp fuse, minimum of 5/8" ID hose or 3/4" (better) and 0050, 1560, 2560, 4060 or larger 1/4 MEG nozzles. ALWAYS use 1" ID NON-Collapsible hose on the suction side of the pump. You should be able to stand on the hose without smushing it flat like you can with clear braided poly hose. Use a PVC Slotted Filter on Suction hose in SH tank. Throw out that low grade, rotting, rusting 'stainless' or nylon filter. (Thanks, Chris Tucker)Have your hose barbs crimped on by a hydraulic crimper to prevent leaks, cuts from hose clamps or pressure loss which affects distance. (We offer crimped ends on all hoses in 316 Stainless Steel, Sch 80 PVC, Brass and whatever you bring to us!)DO NOT install the pump in a box of any kind to restrict air flow or to install a fan to improve air flow. I've seen pumps drown and it is sad! Install pumps out of the direct weather and under something such as a base plate or reel.Straight from the Big Guy, Chris Tucker, use a 1/2" or 3/4" PVC ball valve and a reducing bushing and do not use a wand. Most guys install a SS male coupler (4629) and a TriBanger with three nozzles. I rarely ever offer the poly gun in chem resitant or palin black because it can't handle any type of fall for the price compared to the reliability of a PVC ball valve form the hardware store. Do not use another 12 Volt pump to inject chemical into your hose. Most low pressure pumps can't handle the increase in pressure. Think about the copious amounts of chemical used when you have very little control. This 'chemical injection by 12 Volt pump' benefits your chemical suppliers profit margin and NOT yours. Avoid polypropylene hose barbs (too soft and contain fiberglass, sometimes), nylon hose barbs, galvanized fittings, steel fittings and garden hose fittings.Avoid using elbows or 90 degree fittings as much as possible.Minimize the use of extra fittings and ball valves. (I see softwash systems with 4, 3-way ball valves before the pump!) Think, Hose in: Hose outMount your 12 Volt pump wet end down. If your pump should happen to drip, the drip will not soak electrical components.Keep a spare 12 Volt pump in your truck ready to install.Buy spare micro-switches at Grainger or Google them online at a huge savings. They are only $3 compared to replacing the entire switch for around $15-17. You can find the micro-switch by taking apart your pressure switch. It is an easy thing to find and the part number is stamped on it.Do not use PVC hard pipe to plumb your pump. The hoses should flex a bit. Pics of rigs with lots of PVC criss crossing the floor boards and meeting up to a 'manifold of carefully labelled, wall of PVC ball valves" looks like a nightmare waiting to happen in the biggest job, on the hottest day when things just can't go wrong.Do not extend the length of your 12 Volt suction hose beyond 14 feet. It will have a tough time priming and stress the pump. You want the pump to spend it's energy on pumping and not suctioning.Do not use Check ValvesDon't have a tank? Can you get by with a tote or a 55 galon drum? These 12 Volt pumps spew out chemical. Be prepared to use quite a bit.Did you consider the need to mix chemical in the middle of the job? Do you need to install 3-Way Ball Valves before and after your pump to help your transfer chemical faster?Do you have your chemical delivered? How are you going to transfer your chemical to your rig? Do you need to install 3-Way Ball Valves or 3 Way Hose Barbs and Ball Valves to transfer chemical?Use Non-Drying Liquid Teflon instead of Teflon tape on PVC to Metal and PVC to PVC. Throw out the Teflon tape. It does not have any use on your rig. (Metal to Metal: Use Medium Threadlock.) I hope these details help all of you. Thank you for your continued support! Lori ALL-FLO SINGLE_TANK.pdf

Hey guys we are working on our new rig for the year just thought I'd post a pic of the progress we are almost done.. We love building rigs give us a msg if you need help

This thread will be to show the most basic layout drawings for tanks, plumbing, etc. Normally this would go in the Members section...however, newbies need at least *some* basic knowledge and nothing here isn't available online with about 5 minutes of searching. HOWEVER... If you are new...just join as a Premium member. Seriously, it is a heck of an investment. Ask most any Premium. The amount of knowledge and detailed information you will find on pumps, accessories, layouts, how to keep things running, chemicals, marketing and SEO...is absolutely 1000% worth it. Premium membership will save you money and it will make you money. Meantime, I will leave this thread open for drawings and system layout images. Please leave extensive discussions of different types of systems to different threads to keep this reasonably simple to navigate. If you have specific questions on a specific layout, please ask. If anybody wants to contribute their own layout drawings or pictures, please do so. Oh...and ANYBODY who tries to start the Top Vs. Bottom Bulkhead argument will be strung up by their Petard and pelted mercilessly with rotted fruits and vegetables. *************** Here are some universal guidelines applicable to ALL pump setups: 1) The Sealed Tank design shown should be utilized on ALL rigs. There are far too many posts on Facebook, and Pressure washing forums of guys who are suffering suspension and frame failures. Using this design will eliminate most of the corrosion. It is only a matter of time before there is a serious injury caused by a rig failure due to corrosion. Seeing as how the sealed tank system is so easy and affordable to implement and it will significantly cut down on your equipment and rig corrosion, it is silly to NOT do it. 2) Ideal Suction Line Sizing for Pumps. Suction line should be PVC. PVC Polybraid or Spiral Wrap are the most popular options. 3/8 pump: 3/4" 1/2" Pump. 1" 1" Pumps. 1" Note: 1" Air diaphragm pumps run fine with 1" input lines as long as they are driven with reasonable CFM. 3) Grey Schedule 80 PVC is the preferred material for hard pipes. Schedule 80 is thicker, stronger and more UV resistant. All PVC will eventually degrade from UV if not coated. 4) All pumps should have at least a small section of flexible input and output lines going directly in and out of the pumps. This is especially true for Air Diaphragm and Udor types. 5) All pumps with the exception of Kynar Air Diaphragm pumps with Teflon Diaphragms should be rinsed with fresh water after spraying. Even with a Kynar pump, your hose fittings are typically stainless and will rust if not rinsed...so just rinse with fresh water already! 6) Vented Chemical rated ball valves last longer. They are more expensive. The cheap PVC ball valves you buy at Lowes won't last with SH and get stiff and break. Invest in a good valve and it will last. I am on year five with our original 3 way Spears Schedule 80 Chlorine service vented ball valve. It was stupid expensive, but it still works perfectly and doesn't leak a drop. 7) If you use Banjo valves, you must use the Teflon ball/Viton seal version. The Buna Rubber seal version will leak...rapidly. 8) Trigger guns don't last. We nearly all use Ball valves. See note on Schedule 80 or use a Poly Banjo valve at the spray hose end. They won't break as easily if dropped. 9) *Most* metal will rust in the presence of SH. Anything exposed to SH fumes or direct spray should be coated. Hastelloy, Titanium and Tantalum are the non radioactive exceptions. If you have to ask the price... 10) Thread sealer containing Teflon is far preferable over Teflon tape for all fluid connections. Air Connections are fine with Teflon Tape. I use Gasoila for all my low pressure fluid sealing. 11. You need water hose on your truck. Buy Eley Polyurethane Hose or Flexzilla. I run Flexzilla. 12. Check all fittings thoroughly on a regular basis. Test all new fittings with water under pressure with the pump spraying. Materials Guide. Materials from least to most resistant to Chlorine and wear. Pump Materials: Fiberglass Reinforced Polypropylene....Virgin Polypropylene...FKM/Viton...PVC...Teflon/Kalrez...PVDF/Kynar Metals: Steel/Iron...Aluminum...Stainless Steel...Hastelloy C...Titanium...Tantalum. Spray Hose: Polybraid...Polyurethane...PVC Blend.

Ive taken to not cleaning roofs if there are no gutters. Not worth the risk. If I do take a job with no gutters I fully warn the customer of the potential "kill zone". 97% of homes in my area have gutters so losing a potential nightmare isn't to bad.

THE best neutralization for SH is water, and lots of it. Forget about so called "Chlorine Neutralizers". For one thing, they dont neutralize the salt in the SH, and secondly, to properly neutralize chlorine, you must first know the exact amount of chlorine you are trying to neutralize, to add an exact amount of one chemical, to cancel out the other. Too little neutralization chemical, and it don't do shit, too much of the neutralization chemical, you have just introduced another chemical into the landscaping and the environment. Dilution is the solution to pollution, nothing beats plenty of water. In our company, the ground man is the Boss! If he says to slow down because the run off is overwhelming him,, the roof guy stops. Good communication between the roof and ground guy is essential. You cant have a hyper out of control guy up on a roof, who sprays at will, and wanders from one side of the roof to another, and we will not keep a chicken shit roof man, who wants to stay near the top of a roof, and flood a side of the roof, because he is too chicken shit to walk down the roof, to control his run off. Also, remember the faster a solution cleans, the faster it kills plants. This is why we suggest working in the weaker range of the chemical, to prevent plant and possible paint damage. It is no "SIN" to have to touch up 25% of the roof, after the first spray coat.

Hey guys I made a video on how to put on hose clamps on yourself just how to hose suppliers do. This really gets the best fitting on your hoses ( much better than the cheap ones your screw on with a screw driver). Sometimes we go to hose suppliers but its easy and cheap to buy this tool and do it yourself for long term use its a must have for us. Check it out and make sure you subscribe if you like it

Last year, while spending the winter in Florida with my wife, I received a call from a Washington Post reporter, literally while on the beach in the Keys - Bahia Honda specifically. I was asked for an interview, right then and then, regarding my views on a new (at the time) state of the art indoor gun range. I'm a vocal proponent of the Second Amendment, and the reporter wanted my "veteran's perspective". The article was published just a few weeks later. This year, while wintering in Florida, I received yet another call for an interview, but this time it was about our unique profession, Roof Cleaning. Specifically, moss removal. The article was published yesterday. I was very pleased to see that my friends Jon (referenced) and Brian (co-owner sadly not referenced) were also interviewed. Needless to say the phone has been ringing off the hook as a result! If you'd like to read the article, it can be found here. As mentioned in another recent post, at American-ProTech, we're very grateful for the RCIA! American-ProTech, an industry leader.

Hey guys we don't clean a ton of gutters but sometimes when we do roofs they ask us to clean the gutters. I made a review of a tool we use that rocks and its cheap. This is a must have check it out. If you buy it let them know Curb Appeal Pros sent you!

The attached is a must read on what you need to do to optimize your videos.www.kinexmedia.com/blog/video-marketing-optimization/ http://www.advantageroofcleaning.com/cedar-shake-roof-and-cedar-siding-cleaning-in-evanston-cook-county/

I have been using Slo Mo for the last few jobs and the stuff is AWESOME! It's crazy concentrated so it only takes a few ounces to do an entire roof. It also seems to clean extremely well and rinses easily. Try it you'll like it! I will definitely buy it again and nothing else.

Just wanted to say THANK YOU, Mr. Chris Tucker! We are experiencing exponetial growth here in Savannah and a lot of it has to do with the marketing stratagies that you and others have shared in the past. I have been reading, studying and learning much in the past 3 months! We are now being called, 2-3 times a week to quote jobs because "they found us on the internet"! So, Thank you again for continuing to share your knowledge and experience in this industry Sir :-) Philip McCullough

Looks Great in my opinion! I have found a company that makes 100% polyester shirts called sporttek. I wear long sleeve all summer to keep sun exposure down. these shirts have taken roof mix all last year, no bleaching!!!

Merry Christmas everyone. I wish everyone health, success and prosperity for 2017. Remember the reason for the season!

Hey guys I did a short video of some of the things we are putting into our 2nd rig. It just touches on some things if you may think about getting. If you need any items on the video we sell some of it or can guide you on where to get it for the best price. Enjoy

It's coming! The Roof Cleaning and Chem Application System you've been asking for. Compact, Quiet, ultra reliable. It was out being tested today in the most extreme conditions and passed with flying colors. Stay tuned!

As with Bruce, I follow the KISS philosophy. Keep the equipment simple and basic. The more elaborate it is, the more it takes to maintain. Marketing is critical but so is your reputation. Do your best to exceed your customer's expectation with every job and they will promote you and sell your business for you!

I rarely reply to anything that's not on the private side of this forum, however I will to this one. You are greatly overstating the risk to plant life. It's not like we are spraying straight Roundup and are always on the verge of eliminating all vegetation with one small misstep. It takes extreme neglect and carelessness to damage almost any plant with our solution. Keep the plants wet and you have little to be concerned with. I spray from ladders and the ground all the time and do most roofs by myself and have had zero plant issues all year.

Chris,..I chose to post this on your board because I know you're a fan of what works,..cost not being a factor. I've seen you take heat by telling people about certain products you can buy locally that work just as well as these small vendors are selling for 5x as much. For instance,... you use,..and have had many, many guys use Gain dish liquid for their roof soap. Cheap and effective. You're a fan of products you can buy locally,..as many people are. You're mindset is what I call "nuts and bolts" ,...running a business isn't about supporting the vendors that advertise on these boards. It's about supporting yourself and doing what's best for your own situation. On the other boards I am seeing a handful of guys who almost seem like they're paid off in the products they're promoting. A couple of the products that are being highly touted are no better than "stuff" I can buy locally,..yet people are touting these overpriced products as super great and worth every penny. Example: I tried $50 a gallon F9 the other day on a concrete driveway,..it didn't work as good as my typical aluminum brightener,..not even close. Aluminum brightener is Hydroflouric/Sulfuric blend,..and I get it from a local PW supplier for $48.00 a 5 gallon bucket. I gave the F9 a chance and tried it on a few other test areas,..it worked no better than the aluminum brightener,..or even oxalic. Now I see there is some "Dragon Juice"" that costs like $60.00 a gallon,..and I bet it's no better than the large branded products like Purple Power($19.00 for 5 Gallon),..especially if you add some Sodium Hydroxide to the PP. It seems to be one product after another being introduced, and way over priced. These small vendors are most likely making these products in house and slapping a label on them. Whereas, big companies can make the same or even better products for ALOT cheaper due to volume. As far as supporting these vendors,..I regard them the same way I do my local vendor,..you have to complete within a certain percentage,..and that's where my loyalty ends. I show you the same courtesy you show me. People talk about them answering the phone when you call with questions like it's a big deal,...they are salesman,..and them taking your call is marketing,..say what you want,..but these guys are in it for sales. That's not to say they probably make friends with certain guys,.but as a whole they're in it to sell their products. Ammonyx LO and Ammonyx MO were both "discovered" for our uses at the old RCIA board,..yet vendors sale it as their in house brand. And is most likely watered down, as most will never know because they don't know what the "real" LO or MO looks like. *I'm waiting for one these genius vendors to come up with a new mold killer named who knows what. And they sell you some 6% SH and an additive for $20.00 a gallon Plus $10.00 Shipping,.. And some of these guys will buy it and tout it up as being so much better than regular SH and Gain. *I didn't want to start a bunch of crap on the other boards,...just tired of the hype over these products. Jeff

But it sure turned out great!!

Summer of 2014 brought about great change in my life as I launched my rather unexpected pressure washing business. It's been a journey and have loved every minute of it. It's been a pleasure serving members of our community and look forward to a broader customer base and wider range of cleaning service for 2015. I started my business pressure washing a house with a pump sprayer full of out door bleach and a 50' pressure washing hose. I had to drag that pressure washer all over the yard with me. I then found a surface cleaning attachment for driveways and off I go. It was tough. And door to door advertisement has earned its respect in my opinion! After finding the forums, my life changed. I learned pressure washing professional equipment, cleaners and processes, such as soft wash. My ambition wasn't satisfied, so I learned roof cleaning. Again there forums came to my rescue! I credit the forums for my minimal mistakes along the way. Again, my ambition raged on, so Cedar Roof Cleaning gotta dose of it. I now specialize in non-pressure cedar roof cleaning. With a year of work under my belt, Clean Pro Exteriors is now an L.L.C. fully insured and licensed, using only soft wash methods to ensure the most effective, safest cleaning out there. My marketing and Advertising continues to increase and I hope to grow in business managing and budgeting as we go. But my ambition is a fire with more full to burn, so what's next? I want contracts! I plan to start with small grocery stores around town maintaining their walk ways, and hopefully, get started in Fleet Washing. To commemorate the journey, here are a few of my firsts.... first rig, house wash, deck, stucco, brick patio, roof, cedar roof

First off, never ever use a pressure washer on a roof unless you want to totally destroy it. A soft wash set up is very simple and can be built for under $500.00 and will deliver excellent results safely.Start out with a 12v electric pump and graduate to an air system in the future. Delvan fat boys are under $200.00. Garden hose and a nozzle and you'rer all set.

It is no surprise I am a fan of big pumps. I've been secretly out there watching for a beast. Well, one just popped up on the radar and I grabbed it. On the way is this absolute monster... Versamatic E2 2 inch AODD Pump. 105 lbs of solid polyvinylidene difluoride (Kynar) standing 30 1/4' tall. Capable of pumping my entire 150 gallon mix tank dry in one minute with appropriate compressor. Why? Why in the name of all that is holy would I need to use a pump this stupidly, massively big? Well first of all because I am an adult and I want to. But second of all because it is much cheaper than a compressor upgrade. Whut? Let us peruse the performance curve on it. Look at the 20 CFM line, that is what my compressor runs at. Now figure in a discharge head at 40 PSI with a lift of around 80 ft. That gives you roughly 36 Gallons/minute of flow. Compare this to my admittedly still pretty darned big 1" Hastelloy pump. Same pressure, same head and I am at just under 20 Gallons/minute. For under $1000 I just nearly doubled my flow. Instead of a compressor upgrade, I made a pump upgrade. That is what volumetric efficiency brings to the table. Granted, I have a compressor big enough to run it and a pump of this scale and sheer manliness is not recommended if you are running a small contractor compressor. You simply need a flat out large enough amount of air to make a massive diaphragm of that size move. But the same volumetric efficiency upgrade applies going from a 3/8 or 1/2" pump into a 1" pump. Same compressor, more reach. And yes, I will be switching to a much larger rinse tank to feed the monster. Putting a Hudson float valve in to boot. Pictures will be forthcoming when available.

I get asked a lot about a product called Plant Wash, that is supposed to protect plants from softwashing chemicals. It is my opinion that this product is not effective in stopping plant loss from chemical exposure. Let's all take a good look at why I feel this way, and then decide for yourself if the Plant Wash from Softwash Systems does as claimed ? Here we are, way back in 1999, asking this questionhttp://www.madsci.org/posts/archives...0591.Bt.q.html And, here is the answer http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives...0591.Bt.r.html The answer then was NO, and the answer now is still NO! If you think you can simply spray some fertilizer on plants to "provide an additional level of protection" from the SH, you need your head examined. The best way to protect plants from run off, is to stop the run off from hitting them in the first place (tarps) Duh The second best way to protect plants is with plenty of water, before, during, and after the roof cleaning. Dilution is the solution, to pollution. To the uneducated and inexperienced, spraying the plants with an acidic fertlizer "sounds good", because SH is very Alkaline, and it "stands to reason" the acidic fertlizer "will neutralize" the roof cleaning chemical, maybe render it more harmless ? But, this is not how it works, in the real world! Maybe in a labratory situation, where you know the EXACT strength of the run off, you could apply just the right amount of acid to get to a neutral PH (but then you still have the sodium salt to worry about). But, in the real world, it is next to impossible to apply just the right amount of the acidic fertlizer, because of about a zillion variables we have little or no control over. Now, if you apply too much acid fertlizer, it can and will supercharge the SH, and turn it into an oxidizer(plant killer)100 times more powerful then what you started with !!!!! In fact, back in the old days (working outside with eye protection and respirators), we would acidify the river rock around swimming pools by first spraying it with muriatic acid, and then hit it with a 50/50 SH/Water mix. This 2 step cleaning method is very very dangerous, (do NOT try this, you can be killed) but trust me, you have never seen even the worst looking river rock whiten up, as it does when the SH is intentionally acidified. We also add acid to our swimming pools to INCREASE the activity of the chlorine, so tell me, WHY would you ever want to add an Acid of any kind, where SH is dripping, or has dripped ? As for your answer to the question "Does the Plant Wash from Softwash Systems work", let's let a Softwash Systems Authorized Contractor answer that for us! http://www.squeegeesquad.com/uploads...FUkV7AodMVYA6g If you take the time to READ the PDF Files first paragraph, you can see that they kill plants too (by their own admissions), despite being connected with Softwash Systems, LOL In fact, they even have a "service truck" they claim, just for replacing plants ! So everyone, now you have your answer to "Does The Plant Wash From Softwash Systems Work" LOL, "Straight From The Horses Mouth"!

I just might subcontract Half Price Harry and make a killing without leaving my house...LOL.

Cleaned a roof on a mansion yesterday worth about $650K. Last nite I got a request for a quote off my website for a mansion worth a little shy of $800K. Maybe tomorrow we'll hit the $1mil mark. Life is good.

http://www.edgeroofcleaning.ca

No Ladder Roof Cleaning Ladder work is obsolete for me....Ryan gets it off the truck, puts it where I want it and puts it back on the truck when I'm done.

Robin, One problem with the Internet, is it is hard to know if someone is just fooling around, or really being a prick! I am so sorry all of this happened, because I value all our new members, who are trying to learn roof cleaning. Therefore, I have adopted a new policy for BOTH of our forums. Here is the message I am sending to members, and will probably post. Both RCIA Forums have now become "No Bash Zones". This means that ANY bashing of members or the Forum will not be tolerated, period, end of story. If you have suggestions to improve the forum, send me a private message.

I figure they go with us because we are certified, licensed, insured and professional. When we get on their roof we do an inspection, cleaning, gutters, trim any branches on the roof etc. I figure that way they don't have to worry about paying another qualified professional to get back on the roof. Its easy for us to take care of it while we are up there and that has value. It would for me if I was in their shoes.

I followed the KISS philosophy when building my own skid. But first I did my homework by researching the RCIA forum and consulting with the RCIA community. Nothing fancy, minimum hose/pipe connections and reliable. Heck I don't even own a truck! I purchased a small trailer that accommodates all the equipment and pull it with the SUV. Not one prospective client has ever asked to first see my equipment as he/she was more concerned with my process and results. And I am proud to say that my efficient yet effective equipment delivers and many times exceeds the customer's expectations.

I really like locally availiable stuff! I need it when I need it, and hate waiting for shit to be shipped. I also hate paying the shipping on stuff, especially heavy stuff like liquid soaps! The Liquid Gain works, it works well, plus it is cheap. And, for what it is worth, it is my discovery. I found it on accident one day, and have used it ever since. I like using it thick, like 2 to 3 - 44 ounce bottles to 100 gallons of mix. At that concentration, it really hides the smell better, but it will leave a film sometimes, on the roof. No worries, just tell your customers that you are applying a roof treatment, that might leave a slight film, that will go away after a good rain. It will, and will also have all kinds of sudsy little bubbles that will come off the roof, that smell a lot better then just chlorine! LOL, New Apple Sauce !