RO and DI water

[Kleen Roofs]

Anybody ever try a RO & DI water system for roof and exterior cleaning ?  

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

Anybody ever try a RO & DI water system for roof and exterior cleaning ?  

What is that ?

[waxman18324]

What is that ?

Chris,

 

Reverse Osmosis & Dionized Water. Without posting some long winded explanation from wiki it's a filtration system that purifies water by removing impurities. Some window cleaners use this science in their water feed poles. At the South Jersey event a vendor demonstrated RO/DI water feed poles and it's capabilities, Without soap the windows were clean and there were no water spots on any windows.

 

Dave,

 

I heard, on the street, that this might be helpful in the future with exterior cleaning. I'll wait and see.

 

Hank

[Liberty SoftWash]

I bought a DI unit at the jersey event for window cleaning.

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

I bought a DI unit at the jersey event for window cleaning.

Oh, the car wash guys use it all the time here in Florida, to wash cars at car dealers because it will not spot.

Saves on time consuming rinsing.

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

Chris,

 

Reverse Osmosis & Dionized Water. Without posting some long winded explanation from wiki it's a filtration system that purifies water by removing impurities. Some window cleaners use this science in their water feed poles. At the South Jersey event a vendor demonstrated RO/DI water feed poles and it's capabilities, Without soap the windows were clean and there were no water spots on any windows.

 

Dave,

 

I heard, on the street, that this might be helpful in the future with exterior cleaning. I'll wait and see.

 

Hank

 

Here is what I found about it's use. It does have some theoretical advantages, however, in the real world, I doubt there will be any difference.

The amount of impurities in water is very small, enough to maybe spot windows, but not enough to effect the strength of bleach.

 

Deionised water is simply purified water. Bleach can attack certain materials and react with them, and in DI water, there is nothing for it to react with. Also, if you're going to use the bleach solution for something else, DI water will also prevent reaction with the other reagents.

[Roof Cleaning Cleveland]

  Seems overkill, but interested in what you find out.  Has it helped at all? 

[Kleen Roofs]

It helps in washing siding if you are working with well water. With DI water, you do not get any spots on the siding or the windows. I have not seen much diff. on roofs, but I do not use well water in my tanks for roofs.

[The Roof Cleaner]

If I recall, the filter tanks used to provide DI water are recharged with caustic soda which is an acid. The tanks produce only so much DI water and have to be recharged. It takes sometime to produce RO water and usually stored in a holding tank. Years ago I worked for All Florida Water in Pompano Fla., that catered to all the car dealerships up and down the east and west coast of Fla. They would exchange the tanks and service the pressure washers at all the dealerships. My father retired from Culligan Water Conditioning and could provide me with any additional info if needed on this topic. Simple Cherry seems to work best for me for spot free needs.

[Guest A to Z Roof Cleaning]

This is going to be used along with an alternative cleaning source in the Soft Wash System provided by AC.

I think it could be great and will be paying attention.

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

This is going to be used along with an alternative cleaning source in the Soft Wash System provided by AC.

I think it could be great and will be paying attention.

By the "alternative cleaning source" you mean Calcium Hypochlorite I assume ? 

Zack, I am not sure if you were around back in the day when it was sold as the "Bleach Powder" or not, but it has real problems for roof and exterior cleaning. 

It was tried by Doug Rucker in Houston, and left such a bad scale over everything, it had to have acid applied with pressure washing, just to remove it!

Maybe the RO or DI Water solves that problem ?

 

Here in Florida, Sodium Hypochlorite is cheap, readily available, and plentiful. 

I am aware of Calcium Hypochlorite (powdered pool shock)

I am also quite aware of it's problems!

It leaves behind an awful scale, when used with hard water.

I always wanted to try it, with softened water, I just never did, because SH is so cheap and works so well, here in Tampa.

 

Jeff  up in Pennsylvania, myself, and several RCIA Members discussed the possibility of making Calcium Hypochlorite work, by simply adding a scale inhibitor or softened water to it several times, on the RCIA Forum.

But, because SH works so well, we never really went any farther with it.

 

 

The above pics are RCIA Member, and Certified Roof Cleaner Clyde, demonstrating his opinion of the Bleach Powder (Calcium Hypochlorite) that did not work as advertised.

The scale on his head was not that much of an exageration of how much Scale that crap left behind.

 

Zack, IF you are interested in exploring alternative roof cleaning chemicals, go buy a bag of Calcium Hypochlorite, and then, use ONLY softened water, from a water softener.

[Kleen Roofs]

The only difference I found was at houses that had REALLY HARD water. After washing the house, it helped to hit the windows with DI water and simple cherry. Took the spots away. Of course, the same thing can be done with a water fed pole.

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

The only difference I found was at houses that had REALLY HARD water. After washing the house, it helped to hit the windows with DI water and simple cherry. Took the spots away. Of course, the same thing can be done with a water fed pole.

 

Have you ever tried powdered pool shock (Calcium Hypochlorite) to clean roofs with ?

It is not as potent as SH, as far as pure cleaning power goes, and can leave an awful scale behind, as Clyde mocks up, in his pictures.

However, if the scale problem can be solved, it is easy to get and pretty cheap, and unlike SH, does not leave salt behind when it evaporates, so it can be left on a roof w/o gutters, with no worries.

 

It is kind of a PITA to use because it is not real water soluble, and will tend to leave "little rocks" behind in your tank, that must be flushed out .

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

pH Control

The Mysterious pH Factor Table 1: pH

What pH Is

We use pH as an index to express how acidic or basic a solution is. (The scientific definition of pH is "the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration".) A pH greater than 7.0 is basic, and a pH lower than 7.0 is acidic. An extremely basic substance such as sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine) has a very high pH, while muriatic acid has a very low pH. Ordinary drinking water typically has a pH near neutral, around 7.0 on the pH scale.

In pools and spas, it is important to maintain the water in the slightly basic range of 7.2 to 7.8. The National Spa and Pool Institute (NSPI), the industry association in the United States, has set a standard of 7.2 to 7.6 as the ideal pH.

You should know one more important point: the pH scale is logarithmic. That means that one unit of difference on the pH scale indicates an increase (or decrease) of a factor of 10. (The Richter Scale uses the same relationship to represent the relative strength of earthquakes.) For example, a pH of 8.2 is 10 times more basic than a pH of 7.2; 9.2 is 100 times more basic than 7.2.

Why pH Is Important

Losing control of pH in the water unleashes a whole series of problems. It affects the comfort and safety of swimmers and bathers. The pH can also damage metal equipment and gel-coat if it gets out of balance. The pool or spa owner should know about the following potential side effects if he or she neglects the pH.

If pH Is Low

• The water can corrode surfaces, metal equipment or fixtures.
• Swimmers and bathers can experience discomfort from burning eyes and itchy skin.
• The chlorine may dissipate more quickly.
• The water may cause blistering and etching of the gel-coat.

If pH Is High:

• Calcium and metals tend to come out of solution (the opposite of dissolving) at high pH levels, creating the potential for stain and scale formation. The calcium and metals will actually create deposits and discoloration on pool walls and equipment.
• Swimmers and bathers can experience discomfort from burning eyes and itchy skin.
• High pH can contribute to cloudy water.
• As the pH increases, chlorine becomes less efficient as a sanitizer. (If the pH is too high, the chlorine won't form enough hypochlorous acid, the form of chlorine that does the best work as a sanitizer.)

pH Control

Increasing pH - You can use sodium carbonate (soda ash) to increase pH when levels are too low. Other chemicals that can raise the pH are sodium bicarbonate and sodium sesquicarbonate. The amount required varies from pool to pool; it depends on the chemical used.

Decreasing pH - Sodium bisulfate and muriatic acid can lower the pH when it gets too high. Sodium bisulfate is popular because it is granular, making it safe to handle and easy to use. Muriatic acid is a concentrated liquid acid that can cause severe burns in direct contact with skin.

[Kleen Roofs]

Yes, I have tried the CH.  Just like you say. A terrible film on the roof.  I did a test on some loose shingles last year, and the film is still noticeable.  

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

Yes, I have tried the CH.  Just like you say. A terrible film on the roof.  I did a test on some loose shingles last year, and the film is still noticeable.  

 

I am waiting to hear back from several chemist's about the Calcium Hypochlorite Scale Problem, to see if we can solve it ?

I think maybe some lower PH Water may help.

The formation of the scale occurs mainly at high PH levels.

Stay Tuned!

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

Yes, I have tried the CH.  Just like you say. A terrible film on the roof.  I did a test on some loose shingles last year, and the film is still noticeable.  

Yes, and it is a nasty film to get off too! When the Calcium Hypochlorite was tried in Houston Texas, it left an awful film over everything. In fact, it was so bad, that acid and pressure washing had to be used, to get it off!

[Pro Windows]

I am a window cleaner looking to add roof washing. I have a sweet RO/DI water fed pole set up. Next local job I get (so I can drive past and see the results over time) with roof stains I will squirt a few spots and see what happens.

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

I am a window cleaner looking to add roof washing. I have a sweet RO/DI water fed pole set up. Next local job I get (so I can drive past and see the results over time) with roof stains I will squirt a few spots and see what happens.

​Welcome to the RCIA  The RO/DI water ALONE will not clean any roof. You will have to add either sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite to the water. 

[Pro Windows]

If you want to experiment im game, what % SH to RO/DI water should I try?  Traditional 50/50 would be a waste seing it cost 7-50 cents a gallon to produce pure water depending on the system your using.

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

If you want to experiment im game, what % SH to RO/DI water should I try?  Traditional 50/50 would be a waste seing it cost 7-50 cents a gallon to produce pure water depending on the system your using.

​The whole Idea of using that kind of water was to try and prevent Calcium Hypochlorine from leaving a nasty film behind, after the cleaning.

If you are using Sodium Hypochlorite, like 95% of us roof cleaners are, then, imho, RO/DI water will be a waste of time and money.

Where are you located Pro Windows ?

[Pro Windows]

I am in western PA, Thank you for the welcome. I will be becoming a premium member as soon as you guys are set up for this site so get used to me :}

 

I have a rental with black gm stains we can experiment with, I really don't care if we leave a film on it. Can I get  Calcium Hypochlorine  from my poll & spa dealer? He sells me 12% sodium Hydro (pool shock I believe) and has most everything for pools if that's where I should look for it.

[Pro Windows]

I experimented and here are some results:

Roof Cleaning:

Powder still leaves the film, liquid SH pure water gives no advantage over tap water. In short no advantage at all

Siding cleaning:

If the property has well or extremely hard water (over 900 TDS) you are using for rinse you may leave some water spots. Pure water left none but is very costly (25-50 cents a gallon with just a DI system). You will get the same results running the water threw a .5 sediment filter followed by a carbon filter. If your just neededing this once in a while home depo set ups for 2-4 gpm are under $100 larger filters can be purchased at culligan or your local supplier.

If your looking for spot free windows that is another subject and you will want a full blown RO/DI set up with WFP's but your getting into big $ there.

If anyone has any questions on water quality or systems or what you need just shoot me a message, I am a window washer and have home built more systems than I can count. Just like roof cleaning rigs pre made pure water systems are the easy and expensive choice that you hope nothing goes wrong.

[Jim Ordway]

I know this thread is a little outdated, but I thought I'd throw in my 2¢.

I have an RO/DI system that I have used for years with window cleaning.  For that purpose it is awesome, fast and very effective.  I have a very nice system, it can not be run at very high pressure though because of the filter media max is 85psi.  If you think tap pressure isn't great, when pushing through RO/DI filters part of the flow is diverted with dirty discharge, the equation would like Total Filtered Water = Tap Water (input) - Discharged Water (output).  So to fill a 275 gallon fresh water tank with pure water would take a very long time, I have never measured time exactly because it's not an issue with my process, but under normal tap conditions here it would take about :45 minutes (in some places longer) to get to 60 gallons of pure water which spraying at say 10 gpm is 6 minutes of rinsing.  The cost of downtime waiting would be huge, and In my opinion the benefit wouldn't be noticed.

Now if you're cleaning windows, it's the best way to go!  

[Pro Windows]

You could speed up your fill time by bypassing the ro filter and just using di. My home water is right under 300 tds and straight di cost around 27 cents a gallon to create pure water. I can run this full blast into my 100 gallon tank and fill it in around 15 min. Running ro/di takes the cost to around 7 cents per gallon but fill time is much longer. 

 

As as far as roof cleaning and rincing I see 0 advantage of pure water over tap.