Hoo boy. It was one of those days. Multi tier metal roof. Multiple ladders set up all over. I found the one water source that could fill faster than I used. Flooded the truck with water again. Look at my SH tank and it’s full too. Weird considering it started out with 45 gallons of SH in the tank but after a day of using it on the roof it’s plum full too.
Got stuck up on roof and had to call my buddy to come hold ladder down below me because I’m a dummy. He lives 2 mins away from the customer. Took him over an hour to come help
I’ll be darned if those roofs don’t shine up well though. Collected my check and gonna have to do some maintenance on the proportioner tomorrow.
What’s your approach to not coming shooting off those slick metal roofs? How often do you end up having to do any brushing?
I’m “open” to metal roofs, but only those that I can do from the ground, or safely from a ladder, and if I can brush from the ground or ladder (if needed).
Any insight on how you approach those metal roofs? Soles with magnets? Cougar paws? Tie-off?
The approach has changed a little over my “vast time” doing these roofs this year I have not brushed one single metal roof. You need to have it dry outside to start with. Which might be easy in your neck of the woods but not up here. Then you work 3 to 6 panels at a time, always staying on the dry side and work towards the ladder.
Footwear is extra tough deck boots. You feel like Ronald McDonald but they are waterproof and grip well. I don’t care what you’re wearing if you step on wet dirty roof you’re going to eat . If you have cleaned the panel and it’s wet, they still grip enough for you to be ok. I don’t really like trusting that though and purely work dry side only and am very deliberate with my spray.
In my experience with the roofs that we have up here, spraying from the ground or a ladder will not work and doing it my way has made my life easier. My competition literally refuses to do them anymore and just sends them right to me.
I have been using the m5 twist for metal roofs but lately have been using a jrod that’s got just a little more oomph and have been using that more and more lately. You have to be more careful for over spray but it seems to make things go faster with less dwell time required. I think in my nightmare roofs I have a more in depth response with how to do metal roofs but if you just work 3 panels at a time and walk slowly and carefully, you will be well on your way.
I’m using Midwest v4 mixer. Things like 700 bucks. It lasted just long enough for warranty to run out I bought some check valves for it today and also bought a new one. Figure I’ll swap it all out with the new one and rebuild as it slows down. I don’t have time to troubleshoot and whatnot with the time it takes for things to arrive up here. My season is ending soon and I need to make a final push. This July has been absolutely miserable weather. We’ve gotten probably 10 inches of rain this month so far and it’s supposed to be our hottest driest month. I’m about ready to move down where one of you guys are at. Not looking forward to this winter that’s for sure.
Have had that happen before it’s not fun out on a job. I keep at least 3 spare check valves in my oh-crap box for that reason, as soon as I notice the SH line isn’t priming, or staying primed, a new one goes on once I get home (if it makes it).
I plan on placing a 3 way ball valve to link the SH line to my water line, so when I am done I can thoroughly rinse the check valve out with water.
They seem to be position sensitive, I mounted mine vertically so the flow pushes against the ball upward but any backflow drops the ball down with gravity.
I can’t take credit though, someone else on here suggested them.
If needbe you can hit it from other direction after you’ve done another chunk of roof. Only doing a handful of panels at a time and having a longer wand, the angle seems to work for me without needing to do extra passes but your mileage may vary. I always make sure to do final inspection/walk-arounds just in case
. If you have cleaned the panel and it’s wet, they still grip enough for you to be ok. I don’t really like trusting that though and purely work dry side only and am very deliberate with my spray.
