How do you clean expensive homes with hardieboard and a lot going on?

Most of us use the Hi Draw. There are 3 different sizes depending on the gpm of your machine. Going with a smaller size tends to help it draw better. I would order a 2-3 and a 3-5 and see which one works better. Maybe someone with a 4 gpm machine can comment on which one they use.

I use the #6740 Hi-Draw chem injector rated for 3-5gpm. I have mine mounted right off my pump but I haven’t experimented with any more than 40ft of pressure hose.

1 Like

how do you use only 40ft

2 Likes

I just move the washer around as needed as it’s still on wheels. I have 100ft of garden hose that I hook up to one spigot and work my way around the home. Most houses that I do only require me to move 1 or 2 times. I just roll the washer and the 5-gal bucket of hw mix to where I want it and off I go. Moving the setup takes 2 minutes tops, so it hasn’t bothered me enough yet to something about it. It’s a juggling act and it isn’t the most efficient system out there by far, but it’s worked this far!

1 Like

are you suppose to be using 100ft of supply line? At least with my machine I believe it said 50ft tops.

As long as you getting the gpm that your pump requires you can run as much supply hose as possible. If you’re worried about the gpm at a house just do a quick bucket test and time it. In your case you want to make sure you’re getting at least 4-5 gpm for your pump. That’s one of the good things about using a buffer tank. If you’re at a house with low gpm and, they decide to turn on the washing machine and take a shower which would considerably drop the flow rate, you don’t have to worry about starving your pump. Another plus is you don’t have to worry about squeezing the gun every 30 seconds to keep your pump from overheating. You can lay your gun down and let it bypass water for as long you want without worrying about it.

I always worried about the 100ft supply line. My trick is using a homedepot orange ratchet clamp i keep on the gun. I take off the tip and use the clamp on the trigger so it can run fine until my machine runs out of gas.

1 Like

I haven’t had any supply issues, but it could be because the houses around my area have pretty good water pressure. Only had one supply issue back at the beginning of this season and I couldn’t figure it out for about 5 minutes. Finally disconnected the supply from my pump and found me a nice green lizard that caught in the screen at the water inlet pipe. This was as I was just firing up the machine for literally my first house cleaning and I was sweating bullets. It had ran just fine the day before! As for the lizard, he didn’t make it. :lizard: :sweat_drops:

what are you guys using for your mix. I was using homedepot 8% with dawn. Now it’s 10% pool essentials from walmart that I started using this season. I think i need to get rid of the dawn and use the elemonator?

Everyone uses SH on vinyl. You can usually find it in 12.5%. If you order it in 55 gallon drums from a chemical supplier it will definitely be 12.5%. Dawn has been known to cause issues with disturbing oxidation. Definitely ditch it and start using professional quality chems and detergents.

Start reading through old threads on here. It’s like college for pressure washing. You’ll learn things you had no idea you needed to learn. You can search for words or terms by clicking on the magnifying glass on the upper right of the screen by your avatar. Almost everyone that sticks around the forum and, implements the advice, now run very successful businesses. Many are able to quit full time jobs and solely focus on their business. There are tons of success stories on here. There’s great money to be made pressure washing.

2 Likes

Yea dont use dawn

@bleachblaster I switched In February after joint the forum from Outdoor Clorox to now using the 10% Pool Essentials and Elemonator. Pool Essentials was definitely an upgrade, but I am having a hard time justifying buying a 55 gallon drum of 12.5 SH as I’m fearful I won’t use it all before it loses it’s potency. I’ve been half-heartedly searching for a supplier locally of 12.5 in smaller quantities, but nothing fruitful yet. As far as the Elemonator, the house I washed this morning depleted my initial gallon I ordered at the beginning of March. This afternoon I had to crack open the 5-gallon pail of it that I got in a few weeks ago. I’ve been happy with it. I initially thought I wanted Apple Wash because I thought it would be a great attention getter watching the neighbors house get blasted pink for a moment or two. But I read enough of people’s preference for Elemonator that I never tried Apple Wash.

much elemonator do you use per gallon of bleach

Usually an oz of Elemonator per gallon of house wash mix. I mix in a 5gal bucket so I typically add 5 oz total of Elemonator per a bucket. With most houses I clean, a five gallon bucket of hw mix works out great.

and that’s for your typical vinyl siding. You can certainly alter it depending on what surface you are cleaning.

This whole thread is just… sad. I understand you gotta start somewhere and there will always be newbies here but come on guys; if you’re going to do something do it right and put some effort into it. And by that I mean learn about what you’re going to do before you start doing it.

2 Likes

I used the 2-3 hi draw on my 4/4 with a 2’ whip line and it pulls around 1-7 or 1-8. I have 200’ of hose and a j rod and a m5 twist. Both pull about the same. I haven’t done any two story jobs or many jobs for that matter and am not going through a hose reel. Dont know if that affects the draw ratio. Dont know if this helps but it’s what i got to offer.

1 Like

I am so confused my this whole thread. But mostly this one statement.

I started out with a little wheeled around 4gpm and I thought I was the bees knees until I realized I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Please please please don’t wash someone’s house until you know what you’re doing. About half of my new clients say something similar to this: “be careful around this or that because the last guy blasted water through it.”

I see turbo marks on the siding or wand marks over screens on windows all the time. These people go out and try to make a few bucks on the weekend and create irreparable issues with homes. Houses are the largest investment most people make in their entire lives. Don’t go out and mess it up because of inexperience. It not only damages your customers house but it puts a bad name on other professional washers.

Sorry I got a little off base I’ve just dealt with too many unhappy customers this past week from other “pressure washing companies”. Or should I say “people that do pressure washing”.

2 Likes

No, I’ve never done anything like that and do quality work for the equipment and skill I have. No major problems or damage. I’m just looking to see what others are doing and improve.

1 Like

You can leave marks on screens ?