I am brand new to the industry and I am trying to figure out if a soft wash system is really necessary. From what I have read it seems an x jet or h rod should work fine for me since I do not plan on doing roofs. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Nevermind. As soon as posted the question I read on and got my answer. Thank though
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Good on you for finding your answer. I’ve personally found downstreaming tackles most normal house washes easily
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@Cory As someone that has never owned or operated a true soft wash system I am not versed in all its pros/cons for this industry, but I can tell you that a downstream chemical injector and a j-rod will allow you to clean a lot of house siding and still be able to use the pressure washer for when you need actual pressure - such as wood cleaning, concrete cleaning, etc.
There is an answer here for just about everything. I did have a 12V system on my trailer, I ended taking it off after this season. I’m part time with washing and we didn’t use it more then three times. If I come across something that needs more then DS, I use an Xjet or pump up.
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Are we insinuating definitions such that downstreaming is not just a method of softwashing? Softwashing to me just implies not using “blasting pressure” as the means/method of cleaning. If you’re applying SH & surfactant, and then just rinsing, I think that is all “softwashing”, just utilizing pressure as a tool for reaching, rather than “blast” cleaning…
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@JAtkinson I guess when I hear soft wash system, I think of a dedicated 12V set up.
You’re right though, down streaming can be a method of soft washing when using the right pressure.
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@JAtkinson I assumed that when the OP mentioned a soft wash system they were referring to a dedicated skid-type system like the Fat Boy Bandit and such. With that stated, when I quote a house wash for a vinyl sided home I let the customer know that it will be a soft wash even though I intend to use a j-rod on the end of pressure washer.
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I use my jrod for house washes but sometimes the gutters are shockingly filthy with multiple layers of dirt and growth so hitting them with 2-3% from my 12v speeds things along.
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Edit: I still downstream every house I do and call it softwashing.
I got my first 12v for the ease and safety of chemical transfer. Once I had it, I realized I was a hose reel and 200’ of flex tech away from adding roofs, stucco, retaining walls and much faster concrete post treatments. Its an easy decision that should have been obvious to me at the start. At the very least, mount one for safe and easy chem transfer. Skip the x jet.
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Yeah next season I’m going to make a small box with the reel mounted on top something easily movable and compact.
