Usually it’s hydroflouric, like f9
PP Aluminum Brightener has both hydroflouric and hydrochloric. [see below]
It won’t hurt vinyl siding. I don’t know about other surfaces.
Is Phosphoric the same as Hydroflouric? The sds I’ve seen for F9 Barc say Phosphoric and the PP Aluminum Brightner says Phosphoric and Hydrochloric. I’m sure they’re all somewhat similar acids though.
I’ve been looking for Hydroflouric around here just to try on some stuff. It’s @Hotshot 's go to for his rubber scrubber empire.
Argh. I was looking at the wrong MSDS. (I went back and saw I was looking at Power Bright Aluminum Brightener)
Purple Power Aluminum Brightener has:
Phosphoric Acid
Sulfuric Acid
Ammonium Bifluoride
Ethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether
We use Hydrofluoric with a sulfuric mix for a quick get it done nasy dirty job , phosphoric is a good safer acid to use for every week wash jobs and is safe on glass and cheaper . Then we use a ibf acid for our polished trucks for our #1
I’ve used hf on the only house i ever washed, my own, had bad rust stain lines from a window shaker ac platform, took it right off in seconds, I’d imagine it works like that F9 but faster. I cant stress enough that hf is catastrophic on glass if not handled properly. f9 is phosphoric i believe and safer. I used hf then flashed it with my truck soap to neutralize it.
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Here’s the SDS on what I use - I can get it on glass, but rinse immediately
SECTION 3: COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENT CAS NUMBER PERCENT BY
WEGHT
WATER 7732-18-5 >/=88
HYDROFLUORIC ACID 7664-39-3 >/=6
PHOSPHORIC ACID 7664-38-2 >/=6
Think I have this exact scenario - 70s house, big attic vents - these dont look organic so probably the dust build up you’re talking about.
Cladding is painted masonite - going to try SH and go from there. If anyone has any other insight/tips would be much appreciated.
You might be surprised. I’ve had quite few look like that and so far SH has taken care of the vast majority of them.
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Be careful spraying SH around those wires or you might end up a fried fundy.
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Lol. Good point.
I have often wondered that! Is it possible to get electrocuted down the stream of water?
I heard some guy got electrocuted when washing near some train lines in my area a few years ago.
May be a different kettle of fish but stands to reason that the electricity could flow through the misting, water etc
A homes’ weatherhead, especially done right with a loop or a drip sag, would prevent water from entering. Unless of course it is really old and no one checked it.
I do a lot of houses with old style weatherheads like that. I also sometimes brush right around them as they tend to get black and sh doesn’t remove it half the time.
There are a lot of myths about people dying from peeing on rail tracks, but they normally don’t die from peeing on it, rather, the jolt causes them to fall, they land on the 600volt line, then die. If not, they are unconcscious when the train hits them. Can electric pass through water, a steady solid stream, hitting both power lines at the same time, go through the water, hit the hose handle, travel through it to your body? Apparently the science says it can happen and it is called arc flash. Chances of occurring? No idea. Just don’t spray both lines standing underneath of it, with a solid stream. Oh, and if it looks like the weatherhead is deteriorating, skip the whole thing and wash around it. Tell the homeowner they need an electrician.
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Sorry, I didn’t mention in this occasion he was washing down a railway platform.
I have worked around them with machinery and there was a lot of health and safety involved regarding what could be used and how the electricity could jump.
Not sure whether that translates to residential powerlines or American residential powerlines
Interesting fact, water is not what conducts the electricity, it is the impurities inside of the water that carries the electrons. This is why so many GFI plugs get fizzled out so fast when using soap. The TDS of SH is extremely high it’s basically a super conductor. If you sprayed RODI water on a high voltage line, or even between the line and neutral wires, nothing would happen. You could get in the bathtub full zero TDS water, throw a toaster in it and you’ll be fine (don’t try this at home lol). I am always nervous about spraying around wires like that because while it is good and safe enough for rain (which I don’t know if anybody has checked the TDS of rain, but it’s pretty much like RO water, there’s hardly anything in it unless you live in a big city with a lot of garbage in the atmosphere contaminating it on the way down.) it is not designed to keep out highly conductive soap mix and is 1 million times more likely to cause problems if it makes contact. One thing we started doing recently (in addition to taping over the outlet) is to push the test button to deactivate the gfi plugs. I’ve changed out probably eight of them so far in the last few years and it always leaves a black smoked out mess inside the box. Just don’t forget to reset them after you’re done. One other thing you can push the test button on a GFI plug and it will actually deactivate everything else on that circuit. One time I had a lady tell me that her computer and TV all turned off. It turned out it was because the GFI tripped on the porch out front and they were sharing a circuit.
Also phone lines have some electricity inside of them. I know this because I stuck my finger inside one when I was a kid and got shocked, but also I did a house wash way out in the country where they didn’t have cell service and they lost their house phone for a few hours until it dried out. I have been an electrical sign contractor since 2003 so if anybody has any questions about transformers ballasts LED drivers neon signs etc. feel free to ask.
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