Water intrusion any Ideas/Help

jlpressure

jlpressure

JL Pressure Washing
I have a townhome complex that has some MAJOR water intrusion problems and I need a method to figure out how to clean it. I will explain


The place was built like crap, its at least 10years old and has been in a lawsuit for some years now. Windows leak and some other water intrusion problems. its for one of my best Management companies and they came to me for help.


I am trying to think of the best and most efficient method to wash this nightmare. They will NOT hold me responsible at all and they have no problem putting that in writing. They need this place cleaned bad. Now I washed it about 2 1/2 years ago with very little problems only 2 units out of 100+ had some minor leaks, but its getting worse over time, they get leaks during heavy rains

The engineers want LOW VOLUME/LOW PRESSURE chem wash

I am really thinking about a water hose with a varying nozzle for prewet & rinse. Now I am trying to think about how to apply house wash mix.

They DO NOT want a pressure washing machine on the property, so it can be documented that no pressure washing equipment was used, thats for the lawsuit.

I have a Bobcat from Pressuretek but thats a 5gpm pump if I remember, it is low pressure 60 psi I think. I have to discribe my method and get it approved and then we do it

These town home buildings are 1 story , 2 story at the back of the buildings. The roofs can be walked easy, but lots of ladder work

So I say garden hose and low volume , low psi chem pump, but what chem pump

Can you all think of another way?

They know the job will be pricey


Thanks in advance
 
I think your on the right track with the low pressure chem pump.....then just rinse it down....any real bad areas will have to be brushed if the chem doesnt get through it.......(keep that in mind in price)---I hate the elbo grease!

That is a tough one too Jeff....one of your best property managers,,,,,,otherwise just let someone else tackle that nightmare...LOL
 
Jeff,
I think this is about educating them on the procedure that you would be using. Although I know you love the x-jet, this may be a chance to give downstreaming a try. It will certainly be faster than a bobcat and a garden hose. Demo the procedure for them and see if they go for it. If not you are caught between rock and a hardplace. Perhaps a bandit or similar setup, even if you "lease" it from another contractor in your area for this job. It seems terribly inefficient to wash this with garden hose and a low volume chem pump. Best of luck, let us know what you decide...

Regards, Mike.
 
NJWashingGuy said:
Jeff,
I think this is about educating them on the procedure that you would be using. Although I know you love the x-jet, this may be a chance to give downstreaming a try. It will certainly be faster than a bobcat and a garden hose. Demo the procedure for them and see if they go for it. If not you are caught between rock and a hardplace. Perhaps a bandit or similar setup, even if you "lease" it from another contractor in your area for this job. It seems terribly inefficient to wash this with garden hose and a low volume chem pump. Best of luck, let us know what you decide...

Regards, Mike.
Click to expand...

Man whats a downstreamer LOL LOL

Ya I already thought of that, they are just really against a PW machine on the property. The ENGINEER is the problem , he's the one talking about garden hose and BRUSHING Arggggg

I figure I could break out my 3 & 4 GPM machines and downstreamer. I just dont think they will go for it, because of the engineer

But maybe a demo and with all the HOA, manager & engineer might work. The PM trusts the heck out of me, the HOA loved us 2+years ago, maybe I can get the engineer to love & trust me too LOL
 
Maybe rinse with the Bandit too?
 
cajun cleanin said:
Fatboys less than 250 each.7 gpms at 60 psi with the right tips these things can go at it.The one I have will spray 40 feet easy with the 40 tips i have.

One guy applying chems and on guy washing down behind him.!2 volts no noise just clean.
Click to expand...
This was my thought also...:) It may take a bit longer than PW'ing but it will get-R done...I'm sure they will enjoy the no noise factor as well!
 
It wont even take longer than PWing. Its all we use is our Fatboy. Thing's a champ.
 
Jeff, it is possible to wash the buildings with a garden hose - its how I started 9 years ago. A hose-end sprayer with 12.5 and "spices" will work quite well. It may take a little longer, but if this is the method they want, give it to them...as long as they are willing to pay for it.
 
Scott D. said:
It wont even take longer than PWing. Its all we use is our Fatboy. Thing's a champ.
Click to expand...


I hate to tell it does buddy, thats why Jeffs back agaisnt the wall.

He needs high volume low pressure, his washer could easily do that but hes worried they might blame him because they see a washer onsite.

Jeff, Kory on track with the Air compressor. Some of the larger roof an house was companys use compressed tanks. Of course this is not a cheap piece of equipment. You have not thought about the rental yard. They might have a low pressure high volume machine you can rent for a day or two.

I will tell you I saw a guy three months back, he our condo king here in PHX. He will bring his rig to the roundtable too. He would not allow photos, he was silent, the whole machine was silent. You could here the electric 12 volt compressor running every 15 minutes as the check valve sometimes did the air brake thing like a semi. Way less than a semi but a very similair sound.

The Whole unit was ran 12 volt, the volume was silly. The fill line was hooked to another compressor keeping the tank full. i didnt even understand it. I was cleaning the dumpster in the same complex.( ok My guys were) Dont want anyone to say I'm a liar.

He would not tell me how much it was putting out, i would guess when application chems about 3 to 4 gallons. could be less...not more. When he was washing at times it looked like 8 gallons.. Oh he can run three hoses off the same take by turning the regulator up on the compressor.

He told me he was surprized I could run that Noisy machine to do the dumpsters. Hes been washing communitys for 20 years. Gave up the pressure washing 10 years back. His name is Tommy Delorenzo he is a two or three man show an works 5 days a week. He turns work away....they are fast......... I mean way faster than a pressure washer. And Silent...
 
Price according to what you average per hour on your other jobs, and then do it in a fashion that suits their needs. even if it means alot of hand work around the windows and other problem areas. If you don't have the time to do it in a slower manner just move on to the next job.
When I run into serious "leaky" issues, (Rarely happens though), But I have someone inside with a Shop-Vac and a handful of towels,....and price accordingly.
Using their water spigots for your rinsing.

Jeff
 
jlpressure said:
No, the problem is the engineer has in writing that they want LOW VOLUME along with LOW pressure. So I cant use 5, 6, 7 or more gpm is how I am reading it. The LOW VOLUME is whats going to make the job longer
Click to expand...

Yeah, but if you had capibility of three rinsing wands at the same rate the job would go faster. Just more labor intense.

thats why I like the Aircompressor. you can adjust the regulator based on the volume an wands you have.

Most gas motors run max rpm. so you have to play with tips.


Your going to X cleaning units once you establish what your going to use, then you better figure how many your going to have to speed the job up.
 
Hey Jeff you need to talk with Dave Olson, he uses hose end sprayers for all of his washing. They are originally made for regular garden hose use, so I don't see why you couldn't just use the hose end sprayers like he has and hook them up to a garden hose. The way his are set up he gets some really good height out of them and they are adjustable on the concentration of chemicals coming out. Real quick adjustment too.
 
jlpressure said:
No, the problem is the engineer has in writing that they want LOW VOLUME along with LOW pressure. So I cant use 5, 6, 7 or more gpm is how I am reading it. The LOW VOLUME is whats going to make the job longer
Click to expand...
Good God Jeff, Ask this engineer guy if he would be willing to take showers using only a spray bottle from now on. I bet he says no. There are certain ways of performing a task and then there are not. I know you don't want to lose out on the job but is sounds like they are getting real close to asking for something which is borderline impossible. I still think your best bet is to apply a mix with a 12volt and then rinse with a garden hose. This may be about the only way to satisfy these folks. I apply chems to exteriors this way from time to time but still use a PW'er to do a lite rinse. Never tried just a garden hose.
 
Jeff, go and find out by resident which townhome leaks. Then dont do those.
You said three years ago there were 2, find out how many there are now. Avoid those. We had to do a community with caulking problems. Spray from the center of the windows away. All the trim around windows, corners, and else, is where it will leak. You can also give a bid on caulking also, and sub it out. We have done that. We do plenty of townhomes up here too. If you are the King, we are atleast a knight or something.
 
Jeff, a good idea was mentioned by Kory, Yamada pump, set air pressure to 35-40, with a plastic garden sprayer set to a fine mist, for applying chems, then rinse with garden hose and same fan nozzle.

or can you do this job with a chem tip on a 4GPM machine?
 
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