Lost in the forest of chem injectors for house washing....

Derrel, I'm not sure why you might have the impression I'm not taking this seriously.

First of all, I searched the internet for a long time before I decided this was the place where people know their sh!t. You don't need to convince me of it - it's the reason I'm here at all. I was tired of crappy YouTube videos, and working with a local pressure washing guy who, come to find out, doesn't know what he's doing after all. I browsed this forum for 2 days before I decided it's where I wanted to be.

Second, I'm all about safety. I got cut (not as bad as you, but similar) early on, and admittedly it seems absent minded now about the nozzle change, but still I have no idea how any water came out. I have a 4 foot wand and it takes both my hands to pull the connector and get off the nozzle, so it's impossible to squeeze the trigger when changing. Thinking of it now, the only possible explanation I can come up with is the trigger end was on the ground and my foot tweaked the trigger. I decided the engine should be turned off and the pressure released before changing nozzles, like the manual says. I understand it's overkill on the manufacturer's part, but you have to admit it's actually safer than what you do, and you wouldn't have gotten injured if you had done that. I've changed nozzles (after starting work) maybe 4 times in 2 years, so I just didn't think about it much.

The problem with private messages is that there's no peer review on the answer. Somebody might be well intentioned but wrong, or misunderstood something. In public someone else can chime in and say "Yes, but that won't work with his machine", or "that's not a problem any more - this product solves that issue" or "don't listen to him - he's just sending you to his own web site to sell you something".

I've already had phone conversations and private messages and this place is just like the rest of the internet in that respect - there are good guys and there are jerks with issues. I'm used to it. And thanks for the post.
 
jeffnc226 said:
Derrel, I'm not sure why you might have the impression I'm not taking this seriously.

First of all, I searched the internet for a long time before I decided this was the place where people know their sh!t. You don't need to convince me of it - it's the reason I'm here at all. I was tired of crappy YouTube videos, and working with a local pressure washing guy who, come to find out, doesn't know what he's doing after all. I browsed this forum for 2 days before I decided it's where I wanted to be.

Second, I'm all about safety. I got cut (not as bad as you, but similar) early on, and admittedly it seems absent minded now about the nozzle change, but still I have no idea how any water came out. I have a 4 foot wand and it takes both my hands to pull the connector and get off the nozzle, so it's impossible to squeeze the trigger when changing. Thinking of it now, the only possible explanation I can come up with is the trigger end was on the ground and my foot tweaked the trigger. I decided the engine should be turned off and the pressure released before changing nozzles, like the manual says. I understand it's overkill on the manufacturer's part, but you have to admit it's actually safer than what you do, and you wouldn't have gotten injured if you had done that. I've changed nozzles (after starting work) maybe 4 times in 2 years, so I just didn't think about it much.

The problem with private messages is that there's no peer review on the answer. Somebody might be well intentioned but wrong, or misunderstood something. In public someone else can chime in and say "Yes, but that won't work with his machine", or "that's not a problem any more - this product solves that issue" or "don't listen to him - he's just sending you to his own web site to sell you something".

I've already had phone conversations and private messages and this place is just like the rest of the internet in that respect - there are good guys and there are jerks with issues. I'm used to it. And thanks for the post.
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I wasn't suggesting you weren't taking it seriously, but rather reinforcing how importance it is. (My mistake if it came across wrong)

In my situation, I was using the tip right at the gun (no lance) to get behind some thick bushes.

As for shutting off the engine, it's not necessary. I have a high pressure swivel & ball valve on the business end of all my hoses. When I need to shut off the water (pressure), I use the ball valve. Then nothing gets through the gun (even with the trigger pulled). I can easily change a tip with one hand (WD-40 keeps them QCs moving freely). My comfort level is where I don't need to shut off the pump or water to change a tip, but as we all know... sh!t happens. I would have been better off taking the extra 5-10 seconds it takes to turn that little valve. I avoided a serious injury, but it could have been much, much worse.

This is by far the greatest little .... pressure washing forum on net. One thing that perturbs me more than anything is the "little guy" trying his hand at pressure washing. I've lost a of work to some guys that roll around with a little home pressure washer and a push lawn mower charging next to nothing just to make some quick cash. Anyone that cleans several thousand sqr ft of driveway with just a wand has absolutely no idea what they are doing. I'm not putting anyone down, it's just the truth. Painters are even worse, they consider paint prep to be squirting water on the walls (from my experience). Pressure washing is a lucrative business, but if you're not charging professional rates, you'll never become a professional. Commercial equipment is expensive, but it allows us to do bigger jobs faster and better.

If you're not serious about doing pressure washing full time, then why waste your time? Those of us that are doing it full time, that don't already have a huge customer base or some sort of contract (city, county, state) have a tremendous battle with those that low ball just to get the job. You won't find them on this forum getting educated in the proper techniques, mixes, equipment and pricing.

I've got many thousands of $$ tied up in my equipment which requires maintenance. The "low baller" with the home equipment doesn't have the expenses most the the people here do, so they don't understand why they are a problem. If someone quoted a job 1/5 - 1/3 of what the going rate was, how long do you think you could survive before you followed suit or call it quits?

I for one want you to succeed. Learn as much as you can here and share some of your experiences with the group. You've found the mother load of information (at least I have) that will help you get to that level of expertise that being a full time pressure washer requires.
 
[/QUOTE] I can easily change a tip with one hand (WD-40 keeps them QCs moving freely). [/QUOTE]

Hey Red. Try silicone instead WD40. WD40 can make the O rings swell making it harder to get the tip in.
 
Without discussion of the various anatomical measurements of the contractors on this forum, it sounds like you have one of two problems. Without reding every single bit of minutiae in this thread, it sounds like there is something locking your nozzle. When it is under full pressure, it is apparently fine, because it is allowing enough water through to make it appear like it is working at full volume. As soon as the pressure is released, the blockage goes back in place. I would first spend the $5.00 to get a new and proper nozzle. Incidentally, they should be on a replacement schedule, because they are a wear item.
The other possibility is that the nozzle has been on the end of a wand long enough to have pock marks from the detent balls in the quick connect. This also means the nozzle is likely ready for replacement.
 
No matter how you look at it, if you don't know how to do basic things like change out nozzles, you need to ask someone for some help or advice to show you how to use your equipment. Not trying to be mean here but there are many other things that can easily happen to you that could put you in the ER with a pressure washer if you don't know what you are doing.

Forget about reading the book, get someone to show you how to use the equipment you have before you get hurt seriously and end up in the hospital or worse. The book will not tell you everything you need to know, especially how to use it to make money, it is just something to cover them legally so hopefully they don't get sued when people get hurt when they don't have a clue how to use it since they never asked for help or asked to be shown how to use it.

If something very bad happens one day and family members are visiting you at the hospital and asked what happened, are you really going to say that you thought that you had it all covered by reading the owner's manual?

Do you really think that nobody there will ask you if you asked someone for help, to show you how to use the equipment? I would bet money that someone will say that, I know I would to see if they had the common sense to be operating equipment with some kind of knowledge to see if it was an equipment malfunction or just simple operator error since they did not know what they are doing.

Reading a book is not learning how to use the machine, like I said and others as well, the book will not tell you everything you need to know.

Is it pride or ignorance that you are not asking for someone to show you how to use the equipment or are you seriously thinking that the manual will tell you everything you need to know?
 
"Red" said:
I for one want you to succeed. Learn as much as you can here and share some of your experiences with the group. You've found the mother load of information (at least I have) that will help you get to that level of expertise that being a full time pressure washer requires.
Click to expand...

Lowball is being mentioned again - I have no idea why people think that is happening either. I do jobs that I can do well, and I don't lowball anything. I've turned down plenty of pressure washing requests simply because I either don't have the knowledge or equipment to do them, or because I would have to charge to make it worth my time with my small equipment. I'm not exactly rolling around neighborhoods looking to lowball. I do it for customers that request my other services, and want me to do their sidewalk as well.

As to your question why not do it full time - all I can say is different business niches are different. I'm in business for myself trying to do the best jobs possible and this is my chosen line - I love doing a variety of work either by myself or with employees and subs who do it well. If someone has a problem with a company that doesn't specialize in a single thing - well that's their problem, not mine. My customers appreciate the fact that they don't have to make 15 phone calls to get 5 contractors to actually show up. My company can often do it with a single phone call. Unfortunately now they have to make 2 phone calls if they want their roof or house pressure washed as well, but I have to draw the line somewhere, and maybe someday I'll do it or sub it out. My Angie's List feedback is impeccable and I try to maintain that reputation by only doing jobs that I can do well. My prices also have been going up to reflect the level of quality and my increased overhead.

And here's another thing that will make some of you guys feel better. Another reason I want to learn all this stuff is so that I can sub out jobs to qualified pressure washers when I can't or don't want the job myself. I don't sub out work unless I've done it myself, so I know who's a hack and who knows what they're doing. I'm not going to have anyone tell me "yeah, this is how it's done", when I've already been on PWI and learned it's not, and proved it to myself with experience. I can already paint and drywall and tile, etc better than 80% of the contractors out there, so when I hire someone I know darn well if they're in that 20% or not. Those are the guys that get work with me. If no one is available and I have to get it done on schedule, I'll also be able to do it.
 
Christopher said:
Reading a book is not learning how to use the machine, like I said and others as well, the book will not tell you everything you need to know.
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I've repeated the fact that the books I've read don't cut it, and that's why I'm here. I'm not sure why that message is not getting across.

Christopher said:
Is it pride or ignorance that you are not asking for someone to show you how to use the equipment or are you seriously thinking that the manual will tell you everything you need to know?
Click to expand...

Again, I don't understand. What makes you think I would think that? Are you talking about not going to that class in Texas? Not affordable now, maybe someday. The only point I made is that while overkill, the method for changing nozzles in the manual is safe. That's all I said. If I thought the manual told me what I needed, I wouldn't have spent the time searching out this forum.

As for pride or ignorance, lol the number of questions I'm asking and willingly exposing myself to abuse ought to answer that question for you Christopher.... You are more than welcome to come over and educate me all day long....

As I mentioned in another post, I did do work with a pressure washing guy with a lot more experience than I. All "bad" experience I guess - doing the same thing wrong for 20 years is experience, but really just ingrains bad technique. Obviously I had no way of knowing his level at first. Only by coming here can I feel like I have enough information to figure out who the experts are.
 
Scott Stone said:
it sounds like you have one of two problems. Without reding every single bit of minutiae in this thread, it sounds like there is something locking your nozzle
Click to expand...

After playing with my equipment more last night and talking to a couple people on the phone, I realize there's something wrong with my wand and/or connectors. I'm going to replace everything downstream of the end of the hose and eliminate all those variables before continuing. Thanks for your consideration of the problem Scott.
 
jeffnc226 said:
If someone resents it.... well what can I say? I help people constantly in other fields that I know well.

I have a handyman service and home improvement company. I will never be full time at pressure washing. At the same time, I want to learn more so I can do the occasional jobs my customers want me to do, along with the other things I'm doing for them. So of course I have a business license, insurance, pay taxes, etc. If someone wants to sabotage my learning experience because they think I'm some sort of threat to their business... all I can say is "karma" - you live your life generously, good things happen to you. You live your life selfishly.... and not so much.
Click to expand...
Check out Red's comments in post #42 and you might understand why I made that statement. As for the statements about doing a little of everything, there is an old saying (JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE). There are people that will help you, but if you have an attitude they will feed you to the wolves. Many here that are good at what they do and take pride in it. If you would like some help learning you can contact me through an email or make a trip to Athens, GA.
 
jeffnc226 said:
Lowball is being mentioned again - I have no idea why people think that is happening either. I do jobs that I can do well, and I don't lowball anything. I've turned down plenty of pressure washing requests simply because I either don't have the knowledge or equipment to do them, or because I would have to charge to make it worth my time with my small equipment. I'm not exactly rolling around neighborhoods looking to lowball. I do it for customers that request my other services, and want me to do their sidewalk as well.

As to your question why not do it full time - all I can say is different business niches are different. I'm in business for myself trying to do the best jobs possible and this is my chosen line - I love doing a variety of work either by myself or with employees and subs who do it well. If someone has a problem with a company that doesn't specialize in a single thing - well that's their problem, not mine. My customers appreciate the fact that they don't have to make 15 phone calls to get 5 contractors to actually show up. My company can often do it with a single phone call. Unfortunately now they have to make 2 phone calls if they want their roof or house pressure washed as well, but I have to draw the line somewhere, and maybe someday I'll do it or sub it out. My Angie's List feedback is impeccable and I try to maintain that reputation by only doing jobs that I can do well. My prices also have been going up to reflect the level of quality and my increased overhead.

And here's another thing that will make some of you guys feel better. Another reason I want to learn all this stuff is so that I can sub out jobs to qualified pressure washers when I can't or don't want the job myself. I don't sub out work unless I've done it myself, so I know who's a hack and who knows what they're doing. I'm not going to have anyone tell me "yeah, this is how it's done", when I've already been on PWI and learned it's not, and proved it to myself with experience. I can already paint and drywall and tile, etc better than 80% of the contractors out there, so when I hire someone I know darn well if they're in that 20% or not. Those are the guys that get work with me. If no one is available and I have to get it done on schedule, I'll also be able to do it.
Click to expand...

This statement is what I meant by attitude.
 
jeffnc226 said:
Lowball is being mentioned again - I have no idea why people think that is happening either. I do jobs that I can do well, and I don't lowball anything. I've turned down plenty of pressure washing requests simply because I either don't have the knowledge or equipment to do them, or because I would have to charge to make it worth my time with my small equipment. I'm not exactly rolling around neighborhoods looking to lowball. I do it for customers that request my other services, and want me to do their sidewalk as well.
Click to expand...

Well, then let me just flat out ask you what your rates are and also to post some pictures of your work. Anyone that wears many hats, seldom has time to wear just one. I know several contractors that claim to "do it all", but when they want pressure washing done right, they call me. What does that tell you about someone that is spreading their skills too thin? Most of these guys are really good at one skill, but take on the others just to make some extra cash. A part timer will never get the experience (knowledge), regardless of how much they read on a forum. Multiple streams of income will eventually make them complacent in the learning process.
 
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The biggest problem is the total lack of respect and being a Major Smart Ass. Ive never heard of someone not being able to change nozzles. Having to ask then being an ass about it.Ridiculous!
 
Pat Norman said:
Just ask yourself this logical question. The nozzle has a hole in it. If no water is flowing through it and the trigger gun is released... how can pressure be trapped behind it?
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I don't think that was in the manual. hahahahahahaha j/k
 
Pat Norman said:
Just ask yourself this logical question. The nozzle has a hole in it. If no water is flowing through it and the trigger gun is released... how can pressure be trapped behind it?
Click to expand...

Exactly. I already said that - read post #30. I'm not sure what you want me to say beyond that. Scott offered one possibility - don't know if you read that or not.

This thread of off track. I should have known better than to offer off topic explanations. For those who offered information about pressure washing tools and techniques, thank you. For those who wish to continue, thank you. I appreciate your help, just as I would happily help anyone on any topic I could help with.

For those who think I have no business learning this stuff - message received, I understand your point of view, we just disagree. For those who need to have someone to attack and make fun of, do whatever you gotta do, knock yourself out, enjoy. It doesn't deter me from trying to learn something I want to learn.

If someone wants to talk about something relevant, I still don't understand the benefit of X-Jet over standard downstreaming, other than changeable proportioners instead of altering your mix concentration. Some people don't use proportioners but still use X-Jet. What's the benefit for them?
 
jeffnc226 said:
Exactly. I already said that - read post #30. I'm not sure what you want me to say beyond that. Scott offered one possibility - don't know if you read that or not.

This thread of off track. I should have known better than to offer off topic explanations. For those who offered information about pressure washing tools and techniques, thank you. For those who wish to continue, thank you. I appreciate your help, just as I would happily help anyone on any topic I could help with.

For those who think I have no business learning this stuff - message received, I understand your point of view, we just disagree. For those who need to have someone to attack and make fun of, do whatever you gotta do, knock yourself out, enjoy. It doesn't deter me from trying to learn something I want to learn.

If someone wants to talk about something relevant, I still don't understand the benefit of X-Jet over standard downstreaming, other than changeable proportioners instead of altering your mix concentration. Some people don't use proportioners but still use X-Jet. What's the benefit for them?
Click to expand...
your a tough cookie to crack Jeff. dont fall for it. hang in there. as for the x-jet. I bought it used it three times never used it again. downstream baby downstream.
 
jeffnc226 said:
Exactly. I already said that - read post #30. I'm not sure what you want me to say beyond that. Scott offered one possibility - don't know if you read that or not.

This thread of off track. I should have known better than to offer off topic explanations. For those who offered information about pressure washing tools and techniques, thank you. For those who wish to continue, thank you. I appreciate your help, just as I would happily help anyone on any topic I could help with.

For those who think I have no business learning this stuff - message received, I understand your point of view, we just disagree. For those who need to have someone to attack and make fun of, do whatever you gotta do, knock yourself out, enjoy. It doesn't deter me from trying to learn something I want to learn.

If someone wants to talk about something relevant, I still don't understand the benefit of X-Jet over standard downstreaming, other than changeable proportioners instead of altering your mix concentration. Some people don't use proportioners but still use X-Jet. What's the benefit for them?
Click to expand...

X jet can get a stronger mix on the surface
 
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jeffnc226 said:
Exactly. I already said that - read post #30. I'm not sure what you want me to say beyond that. Scott offered one possibility - don't know if you read that or not.

This thread of off track. I should have known better than to offer off topic explanations. For those who offered information about pressure washing tools and techniques, thank you. For those who wish to continue, thank you. I appreciate your help, just as I would happily help anyone on any topic I could help with.

For those who think I have no business learning this stuff - message received, I understand your point of view, we just disagree. For those who need to have someone to attack and make fun of, do whatever you gotta do, knock yourself out, enjoy. It doesn't deter me from trying to learn something I want to learn.

If someone wants to talk about something relevant, I still don't understand the benefit of X-Jet over standard downstreaming, other than changeable proportioners instead of altering your mix concentration. Some people don't use proportioners but still use X-Jet. What's the benefit for them?[/QUOTE]


Give me a call tomorrow and I will be more than happy to explain everything about the X-Jet and the benifets. The man that invented the X-Jet (Mike Baker) will tell you himself I know more about the product than most. I have personally trained many over the years on the X-Jet and would say most of them still swear by them.
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