Water fed pole window cleaning is one of the most recent innovations in window cleaning. Some window cleaners have completely changed their operation as a result. Water fed pole technology has a lot of advantages for getting windows cleaned but there are some disadvantages too.
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Heres a quick breakdown of the benefits and disadvantages of using water fed pole cleaning for window washing and what it means for homeowners.
A water fed pole used for cleaning windows is a system that includes a pump and an expandable pole that has a specialized cleaning brush head. There is a hose that runs the full length of the tube. When the water is pumped through the hose and through the brush it shoots out at a very high pressure, similar to a pressure washer. But the water stream is easily controlled by the technician.
The window cleaning technician uses the wet brush to clean the window with special purified and de-ionized water.
The wet brush is designed to loosen all the dirt and debris from the window using only the water. The water breaks the seal between the dirt and the window so that it can easily be brushed away and then rinsed off with the purified water.
The purified water has no minerals that will leave residue or a chalky finish on the window so the window dries streak free and sparkling clean. The pole can be expanded up to a height of 70 feet so that cleaning techs on the ground can use it to reach even tall skylights or second or third story windows easily and safely.
When window cleaners uses this system to clean windows they are able to access windows up to 70 feet high without a ladder. That makes cleaning windows a lot safer, even for trained technicians that know how to safely and comfortably move on a ladder.
A water fed pole system also is easy to transport. In fact, the entire system can fit on a small cart that can be wheeled into tiny spaces. This makes it ideal to clean windows that are difficult to access. Apartment buildings, homes that are built on narrow alleys and other types of homes that have very little space around them can have their windows professionally cleaned when the technician uses a water fed pole system because there is no need to get a truck or heavy ladders in the space.
If the ground around the home is very sloped it can be extremely dangerous to mount tall ladders in the area. With such a system a technician can clean even tall skylights and upper floor windows without having to climb a ladder that is in a precarious spot. This means that more homeowners can get their windows cleaned safely and quickly.
With a water fed pole system, workers do not need to take risks standing on ladders and can complete the job much quicker. Saving money for the customer and time for the window cleaning company.
Using a water fed pole system can cut the amount of time it takes to get your windows professionally cleaned by up to 60%. So if you have an event coming up like a graduation party, birthday party or barbecue and you want to make your house look great you can have your windows cleaned in a day by a professional technician that is using this technology.
Water fed pole cleaning systems also can safely rinse dirt and debris from the window frame and small cracks and crevices so that the area around the window is clean as well as the actual glass.
Another big advantage of water fed poles is that the water fed pole system doesnt use soap or chemicals to clean glass. That means there wont be any soapy or possibly toxic residue runoff that could harm your pets or kids. And since no soap is used there is no danger of the soap residue dripping down onto your homes siding or onto other windows that have just been cleaned.
A water fed pole system uses only purified water at high intensity to clean. Unlike tap water, the purified water has no chemicals or minerals in it. The minerals in unpurified water are what can leave chalky streaks on windows when they are cleaned with unpurified water. The purified water is pumped through the brush at great intensity.
The wet brush is used to scrub the window. The water loosens all the dirt and grime on the window and then that dirt and grime are just rinsed away. The purified water leaves windows sparkling clean and will never leave residue on the windows that can make the windows look chalky or streaked.
There really arent that many disadvantages to using a water fed pole system to clean exterior windows on homes.
One of the few disadvantages is that the water cleaning system wont work on windows that are oily because there is no soap used and soap is needed to break up oil on the glass. But most homeowners dont get a lot of oily deposits on their windows so in most cases a water fed pole window washing system works just fine.
Another disadvantage is that these systems can be expensive. But this really just means that its much more cost-effective for homeowners to hire a professional window cleaning company that has a state of the art water fed pole cleaning system instead of renting their own to clean their own windows.
When a reputable window cleaning company uses a water fed pole system to clean the exterior windows of homes there are no disadvantages for homeowners. The water fed pole system makes it easy for trained and experienced technicians to clean all the windows on the exterior of the home, even high story windows or skylight, without using any kind of chemicals or soaps that can leave streaks or runoff in the yard. Plants, kids, and pets will be safe and the home will look great with clean sparkling windows.
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Although theres no hard and fast rule to determine which window washing extension pole is best to meet each jobs requirements, understanding the basics of pole selection can achieve a better clean and safer experience. In general, when selecting an extension pole for professional window cleaning, focusing on price, weight and flex will yield the best choice for your unique needs.
Its a common mistake for window washers just starting out, or facility managers on tightened budgets, to select a pole based on price alone. The risk here, is that often the cheaper pole, the floppier and heavier the pole is. For the pole user, a floppy, heavy pole requires more physical exertion to maneuver, increasing the likelihood of repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) when used frequently.
Common injuries from pole work include wrist pain, numbness of fingers, elbow pain, shoulder pain, upper and lower back pain, neck pain and tension headaches, all of which you can minimize by broadening the pole selection criteria to include weight and flex. Evaluating these pole characteristics will help you select a pole that minimizes the potential for RSIs by allowing the operator to perform the job with the minimum amount of physical effort.
The most critical component of the pole you select is the material its made of, as that directly impacts the cost, weight and flex. To establish what material is best for your window cleaning needs, consider the following:
Are you cleaning 1st floor windows, or do you need to extend to clean 2nd and 3rd story windows? The height you need affects the length of the pole needed and the pole material you choose.
When calculating the required pole length, consider that the operator is not standing flat against the building. The operator stands away from the building, working the pole at an angle at which the pole will flex. To account for this positioning, a good rule of thumb is to take the height of the window and multiply it by 1.2 to account for the distance between the operator and the building. For example, for a 40 window, you need a 48 pole (40 x 1.2 =48).
Note that some manufacturers promote the actual height of the pole while others advertise the working height of the pole. Working height is the physical length of the pole plus an additional 3 4.5, depending on the pole, to account for the operator holding the pole. Therefore, when calculating the pole length you need, be mindful of whether the pole length is referring to actual or working height.
When considering the height of your windows, flex becomes a key factor. The higher you go, the less flex you want in the pole. Too much flex in the pole and it becomes increasingly harder to control the motion and apply the pressure needed to create the scrubbing agitation. For the operator, the extra flex of some poles, such as aluminum poles, means harder work, extra fatigue, and longer time on site. Depending on your pole length, you may need to consider a higher quality material, like carbon fiber, that has less flex to avoid these pitfalls.
Theres a sizable difference between telescopic window cleaning poles and extension poles for window washing in terms of weight. With telescopic poles, each section collapses into another. Whether you need a long pole for high access window cleaning or a shorter pole for first floor windows, an operator using a telescopic pole is carrying around the same amount of weight for either job.
On the other hand, a window cleaning extension pole is modular, meaning that the sections stack end-to-end. The benefit of this design is that the operator only carries around the length of pole needed, decreasing the load when cleaning ground level windows and increasing the weight of the pole only when cleaning windows at great heights.
To figure out which pole is best for your needs, consider how many windows are cleaned, the height of the windows and the frequency of cleaning. The greater the number of windows, the higher the windows and/or the more frequent cleaning, a lighter pole, such as carbon fiber, is ideal.
Its typical for a buyer to lean toward a less expensive option if given the choice. However, in the world of window cleaning poles, when it comes to cheaper models, youre going to get a product made from cheaper materials. Each material has its own characteristics, which need to be evaluated against the job requirements to see if it is the best extension pole for your window cleaning needs.
There are five main categories of pole materials:
$ Aluminum Poles
The Pros: Durable and inexpensive
The Cons: Heavy and flexes significantly from extension and use
$$ Fiberglass Poles
The Pros: Lighter than aluminum and easier to maneuver
The Cons: Flex is still an issue
$$$ Hybrid Poles
The Pros: Fiberglass pole with a carbon fiber wrap; Great price point
The Cons: Floppy and heavy when used over 30 feet
$$$$ Carbon Fiber Poles
The Pros: Extremely rigid and lightweight for high access window washing
The Cons: More expensive than aluminum and fiberglass poles
$$$$$ Hi Modulus (Hi-Mod)
The Pros: Stiffest pole you can get for high access cleaning
The Cons: Expensive
After evaluating flex, weight and price, one other point to evaluate is the ergonomics of the pole. Make sure you look at the poles diameter at the part youre holding to assess its level of comfort, keeping in mind the time spent gripping the pole. Also, consider the height of the pole when its fully collapsed. You want to be able to easily adjust the pole sections simply by standing and reaching without much effort.
Before making a pole selection, we recommend a product demonstration to assist you in assessing the poles flex, weight, ergonomics and maneuverability. Click here to see Ungers selection of window cleaning extension poles and to request a demo.
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