One thing we face as a small business "The Pest".

One thing we face as a small business is "the pest".

Not bugs, not the dog next door or even neighborhood kids running around. As a small business owner we face a whole different type of pest; the unwanted solicitor. Better known as spammers, phishers, or telemarketers. Being a small business we need to take all leads and calls coming in, with cell phones you may never know where or who may be calling you for a job, quote or question about service. Each call or email is important and may help pay the bills to survive this economy.

Will they ever stop?

Your phone is ringing the number looks unfamiliar but you still need to answer it, only to get the "Your google map listing may not be right" or the pause that never says any thing. These marketers need to make a quota of calls each day you may find your phone getting two or three calls form the same number each day. I have a caller that I can not get rid of calls three times each Wednesday every week at almost the same time I know the number and just don't answer it, but it take time from what your doing, stopping getting the phone out and looking at the number. These phone calls are getting bad. More telemarketers are calling all the time if you answer they are selling your phone number to other telemarketers, it is big business annoying other people on the phone by wasting your time.

I have tried to slowed them down some, by waiting for the phone to ring at least three times then waiting about three to four seconds before saying the company name. I use to say Pete speaking how may I help you. With the "robo" call they have the company name and a contact person which they them call back later and pretend to know you or have done business with you. I now wait three to four seconds and say the company name and wait if no response I will hang up. Hopefully the robo call will take it as a fax, or answering machine and they will not call back or put your number up as a live number for others to call.

Emails are another source for these leaches to practice their trade. Even opening emails can now be tracked and can unleash some form of take over a "hack" maybe just your address book or worse. It takes time for you to do a search to see what is new or out there but you have to be careful you never know. What is one to do? I wish I knew we now live in a different world where thief and scammers are out there and participating in their trades only you are the one that looses each and every time. You loose time you loose productivity you could higher a screener or call center to receive your calls but you are a small business and pinching pennies now. In any case does trowing money at it  fix the problem? I think not, until things change or these practices are exposed callers will call emailers will email with out regards to you or me it is their business to intrude into ours.

As for now there is not much a person "the small business owner" can do but to help get the word out on these numbers I do post constant callers to some of the pages that do track them as: http://www.badnumbers.com/657-202-9040/ or http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-954-688-3007  this may help others or help drive these people away (fat chance) but it does help vent a bit if nothing else. Here is another one: http://www.callercenter.com/206-333-0505.html . Doing business in the modern world  takes different avenues and approaches.

I would like to add one more thing here. I have nothing against the men and women who make a living at call centers or even calling from their home, you need to make a living too. But no means "no" and you should honor a one call limit, most are courteous when told no. There are some, that give your industry a very bad name, but this is true in all industries.

This is just fitting! As I am fishing this entry off and doing a bit of rewording, I just now received a call from 503.333.577eight who is out of Portland OR but is working closely with the golf courses here in town and thought my company would be a good fit with their advertising package. What is the best thing they represent "the list of courses" which they don't know range from private courses, country clubs and those owned by the city, county or parkboard some do not advertise at all being that the parkboard owns and runs them. They didn't want to talk about this detail. Life is just full of little ironies isn't it.

Weeping over lost water? what gun am I using?

Weeping over lost water? what gun am I using?

First off let me invite you to a new year here on the blog. Been down with weather and with slow to no internet then topping it off a bit of computer trouble. With all that behind us now it a time to get in this next entry.

Weeping over lost water? I was asked something the other day and had a daaaaa moment. Upon thinking about it, it occurred to me I had the very same experience  or question when starting in with pressure washing. Though the question is simple and the answer is simple it is something that needs a little explanation, so here it is. I bought a new replacement gun the other day this one has a blue trigger on it why is it blue? I saw there were some red ones too. They look the same they had the same pressure and gallon ratings, but the blue one was a few dollars cheaper. 

Well the blue trigger, a blue trigger guard, or blue stripe means it is a weeper. The blue gun does not shut off completely. It weeps or squirts out a stream of water when there is pressure in the line or at the head of the power washer's pump head. Now that is just about the stupid thing you may of heard a gun that does not shut off why would they make such a thing? Well to help aid in cooling and over working the unloader or pump in general. This type of gun is most used in the self-service car washes. Where people don't care about the way some thing works or how hard they use it or when they use it.

Blue triggered weeper gun, Cleaned by Pete photo.

In the car wash you place you money in and a small stream of water start squirting out and is still squirting out sometimes when you leave this relives the line and head pressure as well as helps to drain the gun, lance, and line that may freeze due to weather conditions. Most of the customers would not take the time to drain the hose or gun when they finish there washing job but the weeping trigger gun or as I call them "weepers" does it for them.

Red triggers or red markings mean when the gun's trigger is let off there should be no water exiting the gun. If water weeps or keep running then the gun is defective or a piece of chafe may be lodged in the triggers seat assembly. Why would a power washer want one of these weepers if they are only good for a self-service car wash then. There are a few reasons that I have them. In a pinch when you need a gun they will still work only they don't totality shut down the water supply. You may be partial to blue over red, it was cheaper. Well the main reason I have and use this style of gun is safety. How is a blue weeper safer than a red gun? Let me propose this: you're on a roof (I use to wash kitchen hoods and exhaust fans) you finish your washing your pump is running you must either have someone stand there to turn it off or you must climb down and do it your self. Your partner is inside handling the water flow of what is being washed down he really can not do it, I'm too cheap to hire someone to just stand and turn on and off a machine. You can use a weep gun it lets a small amount of water out that is controllable you can lay it down or lower it off the roof. The pressure is not enough to hurt anything. It also lets fresh cooler water cycle in and exit the pump thru the gum keeping the pump cooler. We have heard of leaving the trigger open with something but that lets 3000 psi loose when your not around not safe for you, clients or anything around. If you just shut it down using the regular red gun then go crawling to the ladder down to the ground over to the washer takes time. The recycling water starts to heat up in the pump, a weeper gun is a good item to use here. When we wash a tall building the lift seems to take for ever to get up and in just right position if you have someone to stand around to start and stop the machine that is good I usually don't I can start it with a weep gun, because it's letting off pressure keeping the water circulating keeping the pump cool while manoeuvring into place. Just one last scenario recently I was working on the roof only water supply was a bit away power washer had no reserve tank 3400 psi at 4 gpm with about 300+ feet of high-pressure hose to get to where needed. I had to go around the air-moving stacks across a small bridge that spanned the buildings about 6 to 7 feet, around the corner and under the duck work. Had the hose laid out with the weeper gun I could start the power washer and then make it around under and across the bridge with out having to run or be unsafe the gun ran a small stream of water keeping the pump cooler and the stream was not powerful enough to move things around when left alone.

I like to keep a weep gun or two on the rig at all times. They don't get the use of the red guns but when I need it for safety in doing a job it makes it worth while. Safety on the job is the first thing I think about and that covers all the aspects my customer's, my personal, my machinery, and anything else around, all safety concerns. I'll use a blue weep gun, for those certain jobs and know that I'm doing the best I can in being safe. This is why I use a blue weeping gun other may use it for other reasons.

Hoses for your power / pressure washer

Hoses for your power / pressure washer 

Here is a subject that is rarely written about but is one important item when you think about it. This hose is delivers and stores the pressurized water until it is delivered to the trigger assembly then on to the nozzle.

Different sizes, types, styles, and ratings are on power washing hoses as well as different sizes, types or styles of connectors that attach them to the washer and to the gun or trigger. I'll try to inform you on these where to use them and what to look for. While some hose will work all power washes some will not the psi rating is what we will talk about first. From past entries you know that psi stands for the pounds of pressure per square inch that your power washer is producing. This will range form @1200 psi to around 18 psi for you over the counter electric models. They will come with a hose that usually have ends that will tread on to the gun and the unit it self. This is a different tread (the screw cut groves that attach the hose) than that of the garden hose you will be getting your supply water from.

Electric pressure washing hose with standard 22 mm fittings.

Standard 22 mm screw on fittings found on most smaller pressure washers.

This hose has brass screw on fittings sometimes referred to as standard 22mm connections. A 1/4" Teflon core covered by a black plastic sheath. The 1/4" sizing refers to the diameter of the inside hole in the hose. It is very easy to kink and crease these areas will be more likely to develop a leak or crack after a while. It is always recommend to disconnect the hose from the unit and the gun then coil it up for storage it will help to keep out the kinks making your hose last longer. These hoses are just a single core with no reinforcement and will be rated up to 2700 psi but you will need to check a good hose should be labled. Your next step up will have the same look but the materials used for construction will be different it will still have the screw on ends a Teflon core but will have a rubber sheath incasing it.  The rubber sheath will let it have a higher pressure rating usually up to 3000 psi. This hose is less likely to kink or crease do to  the heaver construction. This hose will be able to be used on the smaller units and will have a lot more flexibility. You will find these hoses in different lengths usually found in 10 feet, 25 feet and even in 50 feet I would not recommend any thing longer than 25 do to the kinking aspect of these hoses. These hose are not recommended for larger machines they can not handle the higher pressure developed by the larger units they will rupture.

The next step up in the average hoses that we see and use will be moving into the 3/8 inch diameter hose. The inside Teflon tubing is 3/8 of an inch. This hose will hold more reserve water but will take more of the pumps power to push it in a long run. This category will start with 3000 psi rating which has a rubber or plastic type outer shell holding a braided wire rap over the inner tube. If your hose is refereed to as a single wire this means it has one layer of steel braided reinforcement over the inner tube following this logic a 2 braid hose has two layers of steel reinforcing the inner tube and the hose in general against rupturing.

Cut-a-way shows the steel braid over the core with the outer shell which comes in many different materials.

Outer shell followed by two layers of steel braided reinforcement layer around the inner core.

The more psi your pump is putting out the higher rating you will need to safely use a high-pressure washer. Ratings follow as a general rule 3000 psi, 4000 psi, and 6000 psi in this type of hose construction. These are the hose you will see Cleaned by Pete using on jobs. They come with different shells as non-marring, oil resistant, layered wrapped, smooth or pebbled, black, gray, blue and so one the outer shell just help the power washer to be able to clean and keep clean area of your home or business and the hose itself. You can have a hose made to any length you would like, from 2 feet on up you will find the standard lengths to run 25 ft, 50 ft, and 100 ft, these hose have steel braids and do start to weigh up fast hauling a 100 ft of 2 wire hose starts to get heavy, 200 ft take quite a bit to move around I keep most of our hoses at or around the 50 ft length for easier adding and easier to haul and put up at the end of the job you can always add another hose to make things longer, and 100 ft hoses on the hose reels.

You can always use a larger rated hose on a smaller unit but never use under rated hose on higher pressures.

The next step up in the hose will be 1/2 inch diameter hoses all the same but some will have more steel wraps increasing there rating even more.

The next major rating in pressure washing hoses is "Hot or for use with Hot Water" this is another rating you will have to look for when using heated water. You can use a "hot-water" hose on cold water units but you always take the chance of things going wrong if you use cold water rated hoses with your hot water unit, The materials will be somewhat different to be able to use hot water with out getting to hot and causing a rupture in the line. One other hose you will see Cleaned by Pete use is steam hose while it is the same construction as the 3/8 in pressure hose the materials will be different, allowing us to use higher internal temperatures "live steam" in this hose.

Since time, making things secured and easy to use is important to the power washing contractor we use what is call a quick couple system. We set up our pumps and washers the way we like and what works for us. In most cases we use 3/8 hoses and quick couples so we can add more lengths or different ends to the hose. Pulling back on a ring releases several steel balls and the other end will slip out. No sealer, no leaking, no tools or wrenches just quick and easy.

Quick couplers come in "male and female" configurations depending on how you are setting up your system you will be using some form of these.

One problem is sometimes you just can add this to that hose or you have the 22 mm fitting and need a 3/8" quick couple, some times things work out and you have two "male connectors" ends that will not go together. We have tried to make ever thing uniform but with all the different washer, tools and attachments we have at Cleaned by Pete not all things still fit together, We solved this by making several different short hoses and adaptors.

Short hoses or whips and Cleaned by Pete's hose and quick connectors for different hoses that we use on our different pressure washers.

 Pressure washing hoses are fairly straight forward use is called for by your pressure washer a over rated hose is OK to use. Never use an under rated hose, severally kinked hose, worn or ruptured hose, cracked or dry-rotted hose or any hose that may look unsafe or that you are not sure of. Safety is a must when working with pressure of any type.

New equipment for us

New Equipment for us

If you follow us here at Cleaned by Pete you have seen some of the blog's post about equipment it's one of our favourite subjects. After a long winter we are back in full swing once again. With doing all types of cleaning and washing, some things are waring out and we find we need newer items to help the jobs go more efficiently. We pride our selves on having the right tools for the job we are doing. With that in mind here is a photo of some of the equipment we purchased this last month.  Hose, brushes, new trigger handles, new gun with wand, a couple of water cannons, and a Simson commercial pressure washer, slightly used but in perfect running order. Cleaned by Pete is always trying to bring in and keep up with the cleaning needs of our customers. The second photo shows the new pump with the gear-reduction system with a new unloader, thermal protection, and easy start valve we are just up-grading this unit.

Call Cleaned by Pete for all your power washing needs at 417-459-7869

and see for yourself all our new equipment in action.

Newer equipment for Cleaned by Pete

Updating this unit with a new pump with a gear-drive reduction system

Visit us at www.cleanedbypete.com or www.powerwashingspringfieldmo.com and like us on facebook .

Pictorial History of Power Washing, part II

A pictorial history of power washing.

A few more pictures of the pictorial history of pressure washing. First hot-water high pressure washer was invented by Alfred Karcher in 1950 in Germany. Which some say was a refinement of Frank Ofeldt's steam cleaner. Designed and invented in the United States. The steam pressure washer or "high-pressure Jenny" is introduced much earlier, in 1927. Refinements have been made but we all own and use something that is credited to these two gentlemen. These pictures have been used from the internet. If you or your companies owns them and may wish them removed please email us and we will remove them. Pictures have link to web sites where you can find them and more information.

The Hypressure Jenny was the first Steam Cleaner ever made - first in the world! It was invented by Mr. Frank W. Ofeldt, II in 1927. He immediately joined Homestead Valve Manufacturing Co. in Coraopolis Pennsylvania, and later became Chief Engineer of the Hypressure Jenny 

 //www.jennyproducts.com/HistoryArticle.html

Sioux was founded in 1939 in Beresford, South Dakota, initially manufacturing steam cleaners used to clean automobile engines.  In 1965, the company was sold to John and Virginia Finger, who began designing additional models of steam cleaners and hot or cold water pressure washers, with larger capacities and pressures for application in other industries. http://www.sioux.com/history-of-sioux-corporation.html

In 1977 the first Epps Products pressure washer was produced.  The model 800E, @ 800 PSI and 3 GPM. http://www.eppsproducts.com/aboutus.html

http://www.tractorumbrellas.com/photo/malsbary-steam-cleaners-farm-machinery

http://www.hotsy.com/oldestworkinghotsy.aspx

The powerful streams of water ripped through clay, rocks and gravels, blasting away entire mountains.  http://www.brackensgoldrush.com/History.htm

This 1900 photo shows a water cannon blasting away a hillside at the Calhoun Gold Mine, in Lumpkin County, during the second gold rush.
Courtesy of Georgia Archives, Vanishing Georgia Collection

The last two pictures so how water pressure cannons we use early on for dirt removal sometimes whole mountains here we have more volume than pressure, today we have great pressure with less volume doing the same job. It all comes down to dirt and grime removal.
For all your dirt and grime removal call Cleaned by Pete for a free prompt estimate at 417-459-7869 serving the Southwest and greater Springfield MO area.

Extension or Telescoping poles: the locking system

Extension or Telescoping poles: the locking system

If your read the entry about poles the other day you know the entry took a different path but I did leave it as it was. I had not thought about going in to the aspects of telescoping poles. One of the readers wanted a bit of clarification on the locking mechanism that are used to keep the length of the pole in place and then allow it to be collapsed back down. I said I would put in a quick entry and here it is.

Sunday morning found me reading my e-mail and a question form a reader popped up, could I explain the locking mechanism on the pole just a bit more. I have a few examples of the locking styles that I have seen, used or been around. I know you can find more styles out there or systems using a combination of these locks. 

I mentioned in the last blog a few styles, but a picture is worth a thousand words and may help in starting to understand the locking types.

The first pole shows a cam lock this lock, it is inside and by twisting the poles the cam is pressed or locked inside against the other pole, The can be a tappered cam or an off centred cam. Second pole has one style of the lever lock it pinches one pole's outside tightly against the other poles inside locking them in place. The last is the pin lock where a pin falls into a predrilled hole to keep the pole in place.

The cam lock 

The cam lock has been around for a long time and is use on several styles of poles. Though with water fed poles it has a draw back, you can not run your water line inside of the pole. There are some companies that use cam locks still and just run the water line on the outside of the pole. I see a lot of window washing poles are still external feed poles. Cam lock's also can be the knurled end is fitted into the end of one pole then the off set plug locks against the side of the other pole holding them in place. To lock this in place you twist the poles in opposite directions. An other draw-back is smaller poles are harder to grip when wet.

cam lock device

The twist lock or locking cone lock

This is the oldest style use on most water fed poles or pressure washing heavy duty ones you may encounter. It work by tighten the large cone shaped ring on fingers under it to pinch or tighten against the smaller pole inside. You tighten the cone shape barrel by twisting it the tighter you do now the harder it is to undo later. I have had trouble getting grime in the fingers and over-tightening is a problem. Keeping it clean and a genteel snug to tighten it is all that is needed to keep this problem from happening.

The tappered cone is tightened down against the fingers locking the poles in place.

Twist locks come in several sizes to work with the different diameters of the poles or tubing.

Pin locks

This is a sure way to lock into one length it will not move or come loose with work it is a very positive way to keep the poles at the working length. I have never used one of these style of poles so I can not give you much feed back. One draw back is there are preset hole drilled into the pole giving you only the preset length, this is not a big deal though you are only less than six inches off. 

Push the button it lifts or depresses the pin and you can slide out the pole to the desired length.

Pin lock style lets you lock the pole into the desired length it is a very positive locking system.

Lever lock or clamp lock

The last system I will look at is the lever lock it is a clamping system it has a clamp the is activated by a lever or a screw-nut. You use the leverage to tighten the internal pole against the out side of the sliding pole it is fixed onto the other pole keep it from moving. One disadvantage is the larger screw-nuts may get in the way but the smaller streamlined lever is less likely too. Over tighten may be a problem here too and breakage of the plastic lever.

 the screw-nut type of locking clamp

lever locking style of clamp lock

Typical arrangement of the telescoping pole what ever the locks they use the have a smaller pole inside of a larger pole and some type of locking system to keep it in place.

Other styles of locks

You may see other style of locks too I found a few pictures.

I hope this will help to clear up some of your questions on the locking systems and how they work. All these locking systems work by pinching against the wall of the pole except the pin system. Keeping your pole at the desired length while working is all that is needed but being able to quickly change and adjust the length is where each may differ. This will all be up to each user of which system he or she will use. I have carpal tunnel in my hands and find the large twist locks the easiest to work with and have been using this system for a lot of years as I stated in the last blog entry. Thank you for reading our blog and please visit our web sites, links are on the right. As always call:

Cleaned by Pete at 417-459-7869 for all your power washing needs in Springfield and the Southwest MO area

Pictorial PW History: photos from the past.

http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/social&CISOPTR=2715&CISOBOX=1&REC=17.  Employee of Fire Ball Distribution Company demonstrating a portable steam cleaner on a vehicle, Seattle, ca. 1950 or 1951
Ogawa, Elmer, 1906-1970   

1968 Cat Pumps officially opened its doors for business with the introduction of the "A" Series Model 400 Cat Pump (4.0 GPM, 700 PSI). Originally designed for the pressure wash market, this pump revolutionized both the car wash and pressure wash industries, providing 10 times the life of previous pumps. http://www.catpumps.com/1968-1979.asp

Driver Arthur Wilson is seen here in the depot at Pine Mill in Oldham power washing the chassis of EBU 600K before it goes on a night trunk run. This vehicle was an 8LV Cabbed ERF 4x2 tractor unit fitted with a Gardner 180 6LXB engin. from: http://www.commercialmotor.com/big-lorry-blog/scotts-of-oldham--history-in-words-and-pictures-on-biglorry-blog#.UWyTDXaVv8s

 http://www.armedforces-int.com/article/75-years-of-innovation-for-customers.html

The American forces awarded the company a contract to service and repair “steam cleaners”, which had been invented in the United States in the 1920’s. Kärcher developed and optimized this technology further and presented the first European hot-water high-pressure cleaner in 1950, the KW 350 ('boiling-water cleaner'). It marked the company’s entry into the cleaning equipment market and laid the foundation stone for what was to become its core business.

Picture from: http://www.armedforces-int.com/article/75-years-of-innovation-for-customers.html Kärcher in the 1950's high pressure steam cleaning.

 

Picture from: http://www.palmercc.com/Photoalbum.htm. Keith Timm Sr. steam cleaning his 1951 Ford dump truck at PCCC’s Mine #11 preparation plant in Black Diamond circa 1952.

Washing_loco.jpg ‎(640 × 483 pixels, file size: 69 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

Jack Delano, photographer

Mrs. Viola Sievers, one of the wipers at the roundhouse giving a giant "H" class locomotive a bath of live steam Clinton, Iowa, April 1943

Reproduction from color slide LC-USW361-643

LC-DIG-fsac-1a34807, FSA/OWI Collection

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/boundforglory/images/bg0058.jpg

Title	Men inspecting a Fire Ball Distribution Company portable steam cleaner during an event, ca. 1950 or 1951
Photographer	Ogawa, Elmer, 1906-1970

Title

Men inspecting a Fire Ball Distribution Company portable steam cleaner during an event, ca. 1950 or 1951

Photographer

Ogawa, Elmer, 1906-1970

G3g 2412 getting a steam cleaning on the Glen shop track Monday, 6/22/1959. (CLC #2016 12/1942) Bob Krone. Picture from: Old Time Trains, http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/cpr_steam/2400.htm.

Seattle Municipal Archives
Photograph Collection Item No: 59059
Description: Mechanical equipment [Portable Steam Jenny]

Orig No: 18513-Q-2
Date: May 1, 1951
Collection: Engineering Department Photographic Negatives
Photo location: http://www.seattle.gov/default.aspx

http://www.seattle.gov/default.aspx. 

  May 31, 1955 Maintenance Equipment [1948 Steam Jenny]

Steam cleaning jeeps at Bechtel-McCone’s remanufacturing facility in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo form: http://www.ewillys.com/category/ordnance-remanufactureing

Pressure washing a car in 1928 (courtesy FMC and Industrial Cleaning Technology by Harrington). from: http://bittooth.blogspot.com/2012/11/waterjettting-3b-pressure-washers.html

Inventor of the first hot water pressure washer in 1950. From: http://www.karchercommercial.com/KarcherHistory.aspx

All pictures are noted and locations from the web are listed from where they are from. If you own any photo or link and do not want them posted please let us know and we will take them down. Cleaned by Pete hopes you enjoyed this trip back to see what and where this industry has grown from. Today's washers are much smaller, compact, powerful and easier to use. All things change washer, techniques, methods, equipment are still changing, but in a few cases some of the old methods and ways still have there place in today's line of cleaning equipment and Cleaned by Pete still implores some of the equipment and methods of yesteryear for today's cleaning needs.

Cleaned by Pete 417-459-7869 for your cleaning / washing needs in Springfield and Southwest MO.