Veterans Day Thank You

Thank you and your families, to all those who have and are serving.

 

Hot Water or "Wet Steam" is NOT True Steam Cleaning!

Hot Water is NOT Steam!

repeat, repeat, repeat

There is a difference between a steam cleaner and a hot water pressure washer. I have been hearing lately the claims of some that they are the only ones in the area that have "steam cleaning" in their service line. Yes they use 248 degree to clean your home and businesses. While this claim is possible with specialized equipment with a standard 5+ gallon machine with a standard boiler 248 degrees is not reachable. 

Just because the knob says 248 on the pressure washer control knob it does not mean you are putting out that much hot water and for a long period of time. The best thing answer I have ever heard said if your burner never shut off you never got that hot.

Incoming water temps are considered “tepid”. Tepid is defined as moderately warm or lukewarm, it is generally considered to be between 60°F and 90°F. The temperature of the water will vary due to location and season.

Temperature rise is what we need to look at not the numbers on the knob. Some of the best boilers on the market have 130 degree rise with 5 to 8 gallons of output and 140 degrees at 4 gallons. If your incoming water is at 70* and you can raise it 130* that is 200* at 5 gallons output or 210* at 4 gallons. Not even steam yet, and a far cry form the touted 248 degrees of heat they are saying they use.

Of course all the above has a lot of variances; how much pressure you are using, length of hose will lose heat, the location your at above sea level. Yes water boils slower at higher altitudes than at lower levels. Another thing to consider is your hoses. Hoses are rated also to degree of use it seems that 250* is about top for high pressure "hot water hose" then the move is to steam hose higher temperature rating but less pressure. You are loosing heat through your hoses and equipment after the last connection on the burner. It is acting just like a radiator and is dissipating the heat. If you claim you're using 248* to clean that would be what is reaching the house, so in order to reach that amount of heat at point of impact you have to be running your burner at say  265* to 300* in-order to compensate for heat loss. I don't know of to many units that are not special built that can raise the water temp up 200* to 230* for use in the warmest weather to say nothing when it gets colder. False promises and misleading implications? Could be but I believe most don't understand how or what their equipment was designed to do or can do, or the phone operator taking their order. We have great vendors in our field use them and ask them questions about temperature rise and true steam.

Most "steam cleaners" or "vapor cleaners" are low pressure and have little water usage turning the state of water from liquid to a gas stage, something a pressure washer heating water can not do. You are only physical able to heat or actually raise the temperature level. It would stand to reason that water turns into a gas at the point of boiling so if your are truly heating water to 248* you would have steam only with no water run off. If you still have water you are not "steam cleaning" you are "hot water cleaning" and why would you wash a house with 248* water? The only benefit here would be rinsing with hot water not washing with hot water.

Using hot water for washing is not needed but for rinsing it would be a plus. After the soap and cleaners have been applied and aloud to work a hot water rinse would help to release the bond of these cleaners. Hot water would help to speed up the molecules and expand them in turn releasing there grip on the surface simple as breaking the surface tension with the hot water. Do we really want to release that surface tension when first applying the cleaner? Does not make scene. You must and need to understand what you're doing and how your equipment works, before you go off and make claims and promises that may not hold up. This may sound crash or harsh but as an industry we need to let others know what and how things work! Claiming you wash with 248* steam when what you have is incapable to do so, may sound good to a customer but will the true stated results show?

I use vapor or steam cleaning for disinfecting and cleaning where water runoff is an issue. Patio furniture, greasy motors, greasy equipment, motorcycles, stoves, shopping karts, playground equipment, kitchen and butchering items, while used mostly in the auto and manufacturing areas vapor cleaning is gaining a whole new life in the USA. Vapor cleaning in Europe and Australia has been going on and being refined for some time now during the '60's steam cleaning was loosing a battle to the pressure or power washer here in the States. Back then it seemed we had unlimited water, gasoline and diesel fuel all of which you would need to run a heated power washer, but in other countries they were already starting to conserve and look ahead. Vapor or steam cleaning is more efficient way to clean in a lot circumstances.

Both types of services are needed but there is a difference. True steam verse wet steam. Wet steam is a term used mostly to sell pressure washers. Most companies are now using a "heat rise" instead of "wet steam" to describe their units not the term "steam cleaner". This should help to show the difference and to clarify the terms more.

In steam a "dryness fraction" is used to quantify the terms if we use this we can now simply see what is steam cleaning and what is hot water washing. The amount of water within steam is what provides the term. If the output steam contains 10% water by mass, it's said to be 90% dry, or have a dryness fraction of 0.9. Steam dryness is important because it has a direct effect on the total amount of transferable energy contained within the steam (usually just latent heat), which affects heating efficiency and quality. An example, saturated steam (100% dry) contains 100% of the latent heat available at that pressure. Saturated water, which has no latent heat and therefore 0% dryness, will only contain sensible heat. If you see water pooling of running off you do not have steam you have the coined term "wet steam" very hot water still great for cleaning but not steam. The water contained in the steam is very important in cleaning.

Vapor Expansion is why steam cleaning works heating water up way over 214 degrees water boils at a temperature lower the 212°F boiling point of water at sea level.  A pressure washer operation the pump simply pushes hot or cold water out of a restrictive nozzle. The narrow passage through the nozzle increases the water's velocity and, consequently, its potential impact and cleaning power. In pressure washing, the pressure or restrictive nozzle is the last part of the machine the water flow passes through. In simpler terms the steam cleaner puts out steam more like a whistling tea kettle in stead of the pressure washer with super hot water similar to your kitchen faucet at full blast. The steam cleaner doesn't so much use steam to clean as it uses steam expansion to propel water at near its boiling point at a high velocity. The closer the steam cleaner's nozzle is to the surface to be cleaned, the higher the temperature and velocity of the water, the more effective the cleaning action. In addition to steam our vapor cleaners have a feature that we can add soap or cleaning solutions directly in to the cleaning stream the biggest advantage to this is that heat will help any soap or chemicals work more effectively, quicker and release and rince better this also reduces any "chemical runoff" to a smaller factor. The expanding and cooling of the water when the water passes through the  special nozzle puts the vapor additional pressurization and cannot remain a liquid at ambient temperature. The water cools itself to 212°F by vaporizing a portion of its volume. This is called "flashing to steam." Depending on the system, from 5 to 15 percent of the volume is unvaporized, cooling the remaining in liquid form. This steam vapor, with a properly designed steam cleaning nozzle, also propels the remaining water droplets. Unlike a pressure washer nozzle, where the restrictive orifice is the last thing the water passes through before reaching the atmosphere, the steam cleaning nozzle has an expansion nozzle placed past the pressure orifice. This directs the water vapor energy rather than allowing it to dissipate in all directions. When water vaporizes, it expands to almost 1500 times its former volume. This expansion, directed by the somewhat conical steam nozzle, adds velocity to the water droplets. So, not only does the expansion nozzle direct the steam cleaner's output, it serves as a sort of propulsion chamber. No simply the super heated water hits the air outside the small hole in the nozzle and becomes steam it more or less expands or flashes becoming like a small explosion and these small drops or hot water hit the surface and tumble and splat to chip a way the dirt or grease, it in the same process kills germs and bacteria. If this hot water is in a stream as that of a pressure wash no expanition and flash takes place just hot water and not at a tempature of 248* which is 118 degrees above the heat the burner can produce. Subtract the ambent temp of the incoming water you can see there is no way to produce steam.

OK if you have read this far my rant is over, on those who say they are preforming a service they are incapable of doing with the equipment they own. Remember knowledge is key and to grow this industry old myths and half true statements need to be updated and clarified. Those using the old terms need to help out by updating what the say or what they do. Steam is steam, not "wet steam" or very hot water there is a difference in how each unit is used and what they do, that is why they have different names and are used for different things.

Just cause the knob says 248* that does not mean you have true dry steam.

Wash'n Wednesday: Gutter Brightening Ozark MO

Wash'n Wednesday: Gutter Brightening Ozark MO

Just a couple of photos of Cleaned by Pete cleaning and brightening some gutters in Ozark Missouri. Gutters are something that frame your house keeping them bright and clean adds more appeal to a home.

Before then after gutter brightening Cleaned by Pete Ozark Missouri, www.cleanedbypete.com

Here are a few of the photos of the work.

Gutter brightening by the Ozark's area #1 house washing company, Cleaned by Pete 417.459.7869.

Results like this can be expected when you use Cleaned by Pete for your external house cleaning/washing needs in the greater Springfield MO area. www.powerwashingspringfieldmo.com

Gutter brightening in Ozark Missouri, 417.459.7869

Work being done by Cleaned by Pete your #1 choice for house washing in Ozark MO and the surrounding area, 417.459.7869

Cleaned by Pete

just a power washing / house washing company located in Springfield 

serving the greater Southwest MO area

for more infomation click on links below:
 www.powerwashingspringfieldmo.com
www.cleanedbypete.com
southwestmissouripressurewashing.net

Using Other's Work as Your Own or Taking Credit Where None is Due

This seems to be a timely topic and one that hit home here at Cleaned by Pete. I have heard more and more contractors say their hard work is being stolen. As total web sites are being copied or just pieces and part are "lifted". Logos are being used without permission. Internet content stealing seems to be on the rise. It is not OK to "lift" parts of someones web sight just because you lack the skills or the will to do it on your own. Well that also seems to be a big game for some in our industry too. Some want to be power washers find it easier to take and use the hard work, internet content, photos, even reputations, and in my case even reenacting a cleaning I did, for their own gain and to build a web sight.

Why is it some companies feel they can take and use work not done by them on their web pages. For every industry there are "stock photos" for use in advertising and to enhance a web sight or page. Does that mean you can use anything you want? For some companies it seems it does. I finished a job and after I loaded up an other local company came by and took pictures of the work they then lead people to believe they had done that work. It's OK with them they are still using it to this day. If you use a stock photo that is OK if you are going to use an other contractor photo give them due credit or at least get permission. Leading customers to you via content or photos that are not yours is unethical to say the least.

The main reason I bring this up is not to bash the other company, it would seem they have no ethics nor care to change their business practices else they would not be doing this. You just have to have a positive outlook on things and try to let others know what is going on. Sure you can say yes, they are using my photo and try to take legal action but is it worth it? It seems that anything is fair game to use claim or promote in this new age of the internet it does not have to even be their work, photo, or job it OK with some to take, take, and take never looking back as long as they can justify it in their own narrow mind. Love hearing the excuse well it was on the internet so anyone can use it.

It is only fair to post this up dated information of what happened after the entry below was put on the internet via the "House Washing Springfield MO" blog. Some of the pictures of the work that was done by Cleaned by Pete but claimed to be their work, were quietly removed from parts of their web pages. Even though one still appears in their header slide show. I guess they still have not done any work themselves well enough on their own to fill this slot. Still using another persons work touting it as their own! They removed all the links from the other pictures to their web pages also. leaving no reference to them, but the one of Cleaned by Pete's work on the patio, pool and outside kitchen is still being used in their header slide show. I still find it sad that other companies have to use other's work to promote what they can not do themselves. If a company does claim to do excellent work why not show it off? If you don't show your work but instead use another persons work, what does that say for your company? If you claim to be a power washing company then show your work from jobs you have done. Don't pass off another companies work as yours. Don't you have just one excellent photo of your work? It would appear they don't or they would use it. Customers need to take time to question and ask contractors about needed work please don't just assume they know what they are doing cause they have a photo of work that has been done it may not even be their work as in this case. You can also look at it this way if it was not wrong why then did they remove some of the photos and references to them. What a "hoot" know you're wrong but not admitting it fully by the action you took, removing just part of them. One must keep a positive outlook on things and keep moving forward, even if others take a shadier way in their business practices.

The original entry as posted

You can find just about anything on the internet, even if your not looking for it. Being one of the established and premier power / pressure washer here in the Springfield MO area, we are all about getting our name out when we can. Cleaned by Pete puts up or out pictures of his work. This very blog and its' sister blog you can find pictures and photos of the work that Cleaned by Pete has done. Our facebook page we regularly post picture and photos of our work. Youtube and any of our four web-sites contain pictures of our work. Cleaned by Pete wants to show you what we do and give you an idea of how we can help you with your cleaning needs. Pictures and photos are one of the best way we can convey this information.

Sometimes you can find a picture of your work but it has someone else's name on it. Pictures and inferences are open to interpretation on the web. They can implied they did it, even though they didn't come out and just say they did, some how this is OK with some other business owners. 

If you see work pictures and photos posted here and on any of our other media, it has been done by Cleaned by Pete unless stated. We don't have to barrow work photos from others. We did the work and have pictures of the job. It may seem that some still feel it is OK to let you think that since they have taken a picture and placed it on their web-site even though it is not their work and has been preformed by some other company, it's still OK. They really never said they did the work, they are just using the photo of the work preformed.

 Outdoor kitchen cleaning service Springfield MO

Outdoor entertaining areas, BBQ's and outside kitchen areas, Cleaned by Pete Springfield MO. This is one of our regular customers entertaining ares we clean and maintain for them. If we can help you with your outside kitchens, entertaining areas, patios or pool deck cleaning; call us at 417.459.7869

**This photo was found on an internet look up. It is of work preformed by Cleaned by Pete though the photo was not taken by Cleaned by Pete.

Cleaned by Pete cleaning the out side entertain area and kitchen also cleaning the pool deck and walk-ways.

A Cleaned by Pete photo cleaning the out-door kitchen and area around the pool.

Pool deck and furniture washed and cleaned ready for a new season a Cleaned by Pete photo.

Patio and pool deck cleaning, maintaining and cleaning those out-side: kitchen, BBQ, entertainment, and patio areas, a Cleaned by Pete photo.

The four photos above were taken on the job by Cleaned by Pete You can still see our hi-pressure hoses, spray gun and lance in the photos. Our maintenance package can also include gathering and vacuuming all your cushions cleaning the tables and chairs we can even add a disinfectant to the wash mix. Using a dry industrial steam cleaner to clean and maintain your built-in BBQ. Dry steam is use in hospitals and in food service areas and we can bring it to your home. You can not power wash a "new modern" BBQ with lights, temp sensors, electronic ignitions, and digital read-outs dry steam is the only way to go. We'll stack and vac the cushions and wash down everything when dry we or you as the home owner has the option of putting them back out when needed. Cleaned by Pete works with each home owner to meet the needs that they want or wish. Spring time clean up we will wash and vacuum that green and yellow pollen away. We also remove ash form your fire pits, fire places and wood fired BBQ if needed. Let us build a custom package for you.


Cleaned by Pete

serving the greater Springfield MO area

power, pressure and soft washing

417.459.7869

Fence Cleaning Springfield MO

Just some shameless self promotion, part of the job Cleaned by Pete did today. All three photos are from the same location.

Cleaned by Pete Springfield MO fence cleaning.

Cleaned by Pete Springfield MO fence cleaning.

Cleaned by Pete

just a power washer in the Springfield MO area

417.459.7869

Winter's Most Reliable Natural Forecaster

 Folklore, wives' tales, the oldtime ways, nature's ways, what ever you want to call it, Here in the Ozarks it is take quite seriously and taken as gospel truth.

Being located in Missouri now I have learned you must put stock in the old wives' tales. More often than not they seem to be right. From plating to harvesting and even the weather can all be predicted by mother nature.  You just have to be wise enough to read the signs. This is one time the old locals just wait for. They wait all year and take a lot of stock in the persimmon forecast here in the Ozarks, a region in Southwest MO.

The Persimmon Forecast

Cut open a persimmon seed. (Find persimmon fruit in your supermarket. It should be locally-grown to reflect your weather.)
Look at the shape of the kernel inside.

• If the kernel is spoon-shaped, lots of heavy, wet snow will fall. Spoon = shovel!
• If it is fork-shaped, you can expect powdery, light snow and a mild winter.
• If the kernel is knife-shaped, expect to be "cut" by icy, cutting winds.

It's best to use ripe seeds.

That's it! Now, what did you see?

What does  Farmers Almanac say? http://farmersalmanac.com/blog/2014/09/26/persimmon-lady-winter-2015/ :

"Around this time each year, Melissa Bunker of Star, North Carolina (AKA, “The Persimmon Lady”), sends us her winter prediction based on opening up some persimmon seeds. 

Traditional lore is that if the seeds are shaped like forks, winter will be mild; 

if they are shaped like spoons, there will be a lot of snow; 

and if they are shaped like knives, winter will be bitingly cold.

Here’s what Melissa had to say:

Here is the 2014/15 persimmon readout. Never have seen all spoons before!!! Tell the readers to prep for lots of snow. Even our ground hornets are moving up into our pecan tree.

Thanks, Melissa! We hope to hear from you again next year.

Have you cracked into any persimmon seeds? If so, where are you from and what did you see?"

So dig in get ready winter will be here and it going to be a bad one. The older folks in the area here are touting is as one of the worst we will see. Other signs and tales also predict it will be a long winter also. 

Cleaned by Pete

just a power washer, washing and cleaning the

greater Springfield MO area

417.459.7869

Ebb and Flow

The power washing business is one that relies on alot of different factors, well at least mine does. We relay on a couple of painters we do prep work for, a couple of contractors and builders, and a stone mason or two. If they slow down I also slow down, typically August and September are slow in the building trades thus I try to put on more house washing if possible. This year is has been good to us not bragging just a statement. With summer over our patio cleaning business is also slowing down as well as cleaning those outside eating areas for our commercial clients. Cooler temps mean less folks eating outdoors. Snow will soon be covering the sidewalks and the use of salts and ice-melts will lead to jobs this spring. The ebb & flow, plan for it have those sales pitches ready.

Now all this is based on my location also, I will work as long as it does not become a safety issue for clients or my machines. When we did KEC it was a year round job and income keeping the van with the washer and supplies in a heated building. Keeping it warm and ready to go year round. Trailers and other set ups are harder to find a large heated area to use. Heating a large area keeping equipment and supplies also takes more money. Budgeting to pull you through lean times has always been with us here in the Midwest. The more north you go the smaller the season gets and winterizing become more important, you have to budget or find other incomes during these times. I can not take on a part-time job at a store for the reason, my business comes first if someone should need "Cleaned by Pete" and conditions are right I will be doing that cleaning when the customer need it. Building and growing my business. It does put us in a hardspot, what do we do? Feeding the family comes first and as small business owners we have to compromise somewhat.

I don't know about carpet cleaning that much I know that with the proper equipment I have seen them cleaning year round. Our brothers in the other fields as painting can move inside for winter jobs. The construction trades can also move inside if they have walls and a roof up. But a person who is specializing in house washing or concrete cleaning doing outside work is at the mercy of the seasons. Being on call to grow your business is a must taking on small jobs or cleanings may be something one has to do to get by. I'm very "old school" in regards to putting food on the table and a roof over the families head. If I can do it I will. It is harder to clean in the winter and more precautions are needed and have to be taken, all part of working with water and being a power washer.

We as an industry are linked and tied to others no matter what field of washing we take, from residential to commercial. Depending on the area you live or work in we are also tied and linked to the seasons and weather in general. I use to worry about it alot more than I do now, but if you take it day by day and build your business step by step along the way you will be a success. If it was easy you would not see the 1 or 2 year turnover in power / pressure washing companies that we do. With less job this time a year it is easy to blame them. A new crop comes in and pops up every couple of years. You may think they are taking your business away. That is a easy blame but only work and perseverance will make your business not getting rid of them will help you. Those that fly-by-night or "low ball prices" will always be there whether is is the group doing it now or the new crop that will spring up next year. Your problem is not them it is all in the ebb and flow of being in the power washing business. Working hard and a never say die attitude is a must in any business but with a little luck and a good business plan you should be able to weather the storm or the ebb & flow of this business. Hang in and hold on, this industry has its' ups and downs but still can be quite rewarding career.