To Lift or Not To Lift, That Is The Question! - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

western pa roof cleaning · Freshmen Member

To Lift or Not To Lift, That Is The Question!

AC Lockyer · Administrator

RE: Lift Truck

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

rob i deal with a lot of steep roofs myself and find that taking my time and working from the gutter line is the best way. Use a 0* degree tip to reach the peak and a flat spray pattern to cover the rest. I set up two ladders to make life a little easier. The use of heavy chemical application is not always the case as with using the stream tip if you get the chem up there and just move and apply as needed. i did a 4000sq ft roof with a 10/12 and 12/12 pitch only using arounf 70 gallons of mix.

Ray Burke · Community Member

I agree with lifts often times being a problem. I work on many large projects that require lifts, seems like we spend more time positioning the lift, protecting the landscape with plywood, etc, than we do actually spraying. Sometimes it's just easier to work off a ladder.

western pa roof cleaning · Freshmen Member

thank you all for the feedback and advice!

Josh Scavetta · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

RE: To Lift or Not To Lift, That Is The Question!

Ryan Freidline · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Robert: IMO lift trucks do not pay. Have researched it, and cannot conclusively show their benefit.

Doug Rucker · UAMCC Officer

Down with Lift Trucks. Not worth the investment for residential. Replacing driveways can et expensive.

western pa roof cleaning · Freshmen Member

Thanks for all the input!

Steve Salley · Junior Member

Robert
I just completed a beautiful family home in Indiana, PA with the back of the house way down there from the top on the back and the homeowner agreed to rent a lift. We were able to access 75% of the house from the two setups we did. That meant I only needed my 32 foot ladder for the other sides.

I agree with the pros on the cost of buying and the limited use, but I was glad I did not have to figure out how to set up a 40 plus foot ladder.

It was nice to have that bucket to stand in and know the wind was not going to remove me from the top of that roof.

The rental fee was $150.00 so it was not a deal breaker either. I think if I had a well off client who thought my life was not worth $150, I would smile and walk

We are finding the roof pitch that discriminating homeowners use is a challenge. We are still learning and thinking of ways to get it done safely too. Most of the locations will not be accommodating to lifts.

I know Pittsburgh does not have ONE flat yard :) so I am sure you daily face this challenge.

Let me know if you come up with a ladder leveling system and a safe way to raise large ladders to clean the roofs of Western PA. I know I found a great buy the other day on craigslist in Pittsburgh that may solve your problem-- A 60 LFT extension ladder! I will drive down to see that put in use! Unreal.

Josh Scavetta · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

nice picks. and you only paid $150 for the lift not bad. ya know a pair of cougar paws cost about $150 and AC's Vent pipe cane is cheep to. My guys walk most of the roofs when spaying. we have cleaned over 400+ roofs mostly large houses with no problems. Im not bashing your desire for safety but i think the lift was a little over kill. just my opinion. If you get anymore jobs where you use a lift post the picks. In curious on how they work for ya. good luck

Steve Salley · Junior Member

Josh
I appreciate your posting this advice. I agree with you on that job, but part of our motivation is the fact we are in the high rent district and we want our customers to know we will go to great lengths to work for them.

I also am developing my climbing legs and comfort zone so I figure slow and steady will keep me in the business longer than a leap (or fall of faith)...

I have read about the cougar paws a lot and will be trying them soon.

I also have not defined our fall protection systems yet, so all this is a work in progress.

In the meantime, the phone call keep coming.

western pa roof cleaning · Freshmen Member

All good posts.

We use cougar paws on almost every job - they are quite simply amazing. On the steep or high roofs we always use fall protection, either ladder anchors or roof cleats and full body harness. Gotta stay safe.

I am still looking forward to the day when a lift makes sense for the job at hand, though!

Good luck to all you guys walking the peaks today.

Rob Deemer

Pittsburgh, PA

John Smith · Lead Tech Certified

One of my main concerns about starting this business is walking a roof. Years of having safety pounded into my skull and having given safety meetings myself in Nuclear work has tatooed this to my brain. I worked a job where a guy fell off of an 8' step ladder and died. I've considered hiring an out of work roofer that is comfortable with walking a roof. Even doing this I'm not sure that I'm comfortable just turning a roof ranger loose without a harness. I may have to be pickier ( is that even a word?) when I bid jobs and only advertise to HO's that have roofs accessable from the gutterline. I may have to figure out how a lift is feasable and worthwile. If a roof is not flat, my legs are jello.

John

AC Lockyer · Administrator

magikman92 wrote:
One of my main concerns about starting this business is walking a roof. Years of having safety pounded into my skull and having given safety meetings myself in Nuclear work has tatooed this to my brain. I worked a job where a guy fell off of an 8' step ladder and died. I've considered hiring an out of work roofer that is comfortable with walking a roof. Even doing this I'm not sure that I'm comfortable just turning a roof ranger loose without a harness. I may have to be pickier ( is that even a word?) when I bid jobs and only advertise to HO's that have roofs accessable from the gutterline. I may have to figure out how a lift is feasable and worthwile. If a roof is not flat, my legs are jello.

John

John,

My system has the capability to shoot up to 60' average with wind 30'

You can easily clean from the ground, ladder or from limited placements on the roof.

AC

John Smith · Lead Tech Certified

It's on my " to get list"

AC Lockyer · Administrator

magikman92 wrote:
It's on my " to get list"

Keep pluggin it will come. Buy it with cash and keep out of debt!

AC

Michael Hickey · Junior Member

We have a lot of lichen and moss on our roofs especially at the top of the ridge tiles so I would like to know how to remove it if I don't climb up the roof.
Looking forward to your answers. I have to say that this is a great site with lots of very useful ideas. I think that soft washing is the way to go. I got 5 gallons of green wash a few weeks ago and will be trying it out next week. Cant wait to see how it works.

Michael

western pa roof cleaning · Freshmen Member

Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. We try to gently remove excess moss before we start spraying (when feasible) so that we don't waste a product. Then we spray it with solution and let it turn white. Occasionally, when it makes sense, we'll use a garden hose to rinse off some of the excess dead lichen or moss - only if it is in a high traffic area or a very desirable neighborhood.

All that being said though, setting the expectation with the homeowner is probably the single most important thing. Letting them know the tremendous damage that lichens and mosses can do to a roof helps to ease their pain for the dead white plants to wash off in the rain. I usually show them a before and after set of pictures demonstrating the damage that lichens did on my own roof. The important thing to stress to them is that it is dead and that damage to their shingles is stopped and now they have to let mother nature do her part to rinse everything down.

If you'd like to speak off line, just call sometime.

Rob

724.486.2161

Michael Hickey · Junior Member

Thanks a million Rob,

good advice and helps me set realistic expectations.
One last question do those of you who do slate roofs rinse off the chemicals afterwards?

Michael

western pa roof cleaning · Freshmen Member

Yep.

Rinses off beautifully and leaves them looking terrific.

John Smith · Lead Tech Certified

You guys must have legs of steel. I cant see me running up a 40' extension ladder. I would rather fall zero feet inside a lift bucket.

-- Edited by John Smith on Thursday 7th of March 2013 09:33:23 PM

Lee Kendall · Junior Member

AC Lockyer wrote:
magikman92 wrote:
One of my main concerns about starting this business is walking a roof. Years of having safety pounded into my skull and having given safety meetings myself in Nuclear work has tatooed this to my brain. I worked a job where a guy fell off of an 8' step ladder and died. I've considered hiring an out of work roofer that is comfortable with walking a roof. Even doing this I'm not sure that I'm comfortable just turning a roof ranger loose without a harness. I may have to be pickier ( is that even a word?) when I bid jobs and only advertise to HO's that have roofs accessable from the gutterline. I may have to figure out how a lift is feasable and worthwile. If a roof is not flat, my legs are jello.

John
John,
My system has the capability to shoot up to 60' average with wind 30'

I need one that shoots 60'.. any pics of that distance?
You can easily clean from the ground, ladder or from limited placements on the roof.
AC

Brian Friel · Sophmore Member

I have a bucket truck. I bought it solely because it was a 1 ton truck with a utility body, 6 brand new tires, new paint and excellent condition (I was a mechanic by trade). I only paid $3,500 for the truck so it was a no brainer. The boom was just a bonus. The truck was not bought for the lift. I can tell you from experience that AC is right on with his opinion of lifts. It never gives you full access to the roof and you do use more chemicals than necessary.

In 6 years I have not run into a roof yet that I cannot do from the gutter line. It is great to be able to walk a roof because you use less product, but a decent pump and ladders will do everything you need. I will say that my brother has a tree business and has a 75' articulating boom. A truck like that is more than capable of doing most average size homes. The size (75') and the fact that it articulates solves most of your issues with reaching hard to get sections of the roof. Unfortunately he paid $102,000 for that truck when he bought it and you need a CDL to drive it. Seems silly when you can do the same thing with 2 or 3 well placed ladders.

Brian

Zach Maynard · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

The biggest thing is to be comfortable, if you are not comfortable then you will have more risk. Like the guys have said, 90 percent of the time you won't have to step foot on the roof.

Thomas Tritthart · Sophmore Member

After 31 years in the roofing business and countless hours of OSHA training, I wouldn't think twice about safety for myself or men. Take it seriously, I also "HAD" key word is had a buddy who passed away from falling off a step ladder from the blood clot in his brain. The sad part of the story is not only the passing of Tim but the wife with small children left behind.

Call your local trade groups to ask when and where they have 30 hour OSHA class room training. It's well worth the time & effort with the knowledge you will learn. The course is divided up between speaking, movies and demonstrations.

You'll see it will be a major eye opener to the silly little things we do everyday.

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Hope this video comes through for y'all.

The technique in this video works GREAT, if you are using a ladder stabilizer. I use this all the time in the fire service so that I can swing an axe with both hands with a lot of force and not worry at all about falling off the ladder.

If you use this technique you can work off the top of your ladders, have a lot of freedom of movement to work off both sides, and not have any fear of falling.

When I do this, fire and super heated smoke usually come belching out the window or wall, so for y'all, less than garden hose pressure at your nozzle tip should be easily accomplished with no fear.

PS: Anyone know how to make this youtube video show up here?? Thanks smile

-- Edited by Mark Fermoyle on Saturday 9th of March 2013 08:23:48 AM

-- Edited by AC Lockyer on Saturday 9th of March 2013 02:31:17 PM

John Smith · Lead Tech Certified

HI Mark, I appreciate the post. That looks like a viable answer for many people. Not sure if it's for me though lol. I spent 20 years having safety drilled into my head. I don't feel secure unless I'm tied off in a harness. Even with the roof anchor one has to climb the roof initially to install it, maybe with practice I could load it on a cross bow and hit a 3" vent pipe from the ground with it?

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Hit share below the video on Youtube. Copy the URL that is displayed (link) In advanced post on here hit the Youtube button and paste the code into the window that pops up.

AC

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Thanks, AC. One day this old dog may learn a new trick, ya never know.

Schall Bradley · Sophmore Member

Ohhhh yes the old leg lock technic

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

I remember many moons ago in rookie school they had two of us leg lock in on seperate ladders, about 10 feet apart and had us throw a basket ball back and forth to get used to being at the top of the ladder and work without holding on with our hands. Really helped us to "trust" the leg log. Ahh, but those were the good ol' days, right Schall?