No Hose Bib - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

No Hose Bib

Ray Burke · Community Member

Tim, there are a couple of options available. Your municipality should allow you to rent a water meter for the hydrants. Check on the cost, sometimes this is a pretty expensive option. The other ting you could do is have them give you access to an empty apartment and hook up to the clothes washer water, those are garden hose threads.

John Smith · Lead Tech Certified

Do they use pop up sprinklers? I would ask the office or maintenance before I rented a water meter. It seems very odd to not have water onsite

Mike Laskowski · SoftWash Systems Pro Staff

Rent a water trailer and rent a water meter if theres no other choice but if the have even oneclothes washer then you can run all your hose like Ray said. I have had to do this several times because of broken hose bibs and avoided the cost of a meter and trailer. Good luck!

AC Lockyer · Administrator

We always rented a meter and hooked up to a hydrant.

AC

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

These are condos and owned by individuals so hooking to laundry is not an option. The munincipality/water company does not allow hooking to hydrant with water meter. I would have to get water from water company. I was thinking I could use jugs of bleach and mix in my tank instead of carrying bulk bleach. Can I fill 100 gallon tank and spray directly from the 100 gallon tank with my generation 1 system? I'm only cleaning vinyl siding and everything is dormant. How many gallons of water to rinse? At some point I will get some roof cleaning at this comples and I will need to rinse thoroughly. Any recommendations for in the future for a set-up? should I buy a pressure washer, if so what type

Ray Burke · Community Member

Tim United rentals has a water trailer you can rent. I believe it's thousand gallon capacity. The other option is to talk to one of the condo owners And offer to pay for their water plus slide them an extra hundred dollars for the inconvenience.

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Whats the best way to spray from the water trailer? Keep in mind I only have the softwash rig plus the cheap ryobi pressure washer. What set-up would you recommend going forward? The water trailer might work as I met a realtor who's husband works at one of the rental places - plus she is on the board of a different condo association that I am quoting.

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Tim try calling rainy for rent. They have water tanks that range from 400 gallons to 10000 gallons. You can also look for someone who fills up pools to deliver water. I would also rent a belt drive machine to use as a gravity fed system from the tank. That is just one way. You have a tough situation there.

Greg Nash · Freshmen Member

Look for backflows on property and hook to them.

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Greg what is a back flow? Is it a connection off the sprinkler system?

Bill Booz · Junior Member

You don't need a trailer, then you would need a pump. The hydrant is going to give you great pressure anyway for lots of hose. It should cost about $100 to run water and pay fees maybe even way less.

Bill Booz · Junior Member

If you want a trailer you need a washer as well.

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Utility won't let anyone use hydrants

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Tim Teed wrote:
Utility won't let anyone use hydrants

Sure they will. They have to. They are just being lazy and trying to scare you away so they dont have to do work. By law they have to provide a meter for you to use the hydrants and charge you for the water you use. You have a public water source. It's federal law.

AC

Greg Nash · Freshmen Member

Water is not what costs the money its the deposit for the hydrant meter, on average its about 1500 dollars. We have them on our trucks for the areas we work the most. I will see if I have a picture of a backflow all commercial properties should have them, they are on the irrigation after the meters usually above ground.

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

More fire department wisdom if you're going to use a hydrant for water. BE SURE to flow water out of the hydrant until it runs clear, then shut down and hook up your meter. You'd be surprised what amount of "junk" will come out of those things! We do this every time in order to protect our fire pumps on our Engines.

If it will mess up a fire pump, it will certainly mess up your roof pump!!

Greg Nash · Freshmen Member

A couple of pics of backsflows.

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Gregg, where do you hook a garden hose up to these BFPs?

Greg Nash · Freshmen Member

You have to make the fitting you can get all the parts at home depot. Ill post a picture when i get a chance.

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Thanks, I know the others will appreciate that too.

Greg Nash · Freshmen Member

Here you go

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Gregg,

So, I'm looking at the two pics of BFPs and trying to figure out where on this manifold to hook up. Can you advise? Also, what size parts do I need to make that fitting when I go to Lowes? Looks like a brass nipple, but what size & thread. Obviously a male garden hose fitting, but what is the piece in the middle?

Thanks,
Mark

Greg Nash · Freshmen Member

depending on how big the backflow is there could be up to six ports that the fitting will thread into. the thread size is the same as a pressure washing wand.

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Thanks, I'll check it out tomorrow at Lowes. What are the specs on the middle piece?