Large Historical Barrel Tile Roof - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Darryl Freeman · Freshmen Member

Large Historical Barrel Tile Roof

Derek Fontenot · Freshmen Member

I can't wait to hear some professional responses to this one. Definitely looks like an interesting and challenging project. Hope for the best of luck for you in this.

My wife had an idea that may simplify the shop vac plan. She's great at thinking outside the box. She suggests thinking about using a bilge pump to evacuate the gutters. Dilute with a gutter wand before the solution reaches the bilge pump, then discharge into a legal area. Like onto concrete, or into the sewer system. This will require an extra battery, lightweight wires to reach up to the gutters, and relatively inexpensive discharge hose to reach the discharge area.

I'll be keeping up with this thread, and make sure you keep us updated.

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

If you are sure that the gutters go into a storm drain and not into their sewer system, I would use nerf ball or something to clog the top of gutter and use your gutter cane to fill the gutters and let them overflow into landscape below them. It will be very dilluted. You are keeping the run-off on the property so you should be fine unless local regulations are different. The soil will filter and everything is biodegradeable. As you know those bougainvilleas are extremely sensitive to bleach. I would let prop manager know that there is a good chance you might damage the plant because it is in contact with roof tiles. It should be trimmed back regardless. You can try plastic over it and do it early in day and remove immediately, but there is no way to guarantee to clean roof without damaging that vine by the SH or damaging by covering. You could even use a pump sprayer with a stronger mix around that roof area. That way their property manager can see you are making best efforts. Also advise prop manager there may be some temporary discoration of the copper, but it would return to the original patina in a couple months.

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

I was thinking along the same lines as Tim, using a Nerf football and a gutter cane or flush the gutters with a hose. My wife found several in the Dollar Store. I've done this in the past and the Nerf football worked great. I've not worked around many Bouginvilla's, but I'd guess it is the salt that they are sensitive to more so than the hypochlorite. One other option maybe get a pump up sprayer and do that one area using CH instead of SH and just pre-wet the plant, leaves and everything around the roof where you will be spraying and rinse down well afterwards to avoid any spots. Small white spots on the tile should come off with a few rains. I used CH for most of my jobs last year and it worked great...it is just a pain to work with if you don't have all the gear. If you mix the CH and let the powder settle and use a little hand pump to pull off the liquid from the top it will greatly reduce the amount of spots, but not 100%. The CH powder spots are remnants of calcium and the chemicals used to get the pool water crystal clear. If your grounds person keeps the copper wet in the areas you are spraying (before your mix hits it) as you progress it will reduce the copper discoloration a little.

Darryl Freeman · Freshmen Member

Derek, Tim, Troy Thank you guys for chiming in. Derek, I will surely follow up on the BB. Tim, as for the pump sprayer with higher strength. Is this to reduce bleach volume or more product control? Both seem appropriate, I like it! I am looking into the sewer/storm-drain question. It was an assumption they went to storm drain. Thank you. Troy, Calcium sounds like a great option. I look forward to using it more esp. for floor work. I bought CH months ago but have failed to succesfully aggitate my drum at various levels. I'd rather buy Ac's than use a round drum anyways, so that project died. I will practice CH with pump sprayer to have as an option. Thanks for that!

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

use pump sprayer to control spray better

Darryl Freeman · Freshmen Member

Copy that. Thank you!

Chris Mozick · Junior Member

Aloha, you can call me I did a demo for them 5 years ago and still looks great! The gutters go to ocean so you have to divert all water. I have them a bid for 100,000 sq ft. Hope you get it has a lot of challenges

Darryl Freeman · Freshmen Member

Thanks Chris, I just learned they went back and forth with the arborist for a decade. In my experience with jobs involving a boards decision, too many chefs in the kitchen. Like many of the expensive properties here in Hawaii the landscaping is immaculate while the roof and building look neglected. The entire property could use TLC. Staff and visitors will be very pleased when they do choose to handle it.

Chris Mozick · Junior Member

I agree 100% if you need help call me 457-9301. The boards are something else lol

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

Darryl Freeman wrote:
Troy, Calcium sounds like a great option. I look forward to using it more esp. for floor work. I bought CH months ago but have failed to successfully agitate my drum at various levels. I'd rather buy Ac's than use a round drum anyways, so that project died. I will practice CH with pump sprayer to have as an option. Thanks for that!

Darryl, When using CH, try using a tank basket filter and paint sock. The tank basket will drop into the hole in the top of the tank and suspend your CH while you run your water over it to dissolve the CH.

http://www.sprayerdepot.com/Shop-by-Category/Tank-Basket-Filters/995008240

You can also use a paint strainer for smaller jobs. When I was using CH i'd fill 2-3 paint strainers with CH and drop it in my tank basket and in warm weather it dissolves easily. The powder dissolves and goes through the paint strainer and ends up at the bottom of the tank, but if you pump off the bleach at the top after the powder settles it helps, but is not required.

https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Strainer-Elastic-Opening-Pieces/dp/B004JPCEWO/ref=pd_sim_60_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B004JPCEWO&pd_rd_r=EZK8BXWGCCVT2BKQ087T&pd_rd_w=t7hCW&pd_rd_wg=B1tNj&psc=1&refRID=EZK8BXWGCCVT2BKQ087T - example, you won't need this many since they are reusable. Home Depot and Lowe's should carry these too.

Just don't forget to wear your gloves when working with CH like this...powdered bleach is 5-6X stronger than normal SH as you dissolve it and you notice it while you do it, but the next day your fingers will be cracked like they were sliced with a razor. Don't ask how I learned this...just take my word for it.

The hypochlorite in CH settles faster than in SH so you need to agitate big batches (no worries for the pump up) or you'll end up with the bottom of the tank being much stronger than you intended, and by the time you get to the last 10 gallons (the top of the tank), it will be weak. If you don't have a pump automatically agitating a good stand by is a paint mixer that you can put in an electric drill.

Darryl Freeman · Freshmen Member

Troy,
Thank you for this additional CH info and product links.
I just looked at the basket strainer and filter bags, looks like a good plan!
It sounds like your experience with skin exposure was memorable, I'll take heed!
Computer crashed, sorry for the delayed response on my part.
Aloha,

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

No worries...I've been on vacation from all things electronic this past week and wouldn't have noticed. :0)

Your computer crashed from the new update...my PC crashed over and over and over after that last MicroSoft Windows update. It took a while to finally work itself out.

Darryl Freeman · Freshmen Member

Aloha Troy,

I do tons of photo and video and have over 20TB of digital media storage.

2011 Mac Book Pro. = $700. repair, and it struggles with today's video camera demands.

Time for something new but struggling to make a decision. PC for work? Mac for digital media? Both, or stick with Mac only?

I was hoping to buy a Blend 50 and CH Module ASAP, also need a different vehicle.

Bad timing!

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

Darryl,

I'm not sure how handy you are with computers and their parts, but you can build your own PC...I've done that for the past 15-20 years. If you do, check out pcpartpicker.com/list/ and you can put in the exact parts and it will tell you if they are compatible with each other or not. It saved me on my last build because I didn't double check the motherboard bus speed against the RAM speed and it saved me some hassle. I usually get 7-8 years out of a reasonable build. I must admit I know very little about the Macintosh computers.

20 TB...wow, that's a lot of storage. :0)

I'm not sure how well the CH Module works, but I believe Brandon Vaughn had a CH module for a while if you want to ask him about how well it did about removing the white spots that can be left behind by CH or what it cost to replace the filters to trap the excess powder. I used CH almost exclusively last year and it did well, but you just need an assistant that does a good job of rinsing and you'll avoid most of the white spots anyway. If your assistant misses places of over spray and the CH mix dries it leaves spots...not sure how much difference the CH module makes with that issue though.

Between the Blend 50 and a different vehicle, I think I'd get a dual axle utility trailer and the Blend 50 and work towards the truck next.

Darryl Freeman · Freshmen Member

Aloha Troy,
I have spoken to Brandon a few times about CH, I will check with him about the CH Module. Thanks for that.
I would like to use CH on all future concrete. It feels silly spraying SH at a higher cost of bleach and neutralizer.
Also, concrete seems like the best way to get familiar with CH.
As for the computer, I love to DIY, but I don't know anything about building computers.
I have enough learning on my plate. After reading The E Myth as AC suggested in the training modules, it's clear that I have been building my services and clientele and have have yet to build a business.
This feels rather exciting, starting from the biz plan and rethinking everything!
Also, there is a single axle trailer in the making however, the right vehicle for me is a cutaway shuttle bus, I was strung along for 6 months by Avis/Budget Group, now searching for different local source.
They were willing to sell me two 2008 buses for 7K, the same it costs to ship one from the west coast. He told me at least 5 times he was ready then I'd hear nothing for days. I couldn't take it anymore but shot myself in the foot by losing patience with him. I thought I'd see them at auction for 3k like the others but they never appeared. Some of the old ones (05) are selling on Craigslist for 10k today. Ouch!
Anyways, even with all my challenges, I clearly see and believe the potential, actually, I fear it a bit, this business is going take off and life will never be the same.