Uk has a variety of good waterfed systems, poles and accessories.
Why is the US so far behind?
2 Likes
I think there is regulation against ladder use which drives demand for wfp’s.
3 Likes
When I was in Europe, there was much more regulation towards ladders. Apparently the British are the least capable of climbing ladders - they were the most determined to ban the use if them (tongue in cheek there lads! Don’t want to wake up to a bunch of nasty messages!)
Also, one of the driving feature of wfp in Ireland was the ability to clean in the rain. Once you got the customers trained to the concept, it made it easier to work regardless of the weather forecast.
Outside of that, we do seem to have access to everything they have. They dont have pressurized water for the most part, so the van mount systems are a bit more in use over there. But Gardiner is one of the U.K. leaders and everything they sell there is available in the States as well, as far as I can see.
1 Like
Why is it 1000 kilometers instead of 1 megameter?
Just one of life’s great mysteries…
4 Likes
For example, many different color and sizes in hose and tubing, hose reels come in a variety of options and are light weight, not the same heavy duty industrial reels US uses. Pumps, controllers backpacks are everywhere. The accesdories are endless, some great ideas.
1 Like
Two reasons I think.
It’s a lot more common over there to have monthly residential window cleaning. So I think there are a lot of guys there running a water fed pole with some type of trolley.
Secondly, I think there are a lot of window cleaning companies that refuse to upgrade/change/spend money in the US.
Like good scrim, not enough money is being spent on it in the US, so therefore there is no reason that we will see a big surge in variety. A 10% share in a small market is nothing worth chasing. A 10% stake in a HUGE market is worth chasing.
My two cents. Good or bad.
“Yes that is true”
Voice from the state of Ingerlund
…The health and safety laws are such that any tradesman must carry out a risk assessment and method statement. Risk: Falls from high level Safest Method: Work from the ground.
This almost rules out ladder use for commercial work.
You can get away with it to some degree for domestic work as it is private property but if the client is a landlord then the same rules apply. In any situation however if there was a serious injury, especially to employees, even on a domestic serious questions would be asked by H&S and insurance assessors.
The overarching principle of respect for life overrules letter of the law approach in any jurisdiction however.
Carbon poles are literally a life saver. I know, i have had a ladder slip back in the day…
This statement surprises me. I thought Tucker got the ball rolling with WFP and that the US of A was fully up to speed.
It all comes down to demand. In the grand scheme of things, window cleaning and window cleaning gear is not a billion dollar industry in the US. The demand for niche products that are not cheap just isn’t there like some think it is. There have been some pretty cool products that have come over from the UK and most here just want to find a cheaper and clunky way to DIY it.
The demand for window cleaning in the UK is completely different than it is in the US. The infatuation and necessity for window cleaning in the UK coincided with the industrial revolution. The UK is in a very foggy region, mix the dense fog with in insane amount of air pollution from coal burning day and night and transparent surfaces like windows needed to be constantly cleaned.
Then, the ladder ban for professionals and window cleaners had to get creative. The result is what we in the US now see as the UK being so far ahead of us the water fed game. Its necessity driven.
8 Likes
Wow. So we are still living in smog like Charles Dickens. I loved that :-)
3 Likes
I should have said, WAS, burning coal day and night. 
1 Like
No PLEASE don’t edit or delete this. It will be quote of the year 2018 all year. Absolutely brilliant historic post. Loved it. At last Britain still leads the way in an industry.
I can’t wait for witty banter replies from Trad-man and other UK’ers.
3 Likes
You may not believe this but some UK friends of mine - a married couple - offer window cleaning and chimney sweeping. How Dickensian is that? (or Mary Poppins).
Would that translate to the US??
3 Likes
I have a Window Cleaning Warehouse catalog on my desk and its packed with so much cool stuff. Fittings, hose reels, dollys, trolleys, can mount systems, gadgets cool stuff that just wouldn’t fly here…
2 Likes
When the general public sees a WFP it’s like an alien ship has landed and they want to know how it works.
2 Likes
I am still amazed by that. Learned something there…
That’s because most window cleaning businesses here (in the US) are a couple employees or less here, correct? If that’s the case, then I see why they are always trying to save a buck and DIY and cobble stuff. Not that I necessarily agree with it, just that I see why.
“Wouldn’t fly here”… is that a crack at Mary Poppins? Don’t be hatin on Mary!
Are you saying that this photo does not accurately represent modern London?
1 Like
If you see a mist rising from the river Thames with a clear sky at sunrise, then yes fine and accurate. That is not the London skyline now. Is it a painting or a CG image?
