vehiclesWindow Cleaning

Water fed pole

You might have seen the term WFP referring to water fed pole throughout different modules. In simplest terms it's a pole with a brush on the end, where purified water is fed through a small hose inside of it. Some customers/professionals don't like it and some love it. It's preference but either way it's an incredible resource when it comes to safety and efficiency. It's not a quick or sloppy way to clean a window, it still takes time, practice, and precision to get a job to come out right. It's not good for post construction jobs. Its best on windows that are done on a regular basis and difficult to reach windows. You can also use the same setup and techniques you'll see below to clean solar panels.

You take clean water, send it through a purification process to remove minerals. This process is referred to as deionization. Deionization is removing any minerals from the water. All water has minerals in it which is what causes hard water on surfaces. This is why you dry your car off or why you see marks on everything a sprinkler hits. When you go to a car wash and put it on the "spot free rinse" you're getting deionized water.

  • Vocabulary

    Mineral
    A Microscopic piece of rock.
    Parts Per Million (PPM)
    Parts per million is the measure of one part mass to a million parts mass.
    Total Dissolved Solid (TDs)
    Measure of the minerals in water by parts per million, PPM.
    TDS Meter
    A TDS meter which can be handheld or inline to measure water ppm in and out. In a sentence: This water has a total dissolved solid content of 17 parts per million. This means your TDS meter is measuring 17ppm in the water.
    Deionized
    To remove ions or ionic minerals from a substance, usually water.

    In simplest terms minerals are broken down pieces of rock. Some of these minerals are known as salts, aluminum, magnesium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and many others. You might recognize some of these minerals because they're actually mined to produce things we use every day. There are certain areas of the world that might have really high iron in their soil, which would make it orange. When you get water from the ground in that area, it would have high amounts of iron minerals in it. So if you washed your car, hosed a driveway, or spray off a window, when the water dries you're left with microscopic iron minerals. Just as an iron metal would rust, you'll get rust on your car, driveway or window if the mineral content was high enough. The mineral will penetrate the surface and cause permanent damage. That's why we filter water and we're left with the purest form, no minerals, deionized water.

    Water attracts minerals which is why WFP works so well. When the pure water hits the glass, it absorbs the minerals/dirt off of the glass and dries spotless. The cleaning process is a little more complicated and skilled than that but we'll get into that soon. Measuring minerals in water is a fairly simple process. The measurement is referred to as total dissolved solids or TDS. For drinking water an ideal TDS would be about 25-150 PPM, anything past 500 PPM could be dangerous. These minerals would give the water flavor and give your body certain minerals it needs. If you're drinking water from 0-24 PPM, this could actually be unhealthy and be pulling necessary minerals from your body. Any water over 150 PPM is considered hard water, will cause damage, and should be purified. That number could be significantly higher if a customer was on a well. Below are parts per million recommended for a satisfactory outcome. Even if water is soft it can still cause damage to surfaces. Soft water is not demineralized water or without mineral. Even if the water is deionized it becomes hard as soon as it touches surfaces with minerals. We'll get to technique later but the water needs to be used strategically to not grab mineral and run down the glass.

    Ideal Measures of PPM
    Glass - Less than 10 PPM (Ideally 0)
    Car Paint - Less than 50 PPM
    Building Surfaces - Less than 60 PPM

  • Filtration Process

    There are a lot of ways to do multi stage purification processes. Deionization (DI) tanks work like magnets and pull out ions through negative and positive charged DI resign. An ion is a mineral that attracts to either a positive or negative DI resign. This process is deionization. Some setups will have a negative resin tank and a positive resin tank, or just a single mixed resin tank to remove the ions. In areas with extra hard water or just to make DI tanks last longer you can ad a reverse osmosis (RO) tank which is basically just an extra filtration process. See the filtration process to understand each filter and its purpose, the harder the water, the more extensive of filters you'll need.

  • Hard Water In

    Input this into the customer's home or business.

    Sediment Filter

    This filter removes small physical particles.

    Carbon Filter

    This filter removes chemicals (usually from city purification) like chlorine.

    Reverse Osmosis

    This filter uses a semi-permeable RO filter to remove salts and up to 90-95% of minerals. Reverse osmosis filters send the water through tightly compressed membranes to remove minerals. Water that doesn't make it through drains out through another line as waste water.

    DI Resin

    Filled with a mix of cation and anion resin which works together to remove positive and negatively charged particles form the water.

  • Notes:

    • DI resign can also come mixed which means it will take out both positive and negative ions. This is known as mixed resign.
    • Inline TDS meter is measuring the PPM going in (hard water) and out (deionized water). The water needs to be under 10PPM coming out, preferably OPPM for cleaning windows.
    • The hose reel brings the DI water around the project. A quick connect is used to connect the water fed pole to the hose. The quick connect should also have a shut-off valve so you can turn on and off water flow. Remember it cost money to filter water, plus the water itself, so don't waste it.


    Water goes in on one end and comes out pure on the other. If a customer is out of city limits you can assume they're on a well and their water is much harder than purified city water. Sometimes tanks seem bad or PPM might be high out there and then you come back into town and your meter is much lower. Don't always assume your tanks are bad if the water quality going in is horrible. Consider using the belting method if this is an issue. If your TDS meter is showing high PPM in town then your tanks (resin), is probably bad and needs to be replaced. Expect your output based on what your input is.

    A part of this equation is water pressure. If your water pressure is incredibly high then water could be blowing through these tanks without actually getting properly filtered then splattering all over the window/building, leaving mineral stains. Water pressure is measured by pounds per square inch or PSI. A typical PSI on a house is about 40-45 psi. This is usually controlled by city pressure, but once again, people on wells are on their own pressure system. Sometimes pumps are aggressively pushing water water at a really high psi. In this case just turn the hose bib a fraction of a turn to let minimal water out. Most typical filtration plumbing won't handle psi much over 75. A typical house psi will get you up 4-5 stories on your wip no problem. If you need to go higher consider a demand pump to pump your water up at a consistent psi when needed. A pump would also be needed if you are supplying water for a customer to pump it out of the tank. If water pressure is regularly too high in your area, you could ad a pressure regulator to control the PSI coming in.

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  • Handheld TDS Meter

    A TDS meter is an affordable and simple tool used to check the PPM in water, and some even check the temperature. Remember you can use these to check the input water as well.
    1. Be sure the meter is calibrated to the manufacture's recommendation for an accurate read.
    2. Remove the cap and rinse it to make sure it's clean and free of debris.
    3. Put the desired water into the cap and insert the meter.
    4. Check the PPM to see if it's suitable for your project.


    Hoses and Plumbing

    When connecting your hose to the hose bib, make sure there is a sealing washer inside the female end of the hose connection. Sealing washers breakdown or split over time so this is most likely the reason for a leak between the hose bib and the hose. If the hose is leaking between the connector and the hose then it's most likely the tightening clamp. The tightening clamp needs to create a suction around the hose connection. If the hose splits or frays around this clamp it could cause a leak. First try to tighten the clamp in case it was loose. If it's still leaking then you can cut your hose down to move the clamp. If everything is in good working condition then a hose should be able to connect by hand tightening. If there's wear or leaks you can use channel locks or a wrench to tighten things up. On tightening clamps you can also usually use a phillips or flathead screwdriver.

  • If your hose is split or damaged near the connections you might need to cut it and move the connectors down. To do this you'll want to loosen the tightening clamps only enough to slide them down the hose. After this you can cut the hose down to the desired length to remove any imperfections or leaks. You'll then need to cut the remaining hose off of the connection barbs. The barbs need to have the remaining hose cut off of them. Now slide your connection back into the freshly cut hose and move the tightening clamp over the barbs. If the barbs aren't going in easy first make sure you have the right size. If they're loose then then won't work. They should be tight enough not to pull out but still take pressure to get them in. You can also use soap to help lube the barbs and slide them in. On hoses that are harder or plastic sometimes boiling the hose end will help you get the barbs in by softening the hose. Remember that your hose will be hot. Once the barbs are fully in, tighten your clamp to create a seal around the barbs and test the hose for leaks.

  • Anti-Theft Hose Bibs

    These hose bibs are common on commercial buildings or area with high foot traffic. They make it more difficult for anyone to turn on and use water that they're not suppose to. Using an ani-theft hose bib key you can turn the water on and off. You can also use tools like channel locks and wrenches but make sure you're not charing up the valve on the bib.

  • Cam Locks

    Cam locks are hose connections often found on commercial properties or industrial facilities. They're designed for high pressure so consider this if you're hooking it to some of your equipment. To open the cam locks release the side levers by pulling the pins and separate the connections. To connect the hoses back together insert the male end into the female end with the levers in the open position. To lock the connections push the levers down. If the levers aren't securing then the connections might not be properly seated. Release them and try again until the levers completely lock down.

  • Hose Reels

    You'll most likely come into contact with hose reels on this job. This could be garbden hoses, WFP hose, or high pressure hoses.

    Unreeling
    When trying to reach a project you should always start with the hose completely out as far as it will reach and work back to starting. This will help you avoid yanking the hose or getting it caught on anything. Pull the entire length to the closest corner, second corner, and so forth.

    Reeling Up
    When you're reeling the hose back up, get the entire hose untangled and laid out in the immediate area. Grab the hose with a towel in one hand while rolling with the other. The towel will not only protect your hand but also clean the hose as you roll it up.

  • O-Rings Vs. Sealing Washers

    Almost every piece of equipment or hose has an O-ring in it.

    Over time the o-rings go bad or deteriorate and need to be replaced. If you're getting heavy leaking at a connection try tightening the connection. If that doesn't work then check your o-ring. An o-ring is a piece of rubber or plastic that pinches in between the two connectors to get a suction.

  • Water Fed Pole (WFP)

    Water fed poles have been breakthrough in the window cleaning industry for safety, efficiency, and quality. Your WFP is the delivery system of the deionized water to the glass. Usually glass is coated with debris that need more than a rinse, so you'll have a brush or scrubber at the end of your pole. Poles range in a variety of different textiles but carbon fiber seems to be the latest industry standard for lightness, being rigid, and strength. Poles can extend up to several stories but the farther you go up, the less rigid the pole will be. If you don't need the entire length, extending each section partially will keep the pole more rigid. You can also adjust the angle of your scrubber to keep it flat on the glass.

    WFP HAZARDS

    Here are some safety tips when working with poles:
    • Assume that any pole conducts electricity, for safety concerns. We're trying to create good practice and habit. Remember that water conducts electricity, even if the pole doesn't. Do not use if there is lightning or near electrical sources, especially overhead.
    • Poles are top heavy. Keep that in mind when you have the weight of tools on the end. They can end up slamming into a window if they get momentum.
    • Make sure any equipment on the end of the pole is secured. Something could end up falling. Your tools should be compatible with the pole and either screw or click in.
    • Keep your hands and pole dry and free of dirt. Dirt can jam up the pole. If you have a leak in a water fed pole, fix it so it's not running down your pole.
    • Don't use a water fed pole if the water is freezing on the ground. This could create a slipping hazard, especially in a walking path.
    • Never leave a pole, whether extended or unextended, against a building. If you must leave, leave the pole unextended and out of the walkway, but preferably back on the work vehicle.
    • If you need to pick up an extended pole then put the handheld end against a wall. Grab the other end and walk it up while putting pressure against the wall. You can also have a coworker hold the handheld end while you walk it up. *Lift with your legs, not back.
    • Do not horseplay with poles, use only for the intended purpose.

  • Water Fed Pole Vocabulary

    Extension Pole & Clamps
    This part of the pole extends and descends to reach the desired length. The clips can be tightened if your pole is turning when you're working. Extending each section partially will keep your pole more rigid if you don't need it fully extended.
    Push to Fit Fittings
    This small connection will help you adjust the jets on your brush so you can get the desired rinse.
    Water Fed Brush
    The brush is used to scrub the glass. Common brushes are synthetic materials, boars hair or a combination (hybrid) of the two. There are also scrubber pads to break down debris on the glass.
    Angle Adapter
    The angle adjustor is important to keep your brush against the glass. You want as much of the brush to penetrate the glass as possible. Some manufactures also make these adjustors with a swivel on them.
    Quick Connect
    The quick connect attaches the thin 5/16" hose to a larger delivery hose.

  • WFP Plumbing

    These are the two main connections on a water fed pole. The female end has a turn off valve to shut off your water flow. To release the male end you need to pull back on the female end and then pull out the male end simultaneously. The male end will push right in when connecting. If you're getting leaks here then try replacing your O ring. If you're getting leaks between the turn off and delivery hose then try replacing the sealing washer between the two.

  • The hose delivering your deionized water from the filtration to the wip hose should typically run 3/8" to 3/4". Typical American garden hoses are 5/8". Your 5/16" hose should be long enough to run through the pole fully extended with about 20 additional feet to connect to delivery hose. Running a 5/16" hose all the way back to the filtration could cause either high pressure issues or a lack of water delivery. The diameter reduction will help the user control the water pressure and volume with shut off between the hoses.

    Jets

    After the glass has been scrubbed thoroughly, the final step is to give the glass a complete rinse. Rinsing too high above the window can rinse minerals from the frame or siding, causing drips on the glass. Your WFP has small jets or a rinse bar at the end to deliver the DI water in different types of rinses. Some of it is preference, but sometimes different rinses are needed on different types of glass.

  • If your jets aren't working as designed, there could be debris lodged in them. Try disconnecting your hosing to clear the jets. The easiest way to clear the jets is to push back up and through.

  • Synthetic Scrub Pads

    Synthetic scrub pads are made out of a fiber that create a textile similar steel or bronze wool. These scrub pads are helpful on windows with heavy etching that need a little more scrub. Some individuals will claim that these can clean post construction windows debris from a pole. Why that might be true, any gritty construction debris lodged into the pad could cause severe scratches. Consider going nose to glass for post construction and go through our post construction module. If the house was only painted recently, then this might be a great option. The same rinse types are available for scrub pads. Before and after each job, check these pads for any gritty debris. Never leave them face down on the ground to avoid any rocks getting picked up.

  • Types of Glass

    Hydrophilic Glass

    Water sits on the glass and dries down from top to bottom. It's much easier to rinse debris off of hydrophilic glass. The glass overall seems to be easier to clean.

  • Hydrophobic Glass

    Water appears bubbly and dispersed. Deionized water or cleaning solution won't penetrate glass surface. Use wider rinse solutions, such as the XERO Big Scrubber to deal with this kind of glass.

  • New glass is sometimes coated with a product to make it hydrophobic. This can be a challenge when using a water fed pole. Hydrophobic glass can be frustrating because it's repelling all the water that you're trying to use to rinse the glass. In Order to deal with this you can switch your water fed pole over to a fan jet or a rinse bar. You can also turn your brush sideways so the water jets are on top of each other for a better rinse, or detach your pole altogether and rinse it with DI water like a hose. This is sometimes a nice strategy for working on wind walls or similar work. The alternative to hydrophobic glass is hydrophilic. Hydrophilic glass doesn't repel the water which makes it much easier to rinse. The water tends to sit on the glass more and you can watch it dry down the glass.

    Changing Rinses

    To change your rinse type you'll need to adjust the push to fit T-fitting. To release the 5/16" WFP hose, compress the fitting to release the hose. Then pull the hose and fitting apart. Reattach the hose to the new fitting connected to the rinse type you want. You should be able to simply slide the hose in. If this fitting is leaking, then try reattaching the hose or the fitting could be broken and needs to be replaced.

  • Swivel Pivot

    Most suppliers have come up with a swivel pivot feature on their poles. This helps users reach directly into the corner of the glass without being directly in front of it for a complete cleaning. It also helps with circular scrubbing on the glass.

Scrubbing Glass

Scrubbing your glass is a really important part of the cleaning process. Once the glass is wet, it looks clean and hides all the dirt. This is why it's important to follow a pattern. The heavier soiled the glass is, the extra effort should be taken. See the pattern we recommend to make sure you're really breaking everything down. Finally rinse your glass with the desired rinse type. Keep your brush close on the rinse and water pressure appropriate to avoid splatter. If your brush touches the glass again, it needs to be rinsed again. The last and final thing to touch the glass should be deionized water. Make sure the rinse is thorough and complete. If you're working on glass you clean regularly, you may be able to speed up or skip certain scrubs. Aways check the quality (PPM) as you're working. If there are construction debris such as paint, stucco, glue, stickers, etc. wip may not be a good solution. Some users also like to start low on the glass and work their way up so they can see the dirt before it gets wet. You can also presoak windows ahead before you're ready to scrub them.

  • Edges

    Scrub your edges around the window including frames. Try to remove any cobwebs in the process. Remember the higher you go on the top of the window, the more likely you are to get drips coming down. If you need to scrub top frames, then you may need to let the window drip longer before completing your final rinse. If the frames are chalky from oxidation you may need to avoid the top edge altogether or just give them ample time to dry before the final rinse.

  • Up and Down

    Scrub your glass up and down. To avoid fatigue in your arms, try rocking your body back and forth to create an up and down scrubbing movement. This really makes a difference when working long days doing the same repetitive motion with your arms.

  • Side to Side

    This step can help scrub out any streaks from the up and down scrubbing. This step can be done simultaneously with the next step. You can scrub side to side while also scrubbing in swirls. If your WFP has a swivel connection, this process can be much easier.

  • Swirls

    As stated above this step can be done with the side to side scrubbing. Swirls will help you make sure you remove any last dirt from the surface of the glass. If you notice anything sticking to the glass, like bird poop, this step is a good time to give those areas an extra scrub. Don't put extra pressure on the glass, just extra scrubbing. Not only does extra pressure potentially crack the glass, it flattens the bristles so they're not agitating the glass surface.

  • Rinse

    The final step is always to rinse the glass. Without a rinse you've only broken down what's on it but haven't removed it. Make sure your rinse is sufficient and the entire pane of glass has been rinsed. If the glass is hydrophobic you need to make sure everything is getting rinsed off the glass. If you can't get a good rinse on pencils jets then adjust your WFP to a fan jet or a rinse bar. If your brush hits the glass again, it needs to be rinsed again. If water is coming down from the frame or wall above the window then you may need to wait until you can do a final rinse without drips.

Troubleshooting

After you finish a few windows (about five), you should go back and check to see how they're drying. In the summer on a hot day, they might dry in a few seconds. On a cold winter day they could take an hour plus to dry. Depending on where you live, you may not even be able to use a water fed pole if it's too cold. Either way, you should be checking your work. If you do an entire project and go back at the end, you could be in for a lot more work. It's better to find and fix your mistakes immediately so you don't have to redo the entire project. Drying is a process, so each time you go back, go all the way back to the first window you did. This will ensure quality of work and an efficient workplace from the beginning.

  • Water Spots

    Your filtration system might be bad or water is too hard coming in. Test your water with a TDS meter to figure out the PPM. Try slowing down water pressure before filtration to see if it fixes the issue or consider belting the job. Check the water spots with a towel or wool to see how set in they are. They could be older spots and it's not your system. You can use a hard water remover but make sure you do an extra rinse to remove the product fully. If your filtration is bad a hard water remover wont work and you'll need to belt the job or refresh your filtration system.

  • Drips

    You might have gone to high on your rinse, or the window didn't drip enough before you rinsed it. Let the window drip down until it's done and then go back to rinse it, but only rinse the glass down. If it's accessible you can wipe the drip and then rinse again. Keep your scrubber close to the window, while rinsing you might be getting water splatter above the window causing more drips. After the dripping has stopped try haircutting the top with your final rinse.

  • Scrub Marks

    You might have gone too quick on your scrub or skipped a pattern. Consider going back to re scrub and rinse the window repeating the process. If the window seems heavily etched consider belting it. Usually if a portion of the window is clean, it just needs another complete scrub to finish it off.

  • Milky Residue

    This usually occurs when the window frames are deteriorating, also known as oxidation. The frame will appear chalky if you touch it. Let the window drip down from the frame until it's dry. Repeats your scrubs but make sure you're not touching the frames this time. Keep your scrubber close while rinsing to avoid splatter.

  • Decision Making

    When deciding to WFP a job ask yourself:
    • Are there safety concerns?
    • Does the customer have a preference?
    • Is it needed?
    • Will it be quicker to belt the work than setup and drag hoses?
    • Are the windows chalky or deteriorating?


    Getting started (after you've greeted the customer):
    • Pull out all exterior screens. Collect them in order and stack them in a safe place to clean later.
    • Make sure all windows are shut and locked. Locking will ensure windows are sealed.
    • Pull out your entire hose as far as it goes and work your way back to truck/filter.
    • Use cones or signs and keep the hose out of walkways for the safety of yourself, coworkers, and bystanders.


    While you're working:
    • Be aware of your surroundings, especially power lines and bystanders.
    • Keep your water pressure low to avoid splatters. Do half turns on nozzles/connectors to keep down pressure.
    • Hit your high windows/window frames first so the window can drip.
    • If it's cold (longer dry time) hit all high frames, all high glass, then all low frames, all low glass. Work around your drips.
    • Make sure you scrub every inch of glass in a strategic pattern, once glass is wet you can't see what's dirty.
    • Rock your body back and forth instead using all upper body to reduce fatigue. Like stepping into and away from the building.
    • Do not yank your hose if it's stuck, you will most likely cause damage to customer or company property. Go see what the issue is.
    • If you're dealing with hydrophobic glass consider switching over to the fan jets, rinse bar or something that has a wider rinse.
    • To keep your pole more rigid you can try extending the first few sections partially, and just extend more sections.
    • When you're working on glass at a far distance, try tilting your brush to one side for your rinse. This will avoid fatigue.

  • Think Like a Window Cleaner

    We're going to look at the exterior of a house. As you already know always start high and work to the left or the right from a dead end starting point. The starting point could be a fence, a front door, deck, or a stairwell. When arriving on a project you should already know the services to be performed. At first sight you should be aware of any hazards and how to solve them. Second, look at the type of windows on the home. The type of window could dictate where you start for efficiency and quality of work. Third, what kind of equipment do you need? Keep you equipment away from walkways and other areas where someone could trip. Avoid getting walkways wet and use cones to quarantine safe work areas. If you're working on a commercial project be aware of bystanders or people who don't know you're there. Plan ahead and start with safety.

  • When you're using a water fed pole there are several things to consider, different from belting. Since these are single hung windows you'll need to remove all the screens. The windows are also open so you'll want to go in to shut and lock the windows. Locking will help avoid any potential leaking. This house also has glass on the front door. It's very common for doors to leak so it might be best to avoid using a WFP on the door unless you're familiar with the project. Having your pole out is a serious hazard around overhead electrical lines. For safety assume all tools and equipment conduct electricity and avoid the power lines at all costs. Descending your pole and carrying it sideways between setups will help you avoid power lines. Remember to be conscious of where your water is puddling and where your hoses are laying.

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