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Guest
Guest
how many of you guys go out and clean when its below zero like 5- 20 below thats what its gonna be here in syracuse ny in the am . campusman
Mike Draper
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2008
- Messages
- 4,402
I quit working at 5 degrees. Last year when it hit 5 I said no thanks.
RandyHilburn
Member
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2007
- Messages
- 230
There's a guy that post here from Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. I hear the temperature can get down to 40 below zero in January and February? I'll bet when the temp goes back up to 20 below, it feels like Spring weather!
If you can back your truck into the customer's garage, you can pretty much clean year round no matter what the outside temperature.
If you can back your truck into the customer's garage, you can pretty much clean year round no matter what the outside temperature.
G
Guest
Guest
could you believe what the gas fumes would do to the garage and go into the house
Cleaning in below 0 temps is part of life when you live in a northern climate, unless you want to take an extra 20-30 days off in an already slow winter. Get as close to the door as possible and get your hoses into the facility quickly. We may not enjoy it but it works 
Bruce Humphrey
Member
It really all depends on the wind chill factor. You can clean below zero with no problems what so ever, it's when you have a temp of 2degrees and the windchill is in the minus temps. Even with a wind chill of -1 you can freeze your pressure line fast if you stop the water flow.
For me it's all about the wind.
For me it's all about the wind.
hogjowl
Idiot™
I know what you guys mean. I cleaned in 40 degree weather on Friday. I thought I was going to get frost bite before I could get in the house.
Cold weather is a bitch.
Cold weather is a bitch.
Bruce Humphrey
Member
I'm feeling your pain Marty :roll:
hogjowl
Idiot™
40 above here, feels like 20 below there.
It's the humidity!
It's the humidity!
G
Guest
Guest
right now here in syracuse it is 16 degrees with the wind at 20 to 25 wind gust so its about zero
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
anything below 60 and I am just not worth a shit.........we have been around mid 70's for the last few week...
this week we have a few 62 days....couple more degrees and I will have to reschedule.....
this week we have a few 62 days....couple more degrees and I will have to reschedule.....
Larry B
Member
What a bunch of cry babies
Dolly Llama
Number 5
campusman57 said:
depends on the job at 5 below whether we'd reschedule or not
(and how BROKE I was at the time)
It would also depend on whether those were predicted day time "high" temps and whether those temps were predicted for a week or just a day or two
at 20 below, I'd have to be 1 month behind on the house payment PLUS a disconnect notice on my electric before I'd even consider going out in 20 below
..L.T.A.
Fred Homan
Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Messages
- 1,142
Only 40 above 0.....What a wuss Marty..... :shock:
bob vawter
Grassy Knoller
But it's a DRY cold...........!
SuperFly
Member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2008
- Messages
- 54
Lay out water hoses last after everything is preped and run warm water through the garden hose.. And rollup first when done..
I worked 1 time when it was 30 below with the windchill and my supply line froze, it is draped in the step next to the side doors. Since that happend I got some of that gray foam that is usually used around pipes and put it around all my supply lines... No problem yet! I think it's going to be a cold one this year so we will see.
The last thing you want to touch the ground is your solution line. I set up in the house before I pull out my solution line and at that temp you have to keep the water moving.
This actually brings up a question for you direct drive guys: Can you recirculate your water to heat it on the way to the job, or drive with the pto, on even? On the big rig I was driving before I started my business we always drove with the PTO on in winter to recirc.
The last thing you want to touch the ground is your solution line. I set up in the house before I pull out my solution line and at that temp you have to keep the water moving.
This actually brings up a question for you direct drive guys: Can you recirculate your water to heat it on the way to the job, or drive with the pto, on even? On the big rig I was driving before I started my business we always drove with the PTO on in winter to recirc.
Fred Homan
Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Messages
- 1,142
You are right Keith...Put split foam insulation over the solution lines...It works!
Shane T
Member
I once had the vac hose freeze solid while cleaning. Not exactly sure why it happen that time and not others. It was near 0 degrees but I've cleaned at that temp since and not had a problem.
Dolly Llama
Number 5
Shane T said:
curious Shane, how long was the hose run?
and how much was laying outside?
somewhat straight, coiled/jumbled or piled/bunched up?
I watched a water claw freeze right before my eyes once while extracting water line break in an unheated rental.
It was maybe 40 in the apt and mid to lower 20s outside
..L.T.A.
Shane T
Member
It happened a long time ago so I don't exactly remember how long the hose run was outside but it wasn't coiled on the ground. At that time I may have been using those nylon bags in my recovery tank. It would sometimes get plugged and really reduce the vacumm. I wonder if that could cause the water to collect and freeze in the hose?
R
R W
Guest
I've had it all.......frozen water feeds, frozen pressure lines, even frozen vac inlets. But, you learn to cope with the cold. Run the vac first, and let it suck the warm air out of the house. Next run the supply feed, and crack it open to keep the water flowing. Of course, start the TM first. Run the pressure line in the house up to the door. When you're ready to clean, run the solution hose to the truck and haul ass to the wand to get everything moving.
That cold air coming in the door really shows off your steamin' wand!!!!
I might draw the line at 5-10*, depending on the wind.
That cold air coming in the door really shows off your steamin' wand!!!!
I might draw the line at 5-10*, depending on the wind.
John Watson
Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Messages
- 2,885
We cleaned up to -20. 3 men on a trk moving constantly, extra pressure hoses and QD for those that froze and broke. We had it written into our commercial cleaning contracts -20. Most times we would take 2 trucks just incase 1 froze up also needed a seat for the 3rd man We had propane catalitic heaters in the back of our vans, they were also sprayed with uretane foam inside the box and the complete underside. I learned alot on how to keep fluids moving in sub zero temps. and proper insulating working in Prudoe Bay
That was back in Alaska, Here in WA Helen and I can normaly reschedule jobs if they are in freezing weather of +25 or lower and keep the truck in the shop if it snows, Not that I can't drive in it, it is these assholes how don't know how and still do at 5mph or think their 4x4 is invinceble. No comman sense.
That was back in Alaska, Here in WA Helen and I can normaly reschedule jobs if they are in freezing weather of +25 or lower and keep the truck in the shop if it snows, Not that I can't drive in it, it is these assholes how don't know how and still do at 5mph or think their 4x4 is invinceble. No comman sense.
Desk Jockey
Member
Shheet!
We will go out at 2:00 AM to extract water in single digits temps with a sub 20's windchill several times during the winter.
Water will freeze up at the inlet and restrict vacuum. We've also blown a few preheaters when they were exposed the that kind of temps.
Broke off a few ball valves when the water froze and wouldn't let them turn.
Extreme cold is just a pain to work in, with or without humidity!
:roll:
We will go out at 2:00 AM to extract water in single digits temps with a sub 20's windchill several times during the winter.
Water will freeze up at the inlet and restrict vacuum. We've also blown a few preheaters when they were exposed the that kind of temps.
Broke off a few ball valves when the water froze and wouldn't let them turn.
Extreme cold is just a pain to work in, with or without humidity!
:roll:
harryhides
Member
admiralclean said:
What a moron, "Frost".......... Dufus can only occur with below freezing temps - in other words less than 32 F or zero c. You will also need to be exposed to these bitterly cold temps for just a little longer than the time it takes to trek from truck to double-wide. Now if your fingies ever do turn black from gangrene just take your whittling knife and cut it off.
We never shut down or turn down jobs unless the roads are snowed in or too icy and dangerous to drive on safely. Minus 22 C here right now.
It is not hard with on-board water so we have the hot water circulate inside the truck until everything is set up and then run out the pressure lines to connect with the inside lines.
If we were dumb enough to worry about frost bite, we could wear gloves but that's only because we CAN think.
Buy some mittens Marty.....and some sockys for your tender toes.
G
Guest
Guest
Jim Martin said:
Ya, but your summers suck
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
Kevin P said:
Ya, but your summers suck
[/quote:70in2wr4]true but one can function in hell heat for a few months and then have the 95% of the rest of the year some of the best weather to work in....I have yet to turn my heater in the house on....I don't want to walk outside in the winter and here my nuts clacking together like that toy that has to ceramic balls at the ends of a string...
G
Guest
Guest
Ya, I dont have much of that here,and have an Arizona timeshare and like going there 10 months out of the year
