Ivan Turner
Supportive Member
I just returned from a short stint doing demo and dry-outs in Marlborough Massachusetts. Our St. Louis guys are still there and may be for a couple more weeks.
While there, I ran across some guys from a Minnesota company that were there for the sole purpose of melting ice dams. Anyway, there were around 10 men from the same company. Each had a pick-up truck equipped with a pressure washer attached to a small heat exchanger that allowed them to ascend roofs, where they would melt off the ice dams, up the roof line @2 feet up. In addition thy would use heat guns to thaw outside spigots and the gutters to allow for run-off.
The company charged $450 per hour with a 2 hour minnum, while each employee was earning and incredible $150 per hour. The employees were clean cut, uniformed and very well trained in sales and had more work than they could possibly handle.
They worked high end neighborhoods exclusively. While I would not pay that kind of money for ice dam removal, the folks they targeted had no problems, especial when the salesmen/workers explained the cost of doing nothing. By the way this company are masters at getting press attention. Radio, television news print, etc. love to share their story, which in turns generates great leads.
One of the guys told me that the machine they use pays for itself on the very first job which I do not doubt. After all it is simply pressure washer with some modifications. The wand was not a typical pressure washing wad. These had several jets that covered larger areas.
We certainly don't have the harsh winters that guys in the Great North have, but I just wanted to pass along this information for you guys. It might be a way of bumping up the winter numbers.
.
While there, I ran across some guys from a Minnesota company that were there for the sole purpose of melting ice dams. Anyway, there were around 10 men from the same company. Each had a pick-up truck equipped with a pressure washer attached to a small heat exchanger that allowed them to ascend roofs, where they would melt off the ice dams, up the roof line @2 feet up. In addition thy would use heat guns to thaw outside spigots and the gutters to allow for run-off.
The company charged $450 per hour with a 2 hour minnum, while each employee was earning and incredible $150 per hour. The employees were clean cut, uniformed and very well trained in sales and had more work than they could possibly handle.
They worked high end neighborhoods exclusively. While I would not pay that kind of money for ice dam removal, the folks they targeted had no problems, especial when the salesmen/workers explained the cost of doing nothing. By the way this company are masters at getting press attention. Radio, television news print, etc. love to share their story, which in turns generates great leads.
One of the guys told me that the machine they use pays for itself on the very first job which I do not doubt. After all it is simply pressure washer with some modifications. The wand was not a typical pressure washing wad. These had several jets that covered larger areas.
We certainly don't have the harsh winters that guys in the Great North have, but I just wanted to pass along this information for you guys. It might be a way of bumping up the winter numbers.
.
