Anti-Freeze in tank

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

Afternoon All,

Woke up to a frozen van this morning (it’s not even November yet). So trying to plan ahead. 

Last year I salted after myself as I’m very paranoid about someone slipping on ice created by WFP. Looking at doing the same this year (about to price up a bulk buy of salt). However this will add a lot more work to the day. So I’m also wondering if anyone has had any luck in adding some sort of anti-freeze to the water? If so, what’s recommended that won’t cause spotting and won’t cause wear (or not too much) to the different components. 

Thank you once advanced. 

 

[Pjj]

This subject has been covered numerous times before , simple answer is no , some use something beginning with iso cannot remember what it’s called it will stop the tank freezing but not once the water is on the ground , again it isn’t practical as the amount you would need to use would not be viable  , it’s a difficult one to decide what to do I for one wouldn’t want to salt round every job we do would take forever and cost a fortune also a lot of customers would not be happy with rock salt around the house and then walking it into the house , to a degree the house holder should be aware of slippery conditions this time of year , I would verbally tell them to be careful, if it’s that cold that everything is freezing then it’s probably time to pack up and go home 

 

[Incheck]

I agree If its that cold you’re worried about water freezing then its time to pack up & go home. Its just not worth the risks


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[RWCleaning]

I don’t work if it’s 0 or colder. And I actually find that even a very cold but sunny day, water dry quicker than it freezes. But I do two things to eliminate the risk of making a slippery floor:

•I only clean front door with a damp cloth. 

•and either tell them face to face when they’re in, or text them when I finish their house to say “windows all done etc, please  be careful of possible icey patches around, hopefully should all be fine but just to let you and everyone else in household know”

Everyone just texts back and says ‘ok thanks for letting us know’ and I don’t ever hear anything about it again. But I’m sure there’s some poor cleaner out there who will end up making a icey patio and some poor customer will end up having a nasty fall sooner or later 

 

[Incheck]

Yup, been there got the t-shirt printed. Last winter a conservatory roof froze as i was cleaning it. Spilled a fair amount of water on to the patio and it turned to an ice rink. Warned them to stay well away and packed up my kit. Lesson learned.


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[RWCleaning]

Ah that’s unfortunate, but a risk to this job. 

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

This subject has been covered numerous times before , simple answer is no , some use something beginning with iso cannot remember what it’s called it will stop the tank freezing but not once the water is on the ground , again it isn’t practical as the amount you would need to use would not be viable  , it’s a difficult one to decide what to do I for one wouldn’t want to salt round every job we do would take forever and cost a fortune also a lot of customers would not be happy with rock salt around the house and then walking it into the house , to a degree the house holder should be aware of slippery conditions this time of year , I would verbally tell them to be careful, if it’s that cold that everything is freezing then it’s probably time to pack up and go home 

Yeah I had seen that, I did a search first, but couldn’t find anything conclusive. 

Dont get me wrong I will try not to work on freezing days where I can, but I remember last year we had a good few weeks at a time and I needed to get round the work. 

I don’t work if it’s 0 or colder. And I actually find that even a very cold but sunny day, water dry quicker than it freezes. But I do two things to eliminate the risk of making a slippery floor:

•I only clean front door with a damp cloth. 

•and either tell them face to face when they’re in, or text them when I finish their house to say “windows all done etc, please  be careful of possible icey patches around, hopefully should all be fine but just to let you and everyone else in household know”

Everyone just texts back and says ‘ok thanks for letting us know’ and I don’t ever hear anything about it again. But I’m sure there’s some poor cleaner out there who will end up making a icey patio and some poor customer will end up having a nasty fall sooner or later 

You see last year I actually slide on ice that had frozen under a window I had cleaned. So that got me worried. It’s only bad in the shade. 

The texting idea is a good one and I intended to do the same with the doors. I’m thinking of even missing windows that our located above a front door (most are frosted anyway - no pun intended-) but not decided yet on this. 

But im also thinking of thrown salt down under any patio doors or side paths that might be used.  

 

[Pjj]

Yeah I had seen that, I did a search first, but couldn’t find anything conclusive. 

Dont get me wrong I will try not to work on freezing days where I can, but I remember last year we had a good few weeks at a time and I needed to get round the work. 

I hear what you are saying but if after carrying out a risk  assessment it’s deemed dangerous then it’s best not to clean using wfp better to forgo a few days/weeks work than being sued, that would cost far more than the potential earnings ,is doing stuff trad an option ? Ime not suggesting going up ladders but if you had some single storey property it would at least bring in some monly . I think as window cleaners we should be able to put a few weeks money aside to cover things like this I certainly do , usually it’s only a few days hear and there again if you are working in conditions like that and you fall over and hurt yourself you could be off work for several weeks or evan months so again you would be far worse off than a few days off beacause of freezing weather , customers will usually appreciate you leaving a job if things are bad and doing it when it improves , last year and early this year we got behind with a lot of commercial work due to ice the customers fully understood why we cancled the jobs and said they wouldn’t have been happy if we had turned up to do the job , so again I don’t think it looks good to work in extream conditions makes you look desperate 

 

[Incheck]

Does anyone realistically go through the agro of sourcing/paying for salt/grit just to waste time throwing that around after every job and making a mess. Doesn’t stop them walking up the driveway to take the bins out and slipping below a window you haven’t gritted. Customers might not want grit or salt flung everywhere. Just take the day off. Jeremy clarkson drivers and icy roads also come in to play as do hills


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[Master Jedi Alejandro]

I hear what you are saying but if after carrying out a risk  assessment it’s deemed dangerous then it’s best not to clean using wfp better to forgo a few days/weeks work than being sued, that would cost far more than the potential earnings ,is doing stuff trad an option ? Ime not suggesting going up ladders but if you had some single storey property it would at least bring in some monly . I think as window cleaners we should be able to put a few weeks money aside to cover things like this I certainly do , usually it’s only a few days hear and there again if you are working in conditions like that and you fall over and hurt yourself you could be off work for several weeks or evan months so again you would be far worse off than a few days off beacause of freezing weather , customers will usually appreciate you leaving a job if things are bad and doing it when it improves , last year and early this year we got behind with a lot of commercial work due to ice the customers fully understood why we cancled the jobs and said they wouldn’t have been happy if we had turned up to do the job , so again I don’t think it looks good to work in extream conditions makes you look desperate 

No I completely agree, and I don’t intended to work in weather so bad it’s icy while I’m working. I also agree with having money put aside (though I am still building my work but managing to build a buffer). 

However my worry - call it paranoia - is water that freezers after I’ve gone, later on in the day and causes a customer problems. 

Does anyone realistically go through the agro of sourcing/paying for salt/grit just to waste time throwing that around after every job and making a mess. Doesn’t stop them walking up the driveway to take the bins out and slipping below a window you haven’t gritted. Customers might not want grit or salt flung everywhere. Just take the day off. Jeremy clarkson drivers and icy roads also come in to play as do hills


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To be honest, everything is a mess up here during winter so it makes no difference in that respect if I’m throwning down salt or grit. And I use salt as it doesn’t leave a mess like grit does.