Pole work question

For those of you who still use the traditional method of squeegee work, I would like some tips on second story pole work. What pole works best at 25 ft plus, what rubber, and sgueegee. I have been having issues with streaking using a pole. Also trying to clean paint and silicone off glass sucks without climbing up and scrubbing. But I cannot always do that. Any help would be appreciated.

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I've never seen anyone do a decent job with a trad pole on upper windows and theirs got to be no hope at 25ft plus. 

Dallas Bagley said:

For those of you who still use the traditional method of squeegee work, I would like some tips on second story pole work. What pole works best at 25 ft plus, what rubber, and sgueegee. I have been having issues with streaking using a pole. Also trying to clean paint and silicone off glass sucks without climbing up and scrubbing. But I cannot always do that. Any help would be appreciated.

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I use a wfp pole with the angle adaptor off a 9 quid b&q trad pole, and a moerman exelerator & fliq. as for paint and silicone beat way is to get tje ladder out, other people use 000 bronze wool, but im personally not a fan as im worried ill scratch the glass. It's possible to do a good job with a trad pole, just takes a LOT of practice.

Clisty1989 said:

I use a wfp pole with the angle adaptor off a 9 quid b&q trad pole, and a moerman exelerator & fliq. as for paint and silicone beat way is to get tje ladder out, other people use 000 bronze wool, but im personally not a fan as im worried ill scratch the glass. It's possible to do a good job with a trad pole, just takes a LOT of practice.

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Buy a unger 4" scraper and attach it to the pole and scrape it off but mind to soap it first.

scottish cleaning service said:

Buy a unger 4" scraper and attach it to the pole and scrape it off but mind to soap it first.

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I have one, just don't like using it on a pole, would rather get up there, seen people scratch the glass doing it before, and would rather get up there to see the smaller flecks, as you can't see them all from the ground

I have tried the razor attached to pole but cannot get a good angle on it or enough power to scrape as you would normally. As for squeegee it always leaves streaks and drips no matter what I do. And the more windows the more tired your arms are. I hate the thought of investing in a WFP.

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Thanks for the input

Dallas Bagley said:

I have tried the razor attached to pole but cannot get a good angle on it or enough power to scrape as you would normally. As for squeegee it always leaves streaks and drips no matter what I do. And the more windows the more tired your arms are. I hate the thought of investing in a WFP.

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Thanks for the input

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I'd strongly advise the wfp route for the problem windows then. Can be done cheaply, I set up my wfp with £400, best money I ever spent, cut my working time by 1/3 so got more jobs done a day, meaning more money earned. I still do a lot of trad work, but now I can do 3 storey work, over connys etc with ease. £400 isn't a lot when you think that you can earn an extra £50-60 a day with it.

Clisty1989 said:

I'd strongly advise the wfp route for the problem windows then. Can be done cheaply, I set up my wfp with £400, best money I ever spent, cut my working time by 1/3 so got more jobs done a day, meaning more money earned. I still do a lot of trad work, but now I can do 3 storey work, over connys etc with ease. £400 isn't a lot when you think that you can earn an extra £50-60 a day with it.

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With respect to all, hardcore tradder's don't like parting with money. 10 years ago when i switched from trad to wfp it cost me around £1,200 i remember one guy laughing and calling me crazy when he saw my pf trolley set up and when i said i had spent over a grand. 

Some other lads in my area have made the switch over the years but some still won't as they see it as to expensive and still assume we use water straight out of the tap. Plenty of lads see window cleaning as a job not a business and want to invest as little as possible.

Iron Giant said:

With respect to all, hardcore tradder's don't like parting with money. 10 years ago when i switched from trad to wfp it cost me around £1,200 i remember one guy laughing and calling me crazy when he saw my pf trolley set up and when i said i had spent over a grand. 

Some other lads in my area have made the switch over the years but some still won't as they see it as to expensive and still assume we use water straight out of the tap. Plenty of lads see window cleaning as a job not a business and want to invest as little as possible.

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I completely agree, I hated parting with the cash, my father in law is the same, hardcore old school tradder the last 25 years and it's taken me 18 months for him to admit it's a worthy investment, but still reluctant to switch over completely, and now only does hard to reach windows or big jobs with it. In my case i was skeptical, but could see the benefits after lots of reading up on here, and initially only got it to get those windows that I couldn't get to trad, which the turned to all upstairs, then most of my work. Apart from shops and bungalows my rounds converted, although I do find trad work therapeutic, so do enjoy working with my father in law. I'm happy I can easily do both, as well as trad pole work, which I learnt after I switched, as I'm confident that I can keep working whatever happens, if my backpack dies I can just carry on trad, even if it slows me down. My suggestion was based on the fact he was talking of working at 25 ft, in which wfp would be an easier, safer, quicker way of working, and he could adapt the wfp to use as a trad pole as well, and even use the wfp for fsg jobs is he'd rather do all the windows trad.

On the subject of Gutter clearing I need to thank Chris33 who gave me a bit of his knowledge regarding clearing gutters with pro gutter tools.

http://progutter.co.uk/

Always wanted to design a gutter tool but the above has already done so.

It screws into a paint roller pole, handy to have in your van!

Iron Giant said:

I've never seen anyone do a decent job with a trad pole on upper windows and theirs got to be no hope at 25ft plus. 

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agree. cant clean frame or sill either.

I trad pole some 25ft+ windows using a 6" channel on an excelerator handle. Takes time, but it does an adequate job. Bigger windows I use a 12" liquidator channel. I have just bought a wfp system tho, which I will probably use for these windows in future, for time and to stop wrestling with 30ft of aluminium ettore pole. When it's fully extended the flex is ridiculous! Takes a lot of practice. 

In my opinion:

Getting rid of paint and silicone, you have to get up close and personal. It's a scraper job and chemicals.

But as a window cleaner, our job is to get rid of '8 weeks of previous dirt' (I clean every 8 weeks). 

As soon as paint and silicone are involved, I think 'why didn't the decorators/window fitters get rid of it?

There is a difference between window cleaning and window refurbishing!

At that height I would recommend water fed pole.

I would purchase from Gardiners water fed pole, website:

1. Gardiners backpack (around £110)

2. 25 ft Gardiners CLX pole. 

Then all you need is some deionised water.

Get some 25l barrels and find the nearest big window cleaning company. 

They usually sell 'pure water' to other window cleaners, as a sideline to their existing business. 

Hope this is helpful.

Regards 

Robbo

Dr Squeegee said:

I trad pole some 25ft+ windows using a 6" channel on an excelerator handle. Takes time, but it does an adequate job. Bigger windows I use a 12" liquidator channel. I have just bought a wfp system tho, which I will probably use for these windows in future, for time and to stop wrestling with 30ft of aluminium ettore pole. When it's fully extended the flex is ridiculous! Takes a lot of practice. 

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Thought the 10inch was size of choice for most pole work???

mike007 said:

Thought the 10inch was size of choice for most pole work???

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I use the 6" because I find it more accurate on the swivel at greater heights, along with the fact that most of the high panes I do are only about 10" or 12" wide generally. It's just what I've become accustomed to. Does a pretty good job though.

I have my wfp pole set up now though, so unless it's a one off high window I'll probably just wfp them from now on.

Yea sadly I use a pole for windows I can't get n it's very hard... I only pull it out for windows over conservs ... I always advise I can't guarantee finish.... don't get me started on this when the sun is out

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