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How windy is too windy

HWCS

Well-known member
Messages
1,130
Location
North Norfolk
To clean trad, ive got all houses today and the wind is 30mph the trees look set to fall and i dont really fancy ass over tit off the ladder.

How do you gauage to windy?

 
id be holding on to upper window sills for dear life back in my trad days sometimes!??

why on earth are you still trad in this day and age?it doesnt make sense mate......i was trad for 17 years and switched to wfp 9 and a half years ago,best thing ive ever done....even most of the die hard tradders have switched over where i work now(after slagging me off for years for using the pole system!)......

if it was too windy id sack it off,if it was raining id sack it off but with wfp i carry on and get my work cleaned....

 
Gusts are the worst. I don't even think about using my ladder when it's gusty as it's so unpredictable. I have been using the facelift trad pole (from wcw) and the moerman set up so this enables me to clean some jobs without the use of a ladder. Of course 'face to glass' is the prefered method to make sure of a quality clean when using the traditional method of cleaning. Never take any risks when using a ladder! Mind you with so  many people insisting on having wooden decking these days still ...you risk breaking your neck even just standing up on them!

 
Gusts are the worst. I don't even think about using my ladder when it's gusty as it's so unpredictable. I have been using the facelift trad pole (from wcw) and the moerman set up so this enables me to clean some jobs without the use of a ladder. Of course 'face to glass' is the prefered method to make sure of a quality clean when using the traditional method of cleaning. Never take any risks when using a ladder! Mind you with so  many people insisting on having wooden decking these days still ...you risk breaking your neck even just standing up on them!
get a wfp system as soon as you can afford one........no need to be a trad window cleaner these days.....

 
I enjoy trad window cleaning. I shall be investing in a back pack and water fed pole to access the few difficult windows that aren't easy with my trad pole or trad clean. I have looked into and have used the wfp method but personally still prefer the trad method. That's just me ?

 
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I enjoy trad window cleaning. I shall be investing in a back pack to access the few difficult windows that aren't easy with my trad pole or trad clean. I have looked into and have used the wfp method but personally still prefer the trad method. That's just me ?
youll get sick of it eventually...also it limits you...its a lot slower too esp on larger jobs,using a trad pole doesnt do a good job really and you cant clean the frames......

trust me!i used to be like you at one time!

 
When your hat blows off, it's time to stop
Hey! Not heard that one as a description of how to identify a level on the Beaufort Scale of wind speeds. I'm going to guess about force 3 if it's a loose fit, force 4 if it's a good fit. I'll make a note for future reference. 

Thanks for that. ?

 
Like a few have said here, bite the bullet and switch to WFP mate. That's exactly what I did and haven't looked back. The thought of going back to trad now fills me with dread. When it's too windy outside for ladders, doesn't matter so much with WFP...so you'll be earning more money right off the bat. The amount of lost days (and weeks) I had to strong winds! All it takes is one strong gust and you'll be flying towards the floor. Not worth it.

 
If you are selling a 5 star service to clients and charging accordingly then a trad pole is going to leave an inferior finish, I was trad for over 8 years and worked in all weathers and looking back took some stupid risks to get work done and get my bills paid, but never in my days would have I have used an 18ft trad pole I have watched lads leave suds and take an age to clean upper windows and in high/gusty winds suds are going to be going every where. 

Even if you start off wfping tops with a backpack set up, it's not ideal but it will prevent/reduce the risk of you having a fall, now some will jump in and say go all out van mount and I would be one of those, but I believe my fellow Junglist @Dave B has two vans on the road with backpack set ups and works full-time 

 
The wind blew my ladder over yesterday.

A gust caught it when i left it unattended while i cleaned the ground floor windows.

Second time it has happened to me in 30 years.

Luckily the rest of that mornings work was bungalow's and dormers cleaned with extension poles.

I have had a Wfp system for 15 years i started with a Peter Fogwill trolley and have had a van mounted system for the last 13 years or so.

It has it's place but if i was to give up on trad and go Wfp completely i would be out of business.

Why?

Most of my work is domestic and is inside and out.

I like to walk away from a job and know the customer is going to be happy with the results.

With Wfp i walk away hoping they are going to be happy.

On awkward time consuming jobs,astragals,high windows,commercial it is a time saver but on day to day window cleaning it is too much hassle for me.

 
The wind blew my ladder over yesterday.

A gust caught it when i left it unattended while i cleaned the ground floor windows.

Second time it has happened to me in 30 years.

Luckily the rest of that mornings work was bungalow's and dormers cleaned with extension poles.

I have had a Wfp system for 15 years i started with a Peter Fogwill trolley and have had a van mounted system for the last 13 years or so.

It has it's place but if i was to give up on trad and go Wfp completely i would be out of business.

Why?

Most of my work is domestic and is inside and out.

I like to walk away from a job and know the customer is going to be happy with the results.

With Wfp i walk away hoping they are going to be happy.

On awkward time consuming jobs,astragals,high windows,commercial it is a time saver but on day to day window cleaning it is too much hassle for me.
Surely after 15yrs of wfp you shouldn’t be having any worries or problems 

 
Surely after 15yrs of wfp you shouldn’t be having any worries or problems 
I wish mate really i do but as my old man instilled in me  if you are going to do a job do it right.

I just find this Wfp or nothing attitude amongst us hard to take.

Majority of my regular work would be harder than trad more time consuming and with wildly differing results.

I work in a city and cleaning the outsides of windows of a flat while dripping water onto lower flats aint going to work nevermind the parking issues.

Opening windows and cleaning both sides trad does.

I am not dissing Wfp but i get the feeling that a lot of window cleaners now when faced with a traditional clean or even an internal wouldn't know what to do.

I still do external terrace jobs and yes with Wfp they might be easier but i gain some enjoyment from tradding them.

 
Even if you start off wfping tops with a backpack set up, it's not ideal but it will prevent/reduce the risk of you having a fall, now some will jump in and say go all out van mount and I would be one of those, but I believe my fellow Junglist @Dave B has two vans on the road with backpack set ups and works full-time 


This is deffo the route ill be taking asap, set up costs are just out of reach atm

 
It’s that sort of woolly thinking that the HSE will penalise you for.

We use an anemometer, if the wind exceeds the limit in the method statement, work ceases. 
 

 

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