WaterFed® Obstacles, Solutions, and Maintenance by ABC Window Cleaning Supplies
http://blog.window-cleaning-supply.com/2019/08/waterfed-obstacles-solutions-and-maintenance/
The ability to clean windows with pure water is scientifically brilliant and innovative, but WaterFed® carts can seem intimidating if something doesn’t work as expected. In this article, we address the three most common obstacles users run into when using WaterFed®.
OBSTACLES AND SOLUTIONS
Hydrophobic Glass
Obstacle: Hydrophobic is the kind of glass that repels water. While you’re working, you’ll notice your WaterFed® rinse rolls off the window in beads, as opposed to a stream of water. This is an indicator that you’re working on hydrophobic glass (think water-hating), and you may find it hard to get a good rinse.
Solution: There are two solutions for getting a good rinse when confronting hydrophobic glass. The first involves using fan jets instead of pencil jets when cleaning and rinsing. Fan jets spread the water out evenly, and for hydrophobic glass, it enables you to achieve a successful rinse. Some brushes, like any of the Triple Crown brushes, come with both fan and pencil jets options on every brush.
The second solution is to use a rinse bar. Rinse bars were recently developed to help when cleaning very high windows. It allows the user to rest the brush on the window while spraying water from above the brush, and in the Monster Rinse Bar’s case, from below the brush as well, instead of having to pick the brush up off the window. For hydrophobic glass, this means you can rinse with twice as much water on both the up and down strokes, regardless of how high you are cleaning.
Very Dirty Windows
Obstacle: While WaterFed® was intended for used as a maintenance system, it is often used for many different types of cleaning. One of which is those very dirty, “hasn’t been cleaned in X years,” kind of windows. When this happens, you may find that your results are not meeting your expectations and that a good scrub just isn’t doing the trick.
Solution: There are two solutions to this obstacle. The first is to connect a pad holder and a white pad or bronze wool pad to the end of a pole to give yourself some scrubbing power. This also allows you to use a chemical to help get the dirt off the windows. Note: Pads do not use water while cleaning. Therefore, you might need a separate pole, or a gooseneck (which enables you to connect multiple brushes on one pole), and to turn the water/WaterFed® system off while using the pad.
The second solution is to use a Hog’s Hair WaterFed® brush. Each of the bristles is an organic material that has hundreds of tiny bristles on it. This enables the hog’s hair to scrub a window better than a synthetic brush, allowing you to clean a very dirty window better. Note two things: since a hog’s hair brush is an organic material, it does not last as long as a synthetic brush. Also, if the very dirty window is still not clean after these two solutions, we suggest you traditionally clean the window and after that use WaterFed® as maintenance.
Spotting
Obstacle: WaterFed® water does not need to be squeegeed off, that’s one of the best features of the innovation, the evaporation of the remaining water. So if you see spotting on the windows, something is not going correctly.
Solution: If the water coming out of your system has a TDS level of 10 or less, the spotting is not from your cart. If the TDS level is 10 or higher, it might be time to change a filter. Click here for a helpful resource to assist in determining which filter should be changed. To figure out the best solution, you need to understand why spotting is happening.
The first reason spotting might occur is because of an improper scrub. If there are not enough passes or the pressure you’re applying isn’t enough, dirt will remain on the window. This leftover residue can be one reason for spotting. Try giving the window a few extra passes, and a little added pressure, to see if the spots persist.
The second reason for spotting is because of an improper rinse. The rinse of purified water is essential to the overall WaterFed® cleaning process because it pushes dirty water (pure water that attached itself to dirt), off the window and leaves behind only clean, pure water. That purified water will easily dry spot-free because it has no impurities (which is the reason for spotting). With that said, try giving the window a very thorough rinse if you see spots. This is especially true the first time you use pure water on a window that in the past, was cleaned traditionally. Soap residue can stick to the window and require extra rinsing to remove.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Multi-Stage System
Once your system is in working order and meets cleaning expectations, it is going to be crucial to maintain the cart to continue seeing those results.
Flushing RO Filters.
Flushing your RO is used as a sort of “reset” button for a multi-stage system. It clears out any impurities in the filter, in turn, making the filter last longer. To flush your RO filter, turn on your water source and open your bypass valve for 1-2 minutes. Click here for more in-depth instructions on flushing your RO filter.
Proper System Transportation
Loading and unloading your system is easy once you feel comfortable doing so. The process is often overlooked but should be practiced to avoid damage when on a job. Work with your crew to make sure everyone is comfortable loading and unloading your WaterFed® system. This is key to avoiding unnecessary damage.
Storing Filters To Avoid Freezing
Don’t forget your system in those winter months. If your filters freeze, they will need to be replaced. When slow season approaches, make sure you store your WaterFed® system in a place where it won’t freeze. Reference your manual for specific instructions.
