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WaterFed....What's the Hype

May 12, 2022

If you have seen your neighbors or your favorite restaurant getting their windows cleaned recently, you may have noticed an unfamiliar technique being used: WaterFed. This technique consists of a long extendable pole with a brush head. Inside the pole, a pump system dispenses purified water on demand. The water and the brush are all that are needed to clean dust, dirt, leaves, pollen and other things from exterior windows. The windows are, then, left to dry naturally. Sounds simple enough, right? So why are there so many skeptics when it comes to this new system?

It could be because there are no chemicals used during this process. No soap; no bleach; no vinegar or grandma’s old homemade cleaner recipe…..nothing! Just purified water that pumps through the pole as mentioned above. You’re probably thinking, “You can’t clean without some sort of chemical”. Well….they have found a way. And it’s not even as new as you think.

Before it was known as the WaterFed method, it was a car and home wash kit created by Irv Tucker in 1955. The kit included a 3ft-6ft pole that inspired what we have today. It wasn’t until a U-K based window cleaner by the name of Craig Mawlam met Tucker at the International Window Cleaner’s Association convention in 1993 that changes would be made. In 1997, Mawlam launched a water fed pole that consisted of a telescopic pole that used a water purification system. Since then, manufacturers from all over have embraced the system. Many have even made their own improvements and innovations thanks to Tucker and Mawlam. Some of those manufacturers include:

Tucker (now includes the water purification system)
Unger
Xero
Ova8
Ettore
SimPole
Triple Crown

Now that you have some history on how this system came to be, you are probably wondering how it works.

What makes a WaterFed pole so unique is the water is actually fed through the pole using a hose. A hose gets connected to the pole and water filters out through small jets located on the brush attached. Due to the use of purified water, there is no need to use any chemicals to get the job done. There is a two step process that takes place before the water actually comes out of the jets.

Water purity is measured in Parts Per Million, (PPM). Huh??? Let me break it down a bit. When you refer to something as a percentage, whether it’s money, food, etc, it usually means out of 100%. PPM just means out of a million. This is used to measure the concentration in things like water and soil. With water, one PPM is equivalent to 1 milligram per liter, (mg/l). So essentially, 1 PPM means that substance is one- millionth of the total amount of water. That may seem like a small amount, however, just adding 1 PPM of chlorine to a public swimming pool is enough to keep the pool safe and disinfected.

The two step process the water will need to undergo in order to become purified consists of Reverse Osmosis (RO) and a final filtering process. During reverse osmosis, sediments and other impurities will be removed from the water. Even with the purification that comes from RO, the water will still need to be deionized. There is an extra filter that is filled with a special resin that will remove any other impurities the water may contain. Once the entire filtering process is complete, the water that comes from the WaterFed pole is now suitable to clean your windows without any other chemicals being added.

WaterFed poles have been a great addition to the cleaning industry. It allows for cleaners to reach places that are usually hard to reach in a safe way. For example, if a house is on a hill and there is no room for a ladder, a WaterFed pole could be the solution to that problem. Without having to set up a ladder and other equipment, it has been proven to be faster and a lot easier than hand cleaning. This does not mean there won’t be instances where hand cleaning is the better option. This post is just to give information on another method.

If you have gotten to this point and are still skeptical about the WaterFed system, I have one suggestion for you….give it a try. Because at the end of the day, you have to see it in order to believe it.

Thank you for reading! T.Dyer and the Soap on a Rope Crew!

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Ensurance of Insurance

May 4, 2022

Ensurance of Insurance

You may be ready for the summer…. But is your home?

By technical • April 13, 2022

Memorial Day is quickly approaching! Do you know what that means? School’s out, backyard barbecues, day trips to the beach, and so much more summer fun. Before you start to pack those bags for the beach and other vacations, consider getting your home prepared for the hottest months of the year. By starting preparations early, you can help bring down those high energy bills and improve the overall quality of your home. Mentioned below are some things we, here at Soap on a Rope, think are important to get your home summer ready. Winter and the rainy months of spring can be pretty brutal on a home. The cold weather and constant rain can cause parts of the house to weaken, thus, causing leaks.Down here in Coastal Georgia, we know that the rain can be a little less forgiving between the months of May and August. As the weather gets warmer, it’s a good idea to get any gaps or cracks sealed. Caulking these areas before matters get worse can help prevent high costs due to damage. A leaky window sill can lead to rotted wood on your floors. If you’re like us, you’d rather use that money for ice cream on Tybee Island than in a home repair you can prevent. Rain water isn’t the only thing that can cause leakage in your walls and roof. With rain, sometimes comes wind, which can bring leaves, mud, and other types of debris. Allowing those things to pile up can cause clogs and, you guessed it, leaks! Clearing build up from your drains and gutters can be extremely beneficial when it comes to preventing water damage. We recommend making this a high priority on your summer to-do list. There is also the outside of the house to think about. As previously mentioned, summertime = outside time. And if you plan on having people over or just don’t want your neighbors to look at you sideways, maintenance around your house is just as important as maintenance inside of your house. This includes windows, the driveway, roof, plants/ bushes, etc. Having clean windows at any time of year is not only good for your home but good for your soul! It allows for natural light to give your home a sparkle that light bulbs just can’t offer. It also provides some added warmth to keep energy bills a little lower. It has been said that having a clean living space can help declutter your mind as well. Sometimes, we tend to neglect the outside and surrounding areas of our space. Pavements and driveways that are unkempt can cause problems we tend to not think about until we have to fix them. Outside of having a place to park close enough to the house to take in groceries, driveways are meant to help lead water away from your house. Without a system, water can be brutal on the structure of a building. Too much water near the foundation of your home can cause it to weaken. And just like with most things in life, a weak foundation means further damage in the future. Make sure that cracks that you see in your driveway and/ or pavements on your property are properly sealed. It won’t hurt to use this time to get in a deep clean of the areas as well. Pressure washing your outside surfaces not only makes things look better, but enhances the integrity of your home as well. All in all, flights are being booked;swimsuits are being ordered; outside gatherings are being planned. We suggest that you get an early start so that there’s less room for surprises before guests arrive. Fixing the small things now, can prevent a large bill in the future. After you book that room with the balcony that overlooks the ocean, start a new tab to look for professionals to help you keep your home intact. If you’re reading this and are in the Savannah, Ga or surrounding area, just click the link that lists our services to see what we can help you with. We hope this information has been helpful! T.D and the Soap on a Rope Crew!!