Water Fed Pole Systems have transformed the window cleaning industry. Pure water technology allows windows to be cleaned remarkably well by brushing off the dirt with a soft bristled brush and at the same time rinsing away the dirt with extremely pure water. Using this method, windows are left wet. Once dry you will see that the windows are spotless since all minerals and impurities have been removed from the water during the purification process. Using water fed poles is arguably much quicker than traditional methods, but the main advantage of using a water fed pole to access upper windows is its safety benefits. Water fed poles minimize the need for ladder use. Another benefit worth is the privacy aspect. Cleaning upstairs windows from the ground using a water fed pole means that we don’t need to be climbing up to the bedroom windows anymore.
Introduction
Window cleaning poles. Also commonly known as water fed poles are fast becoming the industry standard in window cleaning.
The old traditional method of using a bucket and squeegee etc is being less used as window cleaners find the overall safety and flexibility window cleaning poles give you.
Window cleaning used to be an art form, basic in its execution, though, many tried and failed.
Most falls to window cleaners involve the use of portable ladders large and small that are basically mounted on top of vehicle. In recent years figures for accidents reported to HSE and local authorities show that between two and seven window cleaners have been killed each year in Great Britain and about 20-30 suffer major injuries as a result of falls involving ladders. As you can expect, this is a relatively small problem as accidents go. Not if you're a window cleaner though. A great deal window cleaners suffer less serious injuries that result in several days off work.
What's The Solution?
The window cleaning pole/water fed pole
What is a window cleaning pole/water fed pole?
A window cleaning pole/water fed pole is basically an extended carbon fibre (or other materials) pole that is made in sections that extend. You can generally get them in various sizes from 10ft to 45ft and higher, though it is considered a little pointless going higher as they are less effective.
The process of and methodology behind the pole is where pure water is pumped through a hose reel, up the telescopic window cleaning pole/water fed pole and passes through jets. These jets are located in the brush that is found at the top of the window cleaning pole. These jets spray a light stream onto the surface of the glass and the operator just agitates glass loosening the dirt. With simple upwards and sideways movements the glass is clean in a matter of seconds.
Any dirt or dust particles held within the glass are simply flushed away by the constant stream of water from the jets.
Can you use normal tap water to wash a window?
The simple answer is yes. Well, yes and no actually. You can get your window clean using normal tap water, but the water has calcium particles and lots of impurities that would be left on the glass once the water dries. You would have that milky white effect where you'd be able to write your name. Not what I would call a clean window.
Pure Water You Say?
By pure water, I mean of distilled water or de-mineralised water. This water doesn't exist naturally. It has to be made by using a process of de-ionised resin vessels, pre filters, filters and water softeners. It's quite a simple process and pure water can be made either in a van, office or even your home. My pure water system is nicely packaged in my garage at home.
When this pure water is applied to the glass by way of the window cleaning pole/water fed pole, there is no mineral content or calcium etc; thus, when it dries on your glass your windows are perfectly clean since the pure water has been able to absorb the dirt.
Flexibility
Window cleaners using these poles can now reach those hard to reach places with ease and without any risk. Since they don't need to use ladders anymore, window above conservatories and extensions are a breeze. Windows that are 3 and 4 storeys up can now be cleaned with ease. These poles also allow you to clean window frames and window sills at the same time which gives the client an extra service and allows the window cleaner to obtain more work!
Deionized water is also spelled deionised water or called DI water. Another name for it which sounds a little more understandable for many people is demineralised water. However it is called or spelled, it means water that has extremely little ions or minerals in it. Ions are charged atoms. Atoms become charged after gaining or losing at least one electron. A sodium atom (Na) becomes a sodium ion after losing an electron (Na+). A chlorine atom (Cl) becomes a chloride ion (Cl-) after gaining an electron. Metallic salts are composed of ions and not molecules. That is why they are called ionic compounds. The popular example has just been given. Table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) and it is a popular household ionic substance. For those who have forgotten basic chemistry, NaCl is not composed of molecules of NaCl but is actually composed of ions of Na+ and Cl- bound tightly together by strong electrostatic forces. However, water does the trick in separating these ions. As table salt dissolves in water it dissociates to its component ions. The same thing happens to any other salts in water, and because water is a remarkable solvent, it is never found in pure form, but has always impurities. Filtration and chlorination of water may remove organic impurities and bacteria, but minerals may still be present. These minerals are present in form of ions like calcium (Ca++) and magnesium (Mg++) as well as chlorides, nitrates and carbonates. Though water that contains minerals or ions may not be a health concern, it has some industrial drawbacks. For instance, tap water, which has lots of ion impurities leaves stains or spots on surfaces when used as a cleaning agent. This is where deionization steps in.
Deionization is the process of removing ionic impurities in water. It is also called demineralization. In the industrial scene, this may involve two phases. The first phase removes positive ions of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. They are displaced by hydrogen ions (H+). The second phase removes negative ions like chloride, nitrate, and bicarbonate. These are then displaced by hydroxyl ions (OH-). The resulting water teems with hydrogen and hydroxyl ions, which actually fuse to form water molecule. Both phases use resin beads which serve as an ion exchange site.
The resulting water is said to have no pH value since there are no ions to measure the pH by. However, water that is stripped of its ions is a more aggressive solvent. If left in an open container, it sucks carbon dioxide from the air. This results to an acidic solution causing water to assume a lower pH value. Nevertheless, heating the solution to the boiling point may remove carbon dioxide and restore water's deionized quality.
There are controversies as to the effects of demineralised water upon drinking it. There is a fear that because it is too pure it may actually be harmful to humans. Extremely pure water will rob the body off its useful electrolytes or ions. The matter with this claim is that it is based upon little evidence.
Industrial purposes of deionized water can never be refuted. It claims extensive application in the semiconductor industry as it is used during processing and cleaning of materials like silicon wafers. The optics industry also relies on this type of highly pure water, since optical surfaces are supposed to be extremely clean as a requirement for coating. Laboratory glasswares are rinsed in DI water as tap water is never recommended for this purpose. Water that is devoid of ions is also used in car wash shops. It is also very suitable and is in fact used in window cleaning. The efficacy of this pure water as a cleaning agent is due to its aggressiveness as a solvent, since water that contains no dissolved ions will tend to draw ions or solutes from the surroundings and surfaces. This means no spots or stains is left on surfaces.
Furthermore, in the manufacture of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, DI water is often used because it does not contain impurities that may cause unwanted reactions with other substances used in these products.
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