Hood Cleaning Hot Water Pressure Washer Trailer Rig vs TRX

[CKS1]

I am confused. I have decided to start a hood cleaning company. I have been in the residential general contracting business for over 20 years. I am an out of work State Certified General Contractor. During this time I have used and hired pressure washers for numerous projects.

As a result of the disaster that is the real estate market crash and the subsequent stoppage of construction activity I decided to look for another industry to work in that would be recession proof.

The area that I live in is very affluent and there are numerous restaurants. Presently there are not enough hood companies to handle the amount of restaurants we have, let alone all the new ones opening all over this area.

It is a safe bet that most of the people who own homes in this area will continue to eat out no matter how bad the economy gets.

As I am not getting any younger, age 44, I want to be able to work with my hands and build up a clientele until I can add a helper, train him, promote him, hire him a helper, and so on.

My problem is that I saw the delco hood cleaning dvd and I thought that I needed a big hot water pressure washer. I went and bought a brand new hydro tek trailer mounted rig, set up a limited liability company, got insurance, printed business cards, got a phone line, got sticker printed, and on and on.

Well, I met a Haitian hood cleaner in Ft. Lauderdale buying chems at the place where I bought my trailer rig on the day I picked it up. So I asked if I could come out with him on a hood clean and he agreed.

He had an old jetter or something and he filled the kitchen sink with water and chems and ran a hose to a wand with a nozzle and he used an on/off switch to turn on the water. Also, he used a pump up sprayer for caustics and that was it. I mean here he was doing a Chicken Kitchen out of a beat up Oldsmobile SUV and the hood came out fine. (I knew right away that I could do a better job, but that’s beside the point).

Well, anyways, I thought that the hot water rig was the way to go. Even though it cost me almost $10K, I thought it would be worth it in the long run. Especially if I could sell sidewalks, drivethru’s etc.

Now, after reading how you guys are using the TRX electric pressure washer I am having buyer’s remorse big time. I mean the guy who sold me the rig surely knew what he was selling me was not the easiest way to get started.

Now to my question finally, for those of you who read this far. What I want to know is did I make a big mistake buying this unit. I mean I haven’t used it yet but I have hoods lined up starting Monday. I could always get by with my old CW machine until I can get a TRX shipped out and then try to get the guy to take his unit back and refund my money.

Or should I keep it and use it for now, and get a TRX anyways once I start adding accounts?

[RMedbery]

He had an old jetter or something and he filled the kitchen sink with water and chems and ran a hose to a wand with a nozzle and he used an on/off switch to turn on the water. Also, he used a pump up sprayer for caustics and that was it. I mean here he was doing a Chicken Kitchen out of a beat up Oldsmobile SUV and the hood came out fine. (I knew right away that I could do a better job, but that’s beside the point).

This part has me confused. What did he do with the chems in the sink? Then he used a garden hose to rinse the hood? How did he do the ducts and fans? You say the hood looked good when he was done, a retarded monkey or even a flatworker can make a hood look good........what about the rest of the system?

Your rig...............you didnt say what the specs were. For 10K.............sounds powerful. You can use it on the fan and ducts..............its going to suck inside though. A TRX is great but it wont do every job you will run up against. I know GA has some sort of 3 day rule on major purchases, maybe FL has the same.

[CKS1]

The machine was an old Baldor electric motor bolted up to a rusty old pump. He had a washing machine hose coming off it that went into the kitchen sink. On the output side he had a pressure hose with QC’s. The pressure hose was connected to a wand w/ no gun. He turned on the water by an electric switch wired into the pump.

The chems in the sink were caustic soda pearls and oven brite and hot water.

Then he ran a pressure hose up on the roof and did the fan and the duct. The system was not cleaned thoroughly, but I suppose with his equipment it could have been.

My rig is

SS30005VG HYDRO-TEK HOT, COLD WATER STEAM PRESSURE CLEANING SYSTEM

3000 PSI @ 5 GPM ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURES TO 250 DEGREE F.

SINGLE AXLE ALL STEEL TRAILER WITH SWING UP JACK

PIVOTING STAINLESS STEEL HOSE REELS

100’ INLET AND 50 FT OF DISCHARGE HOSE

185 GALLON WATER TANK AND STAINLESS STEEL STRAPS

ADDITIONAL COST FOR BATTERY, FUEL, SET-UP AND TEST FEE $200.00

LOW WATER KILL SWITCH FOR AN ADDITIONAL $69.00 (PROTECTS PUMP FROM RUNNING DRY

[northwestern]

Originally Posted by CKS1

I am confused. I have decided to start a hood cleaning company.

I can see why.
've been researching KEC since the fall of 06. Probably should've taken the $10K and got yourself an education. From what I've learned you're gonna need more than "a DVD & some Haitian hood cleaner" training. But I could be wrong?

[mbryan]

I wouldn't worry about it. You will do a much better job with that machine than you would with a TRX just starting out. You could knock the chrome off a trailer hitch with that thing.

Get some larger tips for the inside of the restaurant or you will be knocking down your plastic and having huge messes. I would stick with 15 degree tips or bigger, and be careful about aiming your gun straight down the duct, unless you want to teach your helper a lesson.

[CKS1]

John,

Yeah, you're right. I plan on taking a certification class, but for now, I am going with what I've got. But your point is taken.

FWIW, I have been in business since 1993. I have an education. But yet I am still qualifying myself to you. Go figure.

[RMedbery]

Look at it like this. You have a car you need to take the paint off of. You can either get your 4 horse 12 inch grinder out or your can spray on some killer chem and watch it fall off, either way the paint comes off. Your either use the force young Skywalker or force it off.

[dodsonish]

Originally Posted by CKS1

John,


FWIW, I have been in business since 1993. I have an education. But yet I am still qualifying myself to you. Go figure.

A greaser's edumacation is what you need. KEC is a specialized industry. That $10K could have bought you training and all the tools you need to get started from my favorite KEC school. You will spend at least that learning the trade on your own over a couple of years time. Good luck, you sound eager to make it work.

[HotShot]

Hydrotek makes a great pw. That's a lot of muscle for inside a kitchen, but hey, to each his own. I think you will have more versatility with that machine compared to a TRX or similar, so don't worry about the buyers remorse thing bro.

This is pretty much what I use, so I think I have the Haitian beat

YouTube - Bucket Rinse

[gman2022]

The learning curve for proper hood duct system cleaning is huge. I've been cleaning hoods for over 20 years. 99% of my new accounts have never been cleaned properly. Price for profitability. You may get many new customers, but if you're not making a good profit, what's the sense. Use all the websites you can for help. The greaser's on this site have a wealth of knowledge and are great at sharing it. Everyone has their own preferences. Use common sense-that is your best guide. The unit you purchased will have many applications in the long run. Get a dual lance wand and bypass pressure in areas that too much pressure may be a problem. Good Luck!

[HotShot]

Hey Gary, how are you man?

I use to use the dual lance all the time...for about 2 1/2 years as a matter of fact. That and a Turbo nozzle, but now, since I found this, THIS IS ALL I USE ANYMORE. And for the price, you can keep a couple on hand in case one breaks or gets lost or frozen up or something.

I occasionally still use the Pute` when needed, but for the most part, it's this nozzle on the end of my gun.

[gman2022]

Anthony,
That looks like our soap guns. Get them from Northern Tool. $20 sometimes $17 on sale. I usually buy 6 or 8 at a time. Each rig gets 2. I don't use dual lances anymore either. They are good with high pressure machines when you need to just rinse without the blast. Good for corners so you don't drink any caustic. I'll get my son to take some greaser shots to show you our operation someday. Be well.

[HotShot]

It is a Hi/Low nozzle. Inside, I am usually using it on low pressure, up on the roof and down the duct it's usually on high...well, sometimes

It also is adjusted from zero degree to 65 degree fan spray with a simple twist. I got mine from Bob at PressureTek for around $13.

Here is a link.

[gman2022]

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

[MMI Enterprises]

#8 sounds familiar as being perfect mid pressure for my 5gpm...Hey Ant how would that orifice do off the canister/diy foamer?

ps- Oh WAIT,,do we assume the 8 sizing or what have you is a constant and the high/low is valving it off? Thinking the 8 shoud equal .072 dia. ..that big enough for major foamage under the air applications?