DI, is anyone using this?

[First Impressions]

I also have a window cleaning business and have been wondering about using DI.



Is anyone using the pole and DI system?

If so how much did it cost and are you satisfied with the results?

Does this increase your ability to get jobs, that you might not have bid otherwise?



I can’t afford to buy more stuff and not use it, running out of investment capitol this year.



Thanks for your advice.

[FullBlast]

I may be displaying my weak mind , but what is DI? Maybe I do, maybe not!!!

[squirtgun]

Deionized water...it give a spot free rinse on windows and cars...no need to squeege.

[VanDiesel99]

The winspray system looked interesting. I was considering purchasing this unit and simply spraying soap on windows, scrubbing, then rinsing with the Di water. That way I can do windows as an addon to the commercial establishment with which I have maintenance contracts. This may be accomplished cheaper with a holding tank, DI tanks, and a shurflo pumps as well. So does anybody actually use this system?

[sethfenster]

I haven't gotten into DI yet. Haven't felt the need to. For a proper set up I believe it to cost atleast $1000. I haven't heard great things about the Win Spray system. Mostly that it's not of commercial grade. The Tucker Pole, and The Reach and Wash system seem to be the ones people are talking about.

[First Impressions]

We all see to be at the same thought process. I was thinking of using the system on town houses with 3rd and 4th floor windows. After a fall im not looking to stay on the ground as much as possible.
Hope someone will respond with a satisfaction responce. ( Tucker does sound the best).
thanks for your help and responces.
Dan

[Scott Stone]

I use DI a lot for cars. It does work. for windows you would just have to remember to scrub every inch. I would think that you could get away with a llong pole and brush, and scrub the windows, and then rinse immediately. If you take to long on rinsing, or move too slowly, then the soap will dry and you will have to do it again. This will apply to anything.

Scott Stone

[First Impressions]

Scott, how much did you pay for your system. there seem to be alot of options out there I like the looks of the tank, with the pole and brush. scrub rince and move on, is that what you use?
thanks again Dan.

[MeiersEnterprises]

I'd kill to have a DI system just to wash my black car! Black vehicles are so nice but they have unbelievable spotting problems.

[rscott55]

I have been using DI for about 2 months now. It allows me to wash windows & screens with the pressure washer and the screens still in place. I wash with the PW and then go back and rinse with the DI. I still squeegee the window without the screen, mostly because customers expect it, it isn't really neccessary. The system ran about $500 plus new filters every 300 gallons at about $75. Hope this helps

[Scott Stone]

Sorry to get back so late. I rent the tanks. Ionics, or GE Ionics is who I get the bottles from. For brushes and poles I would find another source than a typical Window cleaners supply. They would probably be a lot more durable and accomplish the same thing from another source. Think a painters supply.

Scott Stone

[First Impressions]

Thanks for the info on renting the tanks, I found a company that will rent them still pricy $180 to change out the tanks but get 5,000 gal before having to change them out. If I exchange tanks with 1 to 2 months.
Still working on it but I appreciate the info.
Dan.
$75 for 300 gal. seems kind of high to, I realy wish I could rent a whole system to try it first.

[Mark Gallison]

We have gotten into the whole DI tucker pole cleaning gig.. Going to work towards having this division be one of our strongest and most profitable.

We had a bracket fabricated to the front of our power washer rig to hold tanks , either DI or soft water bed. We hook up source water directly to the DI bed and use 200' garden hose to feed Tucker water fed poles. We have a 45' and a short 6' pole. The 45' er will reach to four floors.

We hardly ever clean with any detergent just use the DI water. The agitation from the soft pole brush is usually all we need.

We get about 1000 - 1200 gallons thru one tank before depletion so its a little costly per gallon but that’s made up in the time we save using the poles and not climbing up and down ladders. Some will say you can get more but a lot is determined by what the source water is. We measure source water condition and out put water and log and track gallons used with a water flow meter.

Important to have a TDS (total dissolved solids) meter to monitor water quality as if bed is depleted windows will not dry streak free. Washing in direct sun is NIT an issue either.. People freak when they see us leaving water on the glass without squegeeing, but it dries streak free,. streaks are usually caused by dirt particle left behind from the water. With DI the water is almost 100% pure and therefore the water evaporates totally leaving nothing behind

Our next step will be to purchase a RO (reverse osmosis) system and just polish with DI. For now this system works very well.

DI water should not be run through pressure pump tho.. Soft metals do no like the pure water.

Pole cost $489 for the 45' and under $200 for the short one. A few hundred ft of "unkinkable garden hose" and your off.

With this set up we have been able to compete easily with any conventional window cleaner without lowballing. We make a good profit

[Tim McCulla]

I bought the Win Spray system this summer. I did have issues with the equipment - it was missing O- Rings for the filters, Plumbing was hand tight ( I had to remove all the fittings, valves, and and gauges to make it not leak). The company never made good (or even returned any of my six calls to the service) on the the 3.5 inch o-rings, it is a good thing Racor filters use the same o-ring.


With that said, DI water to clean glass is awsome. Especially, the small true devided light windows that seem to becoming standard on the new high end homes. I wish I could use it for the inside. The quality is right there with squegeed glass, in fact I think it is better when you take into account the frames being cleaner.

The cost of the water (filters) and the quality of this entry level equipment does limit how much we use it. I plan to look into a better system.