Mike, I am not trying to bust anyone's balls here. I am just trying to become informed on this business the best that I can before I build my roof cleaning setup. I enjoy all the info I am getting here.
And WE enjoy YOU ! The way roof cleaning knowledge is gained is to Challenge the accepted wisdom. By ALL means, question me, never accept anything. This is good. The "accepted" wisdom years ago, when i started cleaning roofs in tampa was that NO pump would work for roof cleaning, except 12 volt Flojets and Shurflo's. I challenged this wisdom, out of necessity, and try to share the results of my experiences. I spent a LOT of money on roof cleaning pumps that did not work out for me, until I finally found one that did. The Yamada Air Pump is the result of many failed efforts, and expensive disappointments. Back when we switched to the Udor's, I had 3 roof cleaning trucks. 2 full time trucks, and one back up truck. I only bought the Udor's because they were "guaranteed". After an investment approaching 4 thousand dollars, I found out Udor's "warranty" was useless as balls on a Priest. I was told by Udor "The pumps are working for everyone else". Well, guess what ? Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa is NOT "everyone else". We are a REAL roof cleaning company, doing from 3 to 5 roofs a day, per truck, and back then, 6 days a week! Just because some wanna be roof cleaning pump "works" for someone doing a few roofs a week means nothing to me! The Yamada is the ONLY pump I have ever found that can take it. There may be even better air diapraghm pumps then the Yamada ? We have not used every brand of these pumps. Because when I find a roof cleaning pump that works, I ride that puppy for all I can. Been riding the Yamada's almost 4 years now, and it has been a good ride. Breakdowns now are more the pump wore out kind, rather then chemically related. We got over a year on the Poly Yamada, before the diapraghms went out. I replaced the diapraghms, and it went anther 6 months before the poly body leaked. End of pump! These pumps are ONLY about 250.00 dollars NEW !!! A good, used pawn shop compressor for 300 dollars, and you are IN the roof cleaning business ! They Yamada NDP 15 FPS come up on Ebay used for 125.00 all the time. The smaller Yamada NDP 10's and NDP 5's are even cheaper, but with less GPM. They can be used with a smaller air compressor then the NDP 15 series roof cleaning pumps. I have a friend using the baby Yamada NDP 5 with a tiny air compressor who HAD a Delavan. He said he will NEVER go back to a 12 volt pump again. He has over a year and a 1/2 on this roof cleaning set up.
I just looked at the Yamada pumps at Dultmeir http://www.dultmeier.com/products/search/1312
There are so many NDP-15 pumps to choose from. Which one is the best to get, or a good one to get for pumping SH solution? Also, why are you guys saying 15 gpm, I see 12 gpm listed on the NDP-15 pumps.
-- Edited by sjordan at 11:07, 2009-01-22
GPM is related to compressor size. The bigger the air compressor, the more GPM the pump will do. We have a HUGE Rol Aire 17.9 CFM compressor we seldom use. With THAT compressor, the flow is so much we have a hard time with run off. ONLY on big commercial roof cleaning jobs do we bring in the bad boy compressor! The Rigid is a powerful compressor, with a little more CFM then the pump really needs. Yamada calculated 15 GPM with THAT compressor. You want either the Yamada NDP 15 FPS or the Yamada NDP 15 FVT The FVT is a Kynar pump with Teflon, and the FPS a poly pump with Santroprene. We like the FLAT check valves, they prime better when pulling from the tops of the tanks. The Kynar pump lasts longer w/o rinsing, but is 3 times the cost! ALL my trucks have the Kynar pumps, but I think the Poly pump, if rinsed out, will be all the roof cleaning pump anyone would want. Look at the CFM specs of the Rigid Compressor, and you will see why we use it ?
Chris I am about to put mine together......finally! Which one of these is the pump and is there a better place to buy it? I have gthe fatboy and I am sick of the batteries! I have 2 deep cycle marine batteries and it gets old charging them and cleaning out the pump everyday, I want it simpler, I want a kynar pump that I dont have to rinse out and I already bought the compressor (LIKE YOUR RIGID) I just want to make sure I am buying the right pump. I honestly dont care about 15gpm I really would like to get 5 to 8 gpm so let your homie know and I will post pics when I am done
Check this link out: It looks like it packs a punch. http://fluids.ingersollrand.com/IS/product_nospecs.aspx-en-3883
Never tried ARO Pumps. The Yamada worked for us, and we have stuck with them. It is an air diapraghm pump, and has a BIG advantage for roof cleaning chemicals because of the type of pump it is. I see no reason why it will not work, and work well. Several other companys make air diapraghm pumps. However, I am reluctant to suggest a pump company we have no knowledge of.
I checked Home Depot's website, and they don't sell the Rigid Wheel Barrow air compressor's anymore. What about this one instead: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=77808-67702-EC2510E&lpage=none
I saw your pics of Club BellaVita and finally I know who got the job. Nancy Triggs had contacted me to clean the club house & I told her that she needed to clean the roof also. Well you got the roof job & I cleaned the club house. It was a lot of work and was very dirty.
Do you have any knowledge on Pacer gas powered chemical pumps ? They have one that is powered by a 148cc, Briggs + Stratton, + builds to 44 psi. It can pump up to 8700 GPH. It has a thermoplastic pump, with EPDM seals, + sells for $ 250.00. Would this work for a start up operation ?
Do you have any knowledge on Pacer gas powered chemical pumps ? They have one that is powered by a 148cc, Briggs + Stratton, + builds to 44 psi. It can pump up to 8700 GPH. It has a thermoplastic pump, with EPDM seals, + sells for $ 250.00. Would this work for a start up operation ?
No, they will not work well, nor last long. These are centrifugal pumps, and lose flow drastically as head is increased. The roof cleaning chemical attacks the shaft, and they will leak all over quickly. STAY AWAY IF roof cleaning was "as easy" as orderinng something from Northern Toll for 250,00, there would be little need of roof cleaning forums ? Iw as a good question you asked, and a common one. The answer is no. BUT, spend less for a Delavan, get a better roof cleaning pump!
I checked Home Depot's website, and they don't sell the Rigid Wheel Barrow air compressor's anymore. What about this one instead: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=77808-67702-EC2510E&lpage=none
I was in Home Depot yesterday and the other location on Monday and they are in the stores, maybe old stock but they are there.
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Superior Power Washing Chris Chappell 361-853-2513 Cleaning Shingle and Tile Roofs in Corpus Christi Texas No Pressure Roof Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas       Texas Certified Roof Cleaner   Â
I checked Home Depot's website, and they don't sell the Rigid Wheel Barrow air compressor's anymore. What about this one instead: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=77808-67702-EC2510E&lpage=none
I was in Home Depot yesterday and the other location on Monday and they are in the stores, maybe old stock but they are there.
The Home Depot here still stocks the Rigid. It is the same price as the one you posted.
I checked Home Depot's website, and they don't sell the Rigid Wheel Barrow air compressor's anymore. What about this one instead: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=77808-67702-EC2510E&lpage=none
Hello, My name is Dan Shay. I live in West Virginia and I own a home improvement company in Wheeling, WV. My store supplies windows, doors, siding, gutters and kitchens to the local contractors as well as home owners. We also install all of the products we sell. I have been asked many times by my customers when we finish a siding job what can be done about their roof. Thanks to this forum I have some of the answers. I have been following this forum for a couple of months and getting a lot of information on the roof cleaning business that I am about to start.
Chris, You recently posted a link to Yamada Pumps that have a split manifold pump. What is your opinon concerning the manifold pump vs. the system that you are using now? Would you advise the split manifold pump over the system you are now using?
Thanks everyone for allowing me to listen in and learn from you. I will be posting more frequently with questions and concerns because I do not hardly understand all I know about roof cleaning. I'm a hillbilly from West Virginia, what can I say??
For my Yamada 15 poly I bought a 4way pvc t glued on 3 male adapters and one female adaptor I twisted on 3 threaded ball valves then put a plastic hose barb fitting on the end of each ball valve and one in the female coming out of the 4 way. One from the water tank one from the shc and one from the mix. This lets my chemicals stay fresh longer. I put my water and my shc in add in the rest of the ingredients then switch it to the mix tank I let it circulate for a few minutes then spray the roof when I am done I put the head of my spray hose inmy mix tank and turn on the valve for the water and this flushes my pump and hoses and puts 10gallons in thetank for the next mix .
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Holt Construction & Cleaning
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