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Oklahoma Roof Cleaning · Guest

10-11% sh

Reliable Roof Cleaning Jacksonville FL · Guest

Mike

I started my business full time in August. Because my phone was not ringing off the hook with orders for roof cleaning I didn't want to buy my SH in quantity and have it go bad. I searched around and found my local Ace Hardare had 2 very large tanks of 10.5% that they put in 5 gal containers for pool people. I was concerned about the age of the chlorine. The manager told me they have to refill their tanks every 2 weeks. There are a lot of pools in Florida. When I need chlorine I pull up to the tanks and they pump into my roof tank as many gallons as required for my mix.

I have not had a problem with stale chlorine. 10.5% will work you just need to change the ratio of chlorine to water to get the same concentration.

Example of 50% mix for tile roofs. (you can change the ratio for asphalt shingle roofs)

100 gallon mix of 50 gallons SH (12.5%) and 50 gallons water. 6.67% concentration.

100 gallon mix of 50 gallons SH(10.5%) and 50 gallons water. 5.54% concentration.

Change the ratio to 60% by using 60 gallons of SH (10.5%)

100 gallon mix of 60 gallons SH(10.5%) and 40 gallons water. 6.72% concentration

This gets your mix back to the concentration levels for 12.5% SH.

The only way to know if your source has fresh SH is to test his product. A test kit is the most accurate way but the rub some between your fingers test should tell you if the SH is good enough to use.

Charles

Oklahoma Roof Cleaning · Guest

That makes sense. Is the mix for tiles really that high? 50-50? How much mix for the average tile roof?

LPWash · Guest

How do you test the freshness? Is their a kit that shows you actual percentage like pool/spa test kits?

Reliable Roof Cleaning Jacksonville FL · Guest

There is some information regarding testing freshness of SH on this site. Do a search for "test kit", "test SH" and similar and you should find some information. I believe Lori from Pressure Washing Products posted a link for a test kit. You could also search the internet for test kits.

Tile roofs use a 50/50 mix. Read the tile roof thread.

Charles

-- Edited by cweman on Sunday 6th of December 2009 09:21:39 AM

RoofBright of Florida · Guest

We buy 500 gallons at a time. I have a holding tank at my shop raised on cinderblocks which allows me to gravity feed to the trucks as needed. Chlorine, depending on it's method of storage has a shelf life of 30 days or more. The darker the tank the longer the self life. By purchasing larger quanities we are able to purchase it at .99 a gallon. We normally refill every 10 to 15 days and it maintains plenty of strength. If we do run into a slow period, we simply reduce the amount of water mixed.

Pressure Washer Products · Guest

Great suggestions, guys! Some enemies of SH are heat and organic particles. The dark tank is a fantastic idea if it is away from the sun (inside). There is a test for combined clorine. That test will show you how much available chlorine there is in a solution. A regular pool test kit won't work becuase it is too hot or strong. It will cause the test to flash.

Oklahoma Roof Cleaning · Guest

Godd info Lori,Thanks!

jordande1 · Guest

hi Gary,
your way of lowering cost on SH is smart. would it be possible to show me some photos on how you have the big holding tank assembled?
hope you could share.
thanks
rick

guest

cweman wrote:

Mike

I started my business full time in August. Because my phone was not ringing off the hook with orders for roof cleaning I didn't want to buy my SH in quantity and have it go bad. I searched around and found my local Ace Hardare had 2 very large tanks of 10.5% that they put in 5 gal containers for pool people. I was concerned about the age of the chlorine. The manager told me they have to refill their tanks every 2 weeks. There are a lot of pools in Florida. When I need chlorine I pull up to the tanks and they pump into my roof tank as many gallons as required for my mix.

I have not had a problem with stale chlorine. 10.5% will work you just need to change the ratio of chlorine to water to get the same concentration.

Example of 50% mix for tile roofs. (you can change the ratio for asphalt shingle roofs)

100 gallon mix of 50 gallons SH (12.5%) and 50 gallons water. 6.67% concentration.

100 gallon mix of 50 gallons SH(10.5%) and 50 gallons water. 5.54% concentration.

Change the ratio to 60% by using 60 gallons of SH (10.5%)

100 gallon mix of 60 gallons SH(10.5%) and 40 gallons water. 6.72% concentration

This gets your mix back to the concentration levels for 12.5% SH.

The only way to know if your source has fresh SH is to test his product. A test kit is the most accurate way but the rub some between your fingers test should tell you if the SH is good enough to use.

Charles

Somebody please tell me how you test chlorine between your fingers?

PrestigePressure · Guest

Hey Clyde if it burns like hell then it's probably still good. LOL

guest

PrestigePressure wrote:

Hey Clyde if it burns like hell then it's probably still good. LOL

do you test the chlorine between your fingers just above the black mark on my hand?

Hey guys I think my hands are immune to chlorine, thats why I didn't know what you guys were talking about. I just put chlorine over my whole hand and I didnt feel any thing.

I use a x jet when I wash house and occasionally when I lift the hose out of the bucket it will drip down my boot and on to my foot. Now that burns, one time the chlorine put a hole in my skin, which I have a scar. I guess I just have manly hands. lol

-- Edited by Walk on Monday 7th of December 2009 11:31:47 PM

PrestigePressure · Guest

I wouldn't put SH on any part of my bare skin.

macoto · Guest

PrestigePressure wrote:

I wouldn't put SH on any part of my bare skin.

LOL!!! Agreed aww

RoofBright of Florida · Guest

When the wife get's back in town with the camera (visiting grandbabies) I'll snap some pics and post them. It very easy to do. I stacked 5 courses of cinderblocks and topped them with a skid. I then sat the tank on top. I attached 20 ft. 3/4 inch braided hose and a ball valve. Very simple. Gravity feeds quickly and without the need of any sort of pump.

KP Diamond · Guest

Gotta love Newton's Law

stberhard · Guest

To make sodium hypochlorite you bubble chlorine gas in a solution of sodium hydroxide (NAOH), which has a pH of 13 or so... NaOH on your skin immediately soaks in and reacts with the oils to create SOAP. That's why your fingers are slippery, has absolutely nothing to do with chlorine content.

As to the tank/ shelf life issues, get a black tank and paint it white. UV protection and isn't going to suck up the heat like a black one would.

garyw · Dec 11, 2009

RoofBright of Florida wrote:

When the wife get's back in town with the camera (visiting grandbabies) I'll snap some pics and post them. It very easy to do. I stacked 5 courses of cinderblocks and topped them with a skid. I then sat the tank on top. I attached 20 ft. 3/4 inch braided hose and a ball valve. Very simple. Gravity feeds quickly and without the need of any sort of pump.

You must be one "strong" dude to set the tank (55 gal. drum) on top of the blocks.
My 55 gal. drum weighs in at 650+ lbs. I'll call you "SIR"

NJ Roof Cleaner · Guest

Steve.
welcome on board!!
I see you have 15 years working with SH.
please sheare your experince with us.
Ivan

scooter · Guest

Just a curious question about Sh, when you buy a 55 gal drum of it does it not have a date of manufacture on it? Still new and trying to learn. Thanks everyone.

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"