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These are the reason I have very few fittings, and use ball valves, everything is going to leak sooner or later, the less fitting the less leakage , less down time, I see some of these rigs you all build and I think, they will learn. Nothing worse then having to rebuild on a job site.  We keep everything simple. white ball valves with red handle seem to last the longest.

 

Dave

Roof Cleaning Missouri 417-230-8103 wrote:

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These are the reason I have very few fittings, and use ball valves, everything is going to leak sooner or later, the less fitting the less leakage , less down time, I see some of these rigs you all build and I think, they will learn. Nothing worse then having to rebuild on a job site.  We keep everything simple. white ball valves with red handle seem to last the longest.

 

Dave

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I tried the white ones and got tired of switching them. I was only getting 2 to 3 roofs out them before they go out. The other day I had a brand new on in the morning and later in the day I was spraying, went to close the valve, handle was in closed position but it was still spraying away. I didn't notice right away and turned around spraying a bunch plants and almost covered my groundman with love. I got a grey schedule 80 one now and I hope it lasts longer, we'll see. My pump also puts out 150+psi, so I think it is too much for the schedule 40 valves. Jon

I think that really sums it up!

Happened to me.  I went to threaded ball valves.  I carry 3 of different lengths from the straight valve with a nozzle on it to a 5 foot wand.  I also carry a couple extra ball valves and pvc .....................Just in case.

The Roof Cleaners of Chester County Pennsylvania 610-842-2104 wrote:

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It doesn't matter what you use it IS going to break. Why simplify this problem by having all of your hoses made with garden hose fittings on each end. A garden hose fitting is so universal that you can put any garden sprayer on the end of your chemical hose to finish a job if your regular wand breaks. Take it off of your ground man's hose if you have to. I carry about 5 different spray nozzles on each truck. I always have backups.

Ball valve levers break all the time too. You need to plan ahead and make sure you can keep spraying no matter what happens.

Brian

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 Great Post Brian! Ball Valves are so cheap, we always TRY to keep a  few in each of our roof cleaning trucks. But they break, and sometimes me or the guys forget to have a back up. Here in Tampa, a  Lowe's, Home Depot, or Ace Hardware is never far away