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Caution! Potential Freeze Damage is Here!
COLD WEATHER ALERT!
Prevent Freeze Damage
To Your
Truck Mounted Carpet Cleaning Equipment!
The temperatures in our region have been considerably warmer than usual this year, but colder weather is here. Truck mounted carpet cleaning equipment, including tools as well as accessories are very susceptible to freeze damage!
>> Helpful Tips For Preventing Costly Damage To Your Equipment <<
Overnight Options For Freeze Protection:
Option #1. Heated Garage:
The best place to store your van and equipment is in a heated garage. If you don't have one, it would be worth your while to pay a neighbor, friend, or business associate who has one to allow you to use their garage during the very coldest of nights this winter.
Even a minor freeze damage can cost hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars to repair, so keep that in mind when thinking about how much you might offer for a short term rental of their garage.
Option #2. Antifreeze:
Follow your equipment manufacturer's recommendations regarding antifreeze procedures for your specific unit. Keep in mind that the product will be diluted once added to your system, and you need to know to what temperatures the antifreeze will still protect. If you use vehicle antifreeze, you can use a hydrometer to measure the effective level of antifreeze that is in your system.
If you have a fresh water system that includes a water pump to transfer the water to your machine, that pump will need to have antifreeze added, as will your automatic waste pump out.
You should either remove solution hoses and tools from your truck and bring them into your home or office, or make sure that they have antifreeze in them as well.
Option #3. Space Heaters:
Space heaters may be sufficient to keep your truck above freezing, but be certain that the heater has sufficient capacity to keep your entire van above freezing, especially in the area of the truck mount itself.
If you use a fuel fired heater, you will need to leave a slight opening in one of your windows to allow it to vent, which will also cause heat loss. If you use electric heaters, be sure to have an alarm installed that will notify you if you lose power overnight.
Portable Equipment, Accessory & Box van Issues:
Box vans create more challenges in this regard, especially if there is no opening between the box and the passenger compartment.
If you are not certain that you will have sufficient heat distribution to these areas, keep antifreeze in your unit until you arrive at the job site.
Tools & Accessories -
Do not allow metal tools to be in direct contact with metal floors or walls, as the cold temperatures will transfer through the van floor & wall surfaces to the tool & accessory surfaces and then to valves and quick connects. It is not unusual for tools to freeze in an otherwise warm van operating in cold weather areas.
Job Site:
The key to prevent freeze up on the job site is to have water flowing constantly. This means that you will set up your equipment in such a way that the solution lines are hooked up last, then immediately begin to use an inline sprayer, such as made by Hydroforce ™, or to immediately use your cleaning wand.
If you are vacuuming or using a pump up or electric sprayer, do not set up your cleaning hoses and operate your truck mount until you are done with these processes, and leave your vehicle running.
Safety Note:
Never operate equipment inside of garages, or close to a doorway where exhaust fumes containing carbon monoxide can easily enter the building! Such practices have caused illness and death!
CAUTION - If Freezing Occurs . . .
** And, if you discover that your equipment has frozen, do not attempt to start it!
** More damage is caused by creating pressure when ice is within the system than the freeze itself.
** Take your equipment to a warm place, and allow it to thaw slowly.
** Do not use torches or heat guns to melt the ice!
Consult the manufacturer of the equipment or your local service center for diagnosis, needed parts, and repairs.
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Critical “Freeze Warning”:
It is especially important that you protect your equipment in this era in which we live.
(#1) Replacement parts for your equipment can take weeks, even months, to arrive.
(#2) In addition, limited repair labor availability has many service departments booked weeks ahead as well.
Avoid catastrophic downtime losses from one or both of these issues by following the procedures outlined above!
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Upcoming Classes
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January 12-13, 2024
Jim Pemberton's
Fabric Pro Upholstery Specialist Workshop
This unique two day course is absolutely not a "Prep" course to prepare you for another longer certification course. Class size is limited for personal attention purposes, so register today.
In this class you will learn 'What to do" + "When to do it" as well as "How to do it . . . "Hands-On"!
I'll be offering this class in McKeesport, PA.
Click here for class details
Click here for complete Learning Center Calendar
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Also, WELCOME To Our ALL NEW, HANDS ON TRAINING CLASS!
“Pet Friendly Cleaning and Odor Treatment Workshop”
Join us February 2, 2024 here at - McKeesport, PA , with exciting new cleaning procedures and marketing concepts to fit our changed cleaning marketplace.
Hi, Jim Pemberton here:
I've spent the nearly three years of the pandemic studying the effect that the explosion of pet ownership has done to the marketplace, and how you can profit from it (if you are committed to doing the job right!)
In my all new hands on class, the “Pet Friendly Cleaning and Odor Treatment Workshop”, you'll learn the following secrets to success in this field:
1. Why Today's Pet Focused Consumer Buys Cleaning Differently,
and May No Longer Buy it From You!
2. How Pets Have Transformed Society
3. What Opportunities Pet Friendly Cleaning and Odor Treatment
Have for Your Business
4. Your Two Biggest Pet Odor Treatment Challenges
5. Why Pet Odor Treatment Involves So Much More Than Urine Odor
6. Inspection Tools You'll Need
7. Cleaning and Odor Treatment Products You'll Need
8. Pet Friendly Inspection, Cleaning and Odor Control Processes
I'm planning to offer just one of these courses before the end of the year,
and have scheduled it far enough ahead so that you can make plans to be here.
I'll be offering this class at our training center here in Mckeesport, PA on February 2, 2024. Class $349.00.
Class size is limited, so sign up right away!
I'm looking forward to sharing all of this exciting information with you then!
Jim
