Troubleshooting Guide

If you are new to water fed pole pure water window cleaning you need to know that as with all things there is a learning curve to doing it right. The first thing you should do is read this guide, then the second thing is to go online and watch as many YouTube instruction videos you can find on water fed pole cleaning techniques.

 

Initial System Flush Out:

  • If the quality issue is with your first couple of cleans it may just be the system flushing the manufacturing impurities out of the filters.
  • Like any new water filter, the process of flushing the system out before production use is required.
  • If the issue persists after flushing the system for 30 to 60 minutes, then look at other potential solutions listed.

 

Test the Water:

  • There may be an issue with the system filter. To determine if the issue is system related test the TDS (total dissolved solids) in the water with the TDS meter that came with your system.
  • First test the source water directly from the tap to see what your local TDS levels are.
  • Then test the water coming out of the System after running it for 5 minutes.
  • If the filtered water is showing as higher than 15 ppm on the TDS meter then there may be an issue with your filter. Contact your retailer to discuss solutions.
  • If the TDS is showing below 15 ppm then the issue is not System related.

 

Too Much Pressure:

  • Another common issue is too much pressure going through the water-fed pole. This can leave streaks and spots on the surfaces.
  • When holding the pole full collapsed in front of you at a 90 degree angle to the ground the water should be hitting the ground 5 to 6 feet in front of you. If it is shooting farther than that = turn the pressure down.

 

Window Glass Types:

  • There are two types of glass, hydrophilic and hydrophobic. Hydrophilic likes water will allow the water to run off the glass as a sheet. Hydrophobic is not a fan of water and it will beads up and sits there.
  • It is important to know what types of windows you are working with, many new construction and commercial windows are now made with a Hydrophobic coating on them which cause water to turn to droplets on the surface rather then sheet across the glass. This will likely cause the water to leave spots on the clean glass surface since it is not rinsing away but is rather drying in spot.
  • If you know you are dealing with Hydrophobic Windows then you should be using a fan jet brush with the water pressure set to nominal levels as outlined above.
  • If you don’t have a fan jet brush you can try turning your water pressure way down to reduce the amount of pooling and spend extra time during the rinse process.
  • It is important to note that some hydrophobic windows come out really well every time if the steps are followed above and others just never seem to dry without leaving spots.

 

Technique:

If the system is functioning with low TDS levels and the pressure is set to the standards above, then any issues with the cleaning are a result of technique. If you are getting spotting or streaking, then the issue may be from the following (as outlined by windowcleaningresources.co.uk):

  • Dirty Frames: This is one of the main causes of spotting. On first cleans ensure you wash the top frame well before moving on the glass. If possible, do all the house frames first, then go back and wash the glass once they have either dried or stopped dripping. Once this has been done, subsequent cleans are easy. Dirt hides on the top frame and pure water will seek it out and leave runs on the glass while they are still dripping.
  • Soap Residue: Soap residue in the window seals will cause spotting, the only way to avoid this is to rinse well, it may take a few cleans to completely remove the years of [detergent] from these seals.
  • Poor Quality Paintwork: Poor quality paintwork on the window frames will cause real problems. The best way to test the paint is to run your finger along the paintwork. If it leaves a white dusty mark on your finger you are going to have problems. Wash the frames thoroughly first and then once they have dried go back to clean the glass, taking great care not to touch the top edge of the window frame.
  • Very Dirty Glass: If you are doing a first initial clean and the glass hasn’t been cleaned in years, then firstly you should price accordingly. (Double for the first clean) Wash all windows and frames. Then go back to the beginning and do them again. However, just the glass this time, not the frames.
  • A Dirty Brush Head: Make sure that the brush heads are kept clean, where possible. Leave them soaking in pure water overnight or between jobs. Don’t leave brushes propped up against walls, it will pick up dust and transfer it to the glass. If you must leave it against a wall, make sure the head is turned away from the wall.
  • Bird Muck: This can be a problem to remove, especially if it’s baked on the glass. My advice is to do these windows first, soaking the offending stuff well. If it doesn’t come off on the first clean you can come back to it once the water has softened it a bit. You can always tilt the brush head a bit and use the edge of the brush to rub it off or get an extension pole with a scraper attached to it to remove it. (Never scrape dry glass, always wet it first).
  • Aluminium Frames: These can cause problems, especially if they are the painted sort and the paint has oxidized. Again, do the finger test. If there is oxidization, I would decline to do them with WFP as the water runs off them looking like milk. If you do them using WFP, Wash the frames thoroughly first and then once they have dried go back to clean the glass, taking great care not to touch the top edge of the window frame.
  • Air Vents: These vents are often situated directly above the glass and contain large amounts of dust and dirt. Avoid vents like the plague. If water gets inside these vents it will drip for ages leaving your nicely cleaned glass with dirty streaks.