Photo courtesy of Paul Kelly (prototype tester) of Clean n Clear in Bathgate.
Introducing the new Micro Trolley, (makers of the Aquatap), the first ever trolley developed to replace the backpack. Features include pole carrier, DI carrier and Hose wrap. Now you can afford, for all your employees to have one.
Water Fed Pole equipment does not get any better than this, the Micro Trolley overcomes previous problems associated with trolley systems. All the parts you see on the trolley slide off in seconds. Even the handle is detachable. Now there really is no need to be lifting heavy weights around all day, as one 25L containers can be slotted in when needed. And refilled by your on board DI tank.
Other waterfed pole trolley systems have you lifting 60 litres of water at a time. Other trolleys have not been designed with lifting in mind or pulling with one hand like we regularly do. Large wheels for very easy manoeuvrability through loose chippings or up and down kerbs or stairs.
Detachable handle designed to pull or push the trolley with one hand to leave the other hand free for other use.
Centre of gravity very low, coupled with the large wheels means it is very easy to manoeuvre even in the tightest of places, and assures its very stable standing on its own while in use.
The Micro Trolley is not to be confused with an occasional use sack truck, this is made to last and Aquatec Systems are so confident of its strength they have put a lifetime guarantee on the trolley frame.
Battery lasts all day and takes around 6 hours to charge.
DI carrier:
Ideal to fill the container in a soft water area from the customers tap while you work.
This carrier can be taken off in seconds if not needed.
Most of the time you will just be replacing an empty container for a full one but in a soft water area consider this. You are working in a housing estate cleaning houses very close to each other. Now most people have garden taps. You have just cleaned a couple of houses and your container is nearly empty and as you go round the back of the house where there is a tap, you hook the DI up to the tap and carry on cleaning the back windows of the house. By the time you finish the back windows your container is full again and you are ready for another two or three houses. Sometimes it may not be worthwhile, but sometimes it will be very worthwhile.
Technically speaking someone who cant manage to lift full containers easily will never have to lift one again..
Ideal for soft water areas.
For a limited time only this carrier and the pole carrier will be supplied FOC with all trolley sales.
Pole carrier: Ideal for storing your pole while walking with the trolley. This carrier can be taken off in seconds if not needed. Also doubles as a handy place to wrap your hose round or hang your hose.
Sometimes it's handy to rest your pole on your shoulder while you walk from window to window or house to house, but sometimes it's really handy to just have your pole in a pole holder leaving one hand completely free while you pull or push your trolley around. Ideal for any size pole. For a limited time only this carrier and the DI carrier will be supplied Free Of Charge with all trolley sales.
The pole carrier can be taken off in seconds if not needed.
Securing Bracket: Ideal for securing your trolley or trolley's in the back of the van. Bolts to the van floor. Push the trolley over the receiving piece and insert the pin giving it a turn, and your trolley is secured. We worry about securing tanks and other items in the back of the van and forget about our trolley. A trolley hurtling forward in a collision can do quite a bit of damage. Ideal for Securing your trolley. For a limited time only this securing bracket, pole carrier and the DI carrier will be supplied Free Of Charge with all trolley sales.
The AquaTap - will probably replace all existing methods of water control you have at the moment.
Peter Fogwill of AquaTec is on the verge of releasing a new AutoBrush (original AutoBrush here) to be named the AquaTap. An update on the new Aquatap: - The tooling has started and the Aquatap will be in full production & on sale by the end of July at the latest. It will be be available to buy widely in the UK & at WCR in the States. The buzz is on Peters forum here & will probably replace all existing methods of water control you have at the moment. Peter explains..
In a nutshell: "It's a simple device on top of the waterfed pole (before the angle joint) for water control weighing in at 2.5
ounces or 75 grams (75 grams feels like the same as a black
plastic angle joint.)" "It fits on any pole in seconds, makes no
difference if the hose is internal or external, makes no difference if
the pole is telescopic, modular, or whatever." "It makes use of your own hose, your
own brush, your own gooseneck or angle joint." "Controls water from a
trickle to full blast as well as off and on." "A simple quarter turn on
the bottom of the pole operates it." "No need to remove your hands from
the pole, or even reposition a hand on the pole, or take your eyes off
the brush." "It only takes seconds to fit." "Works as good with hot water as it does
with cold." "Only one moving part, so very reliable." "You work the way you
have always worked, with the equipment you have always worked with." "And for the unscrupulous among us Patent applied for."
Peter says, "there's been a delay due to me wondering which direction to take with it, however its full steam ahead now. Peter goes on to explain "it fits on any pole, with any brush." "1/4 turn to start the water, 1/4 turn to stop the water, and like a tap you may want anything in between." "This means no adapters are necessary & fits on to any pole in about the same time it takes to fit an angle joint," Peter says "it really is just plug and play." "The cost is another significant factor, and at around £35, it is priced to sell."
Peter explains how it works.. "The water passes in the top connector and when the valve is open passes down the tool and out the bottom connector." "When the valve is closed the water is held in the top part of the tool and not allowed to move down and out the bottom part." "The valve is opened and closed with a quarter turn, the brush being held against the window, and the bottom of the pole being turned" "The hose connections you see in the picture is for 4mm inside diameter hose, but they can be changed for any size of hose."
"Maybe this will help." "Imagine just now you are holding the pole with your brush on the glass, you try and turn your pole a quarter turn and it won't move." " Now imagine putting the AquaTap on the top of the pole, it can turn a quarter turn, so now when you turn the pole the bottom of your pole will make a quarter turn, and when it does it turns the water on.""And when you turn it back a quarter turn it goes off again." "If you hold the bottom and the top of the Aquatap it will turn and stop one way, then you can turn it back." "That turning back and forth is moving something inside the Aquatap that allows the water to pass through, or its stopped by passing through depending if its open or shut."
So it's pretty maintenance free?
"Yes there is only one moving part." "If you think of your household tap
and how that works, it's much the same, and should be that reliable." "You
turn the tap on water flows, you turn the tap off water stops." "You are
doing the exact same thing with this except instead of turning a lever
on the tap, you are turning the bottom of the pole."
Takes seconds to fit
Variable flow control
Water control on/off by 1/4 turn of WFP
Lightweight, 2.5
ounces or 75 grams
No need to remove your hands from
the pole
Only one moving part, so very reliable
Fits any pole
Any hose configuration (outside or in)
Can take hot/cold water
Safe operation, no need to take your hands off the WFP
Today we are talking to Peter Fogwill of the new Hotwash Water Fed Pole Window Cleaning System from AquaTec that he devised to clean better with less spotting. With this system you can work when others can't & work faster as well. Peter has a well known forum that many window cleaners pay a visit to & the first major window cleaning forum ever from an independent supplier - you can visit it here. Peter operates from Broxburn on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland & is well known in the window cleaning sector for his inventions, especially his WFP window cleaning trolley that was one of the first ever on the market. I still have his original trolley from all those years a go!
You sometimes go AWOL for a few days – are you a fisherman or a sailor?
I do like fishing, but that is not where I disappear to for a few days. When I get a bit busy at work I have to stay away from the forums because I get so involved. It's not as bad nowadays with you and the other moderators looking after things so I know its in good hands and doesn't need me full time. I just find it hard when people ask questions not to answer, and before I know it I am on for hours.
Would that be your chosen profession if you weren’t involved in window cleaning?
Not Applicable, If I wasn't involved in window cleaning believe it or not I would quite fancy being a chef, I like cooking.
How long have you been a window cleaner & how long have you been supplying window cleaning gear?
I first started cleaning windows about 31 years ago when I was 18 and have been in the business ever since. I am a great believer in getting the work done as fast as possible whether to earn more money per hour and spending more time with the family. I remember working in Jersey in my early days and watching the workers in the company I worked for and thinking there is far too much time wasted here. What the guys did was cleaned the front of the house, carried the ladder round the back and went back round the front for the bucket. Not much time wasted on each house but multiply that by the amount of times it was done in a day, and all the other time wasting that was going on, and it mounts up to a considerable amount over the day. Since then I have always looked for ways of getting the job done faster, and would like to think that I have succeeded to a certain extent with the time saving tools I have developed over the years.
I started selling equipment on a small scale around 20 years ago with my "Ladder Stays" and then "SqueegeeMate," and went full time with the water fed pole window cleaning equipment around 10 years ago.
What was your first ever window cleaning invention & what did it do?
The first one were my Ladder Stays. They secured the ladders on to the roof rack. All you did was place the ladders on the roof rack and pulled a bar over and that was the ladders secured, no tying or screwing a bolt down like with J hooks. This was a great time saving over the day, and it was much safer as well as there was no chance of forgetting to tie the ladders on. How many times have you done some damage to your vehicle with forgetting to tie the ladders on? Although I sold quite a number of sets, I was never going to make a business out of it as the majority of window cleaners would rather spend more time tying the ladders on to save spending money. My most significant invention, and the one most people will remember is my “SqueegeeMate,” (pictured right) it was an applicator that attached to the squeegee to allow the soaping and squeegeeing to be done at the same time. Again there was a great time saving, as it had lots of advantages, including no mess to mop up cleaning inside offices etc. It was never going to be a business as most people had to be personally shown how to use it before they became hooked. I did do a couple of trade shows in the USA and here in the UK and always had a lot of interest.
You had a flood a couple of years a go at your workshop – did that knock your work back considerably?
It was my house that got flooded, and we were out the house for a full year. It did take a bit of time away from me work wise as there was a lot of sorting out to do, back and forth with the workmen and insurance companies.
Which is your favourite window cleaning invention of yours?
Probably the “SqueegeeMate,” I saved a lot of time over the years using it, and got a lot of pleasure seeing the look on peoples faces when they get to see one being used properly. I did at one time have a whole pile of letters from people thanking me for making their job a lot faster and easier.
You were telling me about how your first mobile trolley brought some sniggers from other manufacturers on it’s first release. Are you happy now that they followed your lead?
Yes, it has been the only successful trolley to use 2 x 25 litre of the time containers at once. When I first got into water fed poles there was only one trolley that had either a 50L or 60L capacity, and that was a fixed tank. What people had to do was lift a 25L container and hold the weight of it the whole time it emptied into the fixed tank, a bit of a task doing that all day. My trolley was the first to have a container slide into it, much easier work and much faster. It was also designed to come apart very easily, and more importantly fit in any vehicle, as most window cleaners use small vans or cars. I wanted to make water fed pole window cleaning available to the masses as the current suppliers then were only interested in the larger companies with fleets of vans, and their prices at that time reflected that.
At the time I was getting into water fed poles in the early days there was about 3 other companies getting into it at the same time, and we were sort of helping each other out. I soon stopped any associations with them when they tried to dictate my pricing structure, they wanted me to overcharge to make their pricing structure more realistic.
There has been people asking for a mobile hot wash trolley for a while – you are the first – how long have you been working on this?
It happened by accident, I hadn't really though of the possibility of having a water heater on a trolley, I was thinking that if they had a water heater in the van they could transfer the water from the van to the trolley. It was only when I had discovered the propane heater that I realised it can easily be housed on a trolley with a well thought out design.
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You have released the new window cleaning hot wash trolley for water fed pole work – do you really believe hot gives a better clean?
Yes, I do now after a few people who have had the trolley out on trial assure me that it does, and it uses less water, and is a bit faster as well. I have in the past been telling people that hot water will have no advantage on regularly cleaned windows. The reason I pressed ahead with the hotwash for this winter was the desperation on the window cleaners faces during the cold spell last winter. In my area it was around six weeks the water fed pole window cleaner wasn't able to get any work done, and it is not much fun if you have a mortgage and kids and no money coming in. I had people coming along with 400L blocks of ice in the back of their vans. I had sold them the system in the first place and felt helpless and guilty that they were not able to get their work done. I pulled out a diesel water heater I had bought around three years before and went to work on it. I soon discovered that with all the parts needed to build a diesel hot water system the price the customer was having to pay was around the £2000 mark, and that was quite a bit more than their water fed pole system cost in the first place. I couldn't expect them to pay that amount just to keep them working during the cold weather. After all we are only wanting to heat some water, how hard can that be.
How hard was it trying to find a certified gas heater to use in the field?
I had to look for something else and I remembered I had done some research years before on gas water heaters. There was a particular one I found that I thought would be ideal, but the company never bothered getting back to me. After around 3 months on the internet and getting nowhere I finally found a company who could supply me with what I needed with all the relevant certification, so I got samples and started testing etc, I have just took delivery of a batch before the holidays, and will soon be able to do a full van based hotwash water fed pole system including water treatment and 40' pole for less than the competitor's water heater.
So what has the response been so far?
I am pleased to say that I did what I set out to do and had a reasonably priced hot water system in place for the guys mentioned above. One of them came along with his blocks of ice floating about in his van. He wasn't aware of the Hotwash as he doesn't use any forums, he was one of the guys working away in -10 temperatures and he phoned me next day delighted that he was able to do his work, and told me his Christmas tips he would have missed out on more than paid for his heater.
Is there danger of cracking a window with a heated water fed pole system?
It would be possible although in all my time window cleaning I have never heard of it actually happening. I suppose in certain circumstances it could be possible, i.e. very hot water against very cold glass. I would also think the glass would have to be pretty thin. In all my days living in Scotland in very cold winters I have used hot water in my squeegee bucket to keep me working and never once cracked a pane of glass. I would also use hot water to melt the ice on my windscreen in the morning, and again have never cracked a windscreen.
How hot does the water need to be?
The thing is with the HotWash system you don't have to have the water piping hot, but just hot enough to get the water out the brush without it freezing. It is handy though to have the facility to really heat the water well, here in Scotland just before Christmas I had a couple of guys working away in -10 degrees and with the heater up full the water coming out the brush was nice and warm. By the time it took the water to travel through a 100M hose along snowy ground it did cool it down somewhat. We also sussed out that a pre-heat into the tank on full power for a few minutes before starting, ensured no problems with the water freezing on the way to the heater. It was very exceptional being this cold and would have used more gas than normal, but it did get the lads working at probably the most important time of the year.
Do you still run a window cleaning business today?
No not now. I gave up my window cleaning business around 10 years ago when I started selling the equipment, I do still go out occasionally when I need to try out new equipment.
Why are prices so low in Scotland for window cleaning, is it solely demographics?
The prices in the cities are probably on par with the prices in the other cities in the UK, I think the prices are dictated mainly by the speed of the window cleaner themselves. Any time this subject has come up in the window-tools forum it usually works out that the prices earned per hour is much the same as most places in the UK. A window cleaner cleaning windows on the south coast of England where an average 3 bed semi is around £25-£20 compared to £6-£8 here in Scotland, you will find that the window cleaner charging £6-£8 is cleaning 2-3 times more house per hour. When I worked for a week in Dallas we were cleaning 2-3 houses per day but the houses were priced much higher than they are here, and most of them have the insides done as well, and are only cleaned once or twice a year. I went with a chap to price a couple of shops downtown, and although he priced them roughly double my estimate, when I asked him to estimate how long the job would take him, his estimated time was about double mines. And after working with him and his squad for the day, I was working at about double the speed they were.
I usually don't get involved with the politics of licensing etc. When I cleaned window I was the only one of about 5 window cleaners in my village that was licensed, and in all my time cleaning window I was never once asked if I was licensed, or to show it. I would think it would be a good idea if it stopped undesirables from working in and around peoples property, but unfortunately they would just not bother getting a license in the first place.
Why the domain name ‘window tools’ & not ‘window cleaning tools?’
Going back around 12 years when I first decided to get my website I wanted to keep it as short as possible. I was after windowcleaning.com or windowcleaning.co.uk but they were both taken. Things have changed now and if I knew then what I know now I would have had something with window cleaning. I remember When I first went on the internet I did a search on Yahoo (there was no google in them days) for window cleaner, and there was not even one result, now there is nearly 6 million.
You have a pretty remarkable forum, are you surprised at it’s success?
Yes I remember starting it off and only having a handful of members, thanks to you, Jeff, Carl and Richard it is still going strong after all these years, and is going from strength to strength.
We currently have 3965 members, and probably another one before I finish typing this answer.
Who do you admire in the window cleaning world & why?
Probably people like Jeff Brimble who are always thinking ahead and are not afraid to try anything new. He is a bit like myself and always looking for better ways to do things.
If you could go back in time – what would you do differently?
That is a difficult one. Since being involved with water fed pole equipment and all the things I have been involved in over the last 9 years, it has really been an eye opener for me. I can now do things I would never have thought possible, things that people do a four year apprenticeship for. I now know that you can learn anything you want to learn very easily if you have an interest, even if you have not had a university degree.
After the hot trolley – what next?
Probably one of the many projects I have started and not finished off. I suppose the time has to be right. I have been working on an additive for adding to water but had to put it aside to get the HotWash sorted out. As soon as I have the time I will get back to that one. Jeff & I tried to sort something out a number of years ago, but at that time we didn't manage it. We have learned a lot since then though, and I think it is about time now. I will also have to get back to the clampless pole which is well overdue.
What is the most important part of the waterfed kit & why?
I would say the brush, for the same reason as the rubber is with traditional methods. It is the part that is in contact with the glass. Nothing else makes such a big difference if you are using the wrong one.
Did Jeff (Brimble) ever collaborate with you on some of your inventions?
Like I said earlier, Jeff & I tried to get an additive for the water. What we wanted was for the water to sheet off the glass better, particularly glass that the water beaded up on. I don't know if Jeff has given up on it or not, it would be interesting to find out. If I do get something sorted out when I think I am close, then Jeff would be the first person I would give a sample to for his opinion. If Jeff liked it I would know I was on to a winner.
You’ve been working on new water fed poles, but hit setbacks – is this a supplier problem or engineering problem?
A bit of both to be honest, I asked for something that was not the norm’ in manufacturing capabilities, and what I got was unsatisfactory. I spent a lot of time and money and I tried desperately to make it work, and when it didn't the project went to the back of the queue. Again I have learned a lot since then, and as soon as I have the money and the time to put into it I reckon it will be right this time. I still have my Patent Pending and it will be for a few years due to the backlog at the Patent office so I still have plenty of time, and one day it will be available.
In a waterfed pole is lightness or robustness the main priority for you?
Probably for me robustness as a supplier. It wouldn't be any good to me if poles didn’t last at least a year as it would cost so much in replacements. I normally ask a customer if he will be using a pole himself or if it will be a worker. If using themselves then a lighter pole is possible, but if it is an employee, then it is more advisable to purchase a considerably stronger, heavier pole.
What do you think the future of window cleaning will be?
I would think it will be very small amounts of water. I don't want to say to much about it at the moment as it is something I have messed about with in the past, and yes, I’ll be putting in more work on the idea, sometime in the near future. It may well progress to the supply stage next time around, or it may go to the back of the queue for a future release. As they say watch this space.
To buy the heater please visit Window-Toolsand click on the buy it now button. You can also visit the forum here and read the first post about the HotWash. Suppliers are welcome to contact Worldwide.
Alternatively ring Peter direct on 07751 964 450
Or email peter@window-tools.com
Peter Fogwill of Aquatech systems & the Window Tools forum has been a little quiet lately. It was a sharp eyed forum member that spotted the following text in the paper. We all hope that Peter makes a recovery from this set back.
DOZENS of people will be left homeless for six months or more after severe floods swept through a West Lothian town. Fire crews had to rescue families from their homes using a dinghy after torrential rain ripped through Broxburn. Around 17 houses were wrecked after the Brox Burn burst its banks late on Tuesday night. Though most of the water has been cleared from the streets, today a major clean-up operation is continuing. The devastation was such that residents have been told by insurance companies to secure rented accommodation for at least six months during the clean-up. At its worst, ferocious torrents of water, almost a metre high, swept through the area, taking with them parked cars and an 18ft cabin cruiser boat. The burn burst its banks at three different points at around 11pm on Tuesday evening and the water surrounded the homes on Newhouses Road and Burnvale near the Hall's meat factory and Keyline builders' yard at the east end of the town. Parts of the road on Burnvale were also washed away, leaving large craters.
The Fogwill family, who live at the bottom of Burnvale, managed to escape through their back window and into a neighbour's house. They have lived in their cottage for 16 years and said they had never seen anything like it, even though the area is prone to flooding. Father-of-three Peter Fogwill said: "We never had a chance to save anything as there was no warning."The woman who lives next door to us suffers from multiple sclerosis and is bed-ridden. The firefighters just made it to her in time. The water was reaching the top of her bed when they got to her."We've been trying to find accommodation, but can't get anything yet because of the time of year with festivals, so we're staying with family."The lady with MS and an elderly couple were taken to St John's Hospital for treatment. No-one else was injured.
Broxburn councillor Graeme Morrice said that West Lothian Council was in the process of finalising a new £5 million flood prevention system for the region.
Peter Fogwill of Aquatech has released a video of Auto-Brush 2 (below), a great way of starting/stopping the water flow from the brush head by tapping the frame with the brush head. The new Autobrush features its on & off switch in the vertical position instead of horizontal. The old way can be viewed here. Peter says "For those who thought it a problem with the water switching off accidentally then this has been addressed. The valves are less likely to be damaged as they are far more protected by the positioning. The bars are far less likely to be damaged because of the very small length. In all a much better way of saving water and time. The bad news is there is a 3 week wait for one." One user states - "it is a vast improvement on the old style due to the different switch position, and its much harder to switch off by mistake unless you're in the habit of slamming the brush on the bottom sill,"
More information & video's at Aquatech. Forum talk here in the WFP section. Previous blog on the autobrush here.
Three reasons why window cleaners need a newly designed pole, is written by Peter Fogwill (pictured) of Aquatec Systems. Peter brought out a rapidly extending pole last year - it is being improved on as we speak & the new version will hopefully be announced soon. The article on water fed poles can be read here. The video shown is of the pole in action. Peter also featured before in this article with his auto-brush & the videos.
If you like the article, you may be interested in: - (click on links).
Peter has been making his own systems now for a few years. This is the first system I bought & its still going strong. I've changed a few things round, but I still use the major parts of Peters original system to carry out my work. Peter originally was in partnership with Mike at Cleantech before they decided to go there own ways. Peter also has his own forum , where many of you will recognise my username of "karlosdaze" & where I do a little moderating. Peter has realised a number of inventions over the last couple of years. The main booster to the company was his trolley system which is still going strong. He also features in Mark Hendersons window cleaning resources DVD on wfp's. Over the last couple of years, Peter has patented the new autobrush & its a favourite among window cleaners. Here are a couple of videos of it in action. The time saving & water saving elements of this unique gadget, make it a must for any wfp'er.
