There has been a wave of technological advances in window cleaning over the past decade. Such innovations have been made in the design of squeegees, soaps, and most importantly safety. This is where pure water cleaning comes to mind. Window cleaners are now able to clean 5 stories with their feet flat on the ground. The term “pure water technology” has been coined within the industry to describe these practices.

How Does The Pure Water System Work?

Lets start with the beginning and ending results. Water is drawn from a particular source (IE: home owner’s water bib or a commercial water supply). This water is far from being pure. In fact this type of water is full of particulates (total dissolved solids [TDS] which are invisible to the human eye) and chemicals such as chlorine or fluoride.  After the water is passed through a 4-5 stage filtration system the water comes out 100% pure. All solids and chemicals are completely removed.

If we take a closer look at the filters, we will have a better understanding how the system works. There are 4 standard filters used during the purification process for window cleaning. Sediment filter, Carbon Filter, Reverse Osmosis Membrane filter, and Deionization Cartridge Filter.

Sediment Filter: used to trap particles, including rust and calcium carbonate. The sediment filter traps the largest type of particles. The sediment filter is used as a pre filter to save the life of the more expensive filters in series.

Carbon Filter: used to remove “invisible” chemicals such as Chlorine.  Chlorine will cause premature wear on most Reverse Osmosis Membranes.

Reverse Osmosis Membrane: use to remove 80-90% of total dissolved solids (TDS) in any form of impure water.  For example, if our input TDS is 100, our output TDS should then be ~ 15-20 parts per million (PPM).

Deionization Filter (DI): used to remove and “polish” the last 10-20% of TDS, thus yielding a 0 PPM- 3 PPM output

How do You Actually Clean the Windows with Pure Water?

After the water had been purified, the water is them pumped through a hose to the end of a Water Fed Pole which has a soft bristle brush attached.  These window cleaning poles are made of light material and telescope up to 80 feet in some instances.

Windows are scrubbed and then rinsed with the pure water. Pure water dries SPOT FREE yielding an impeccable result. The rinsing procedure take places of using a squeegee to drag the dirt off the window.

 

 

The Power of Pure Water and Window Cleaning

There have been many mixed opinions throughout the window cleaning industry about the use of pure water systems for window cleaning.  But in reality, they are very effective if the operated has been trained and knows how to properly wield the pole and brush.

Low rise (~ 6 and lower stories) commercial building is the most practical projects to use a Water Fed Pole system with.  Residential homes which have hundreds and sometimes thousands of true divided light window also merit the use of a WFP. Using pure water for window cleaning can shave hours off a particular job and yield a much cleaner result.

Advantages of Pure Water Cleaning

Safety

The elimination of ladders, lifts, and repelling has dropped the risk of injury ten-fold.  The lack of ladders in high traffic areas instantly decreases the event of an accident to the operator or innocent by standards.

Cleaner Glass and Frames

When using a pure water system for cleaning windows, the operator must clean the frames to ensure a 100% clean window. When cleaning a window with a traditional squeegee, the frames can be left dirty thus allowing a future rain to soil the window at a high frequency.  In addition, when using a squeegee, soap is required for a desired “slip” effect for the rubber to slide across the glass being cleaned. This soap residue is ALWAYS left behind allowing other particulates in the air to stick to the window, also soiling the clean window at a faster rate.

Green Technology

When it comes to the environment, there is nothing safer than the use of pure water. It completely eliminates the use for harsh chemicals or soaps that may damage your property or landscaping.