Pole work in heat

I clean the office under the metal roof on this end of the building every three weeks and can pretty much do all of it very well except for the five windows that are above the cloth overhang. It is impossible to get to because of the cloth overhang, so I clean it with a pole and a Liquidator. That’s no problem, but I cleaned it yesterday and it was seriously, seriously hard to squeegee because the sun was coming down on the windows and it was drying before I could squeegee. I had to mop it about six times, soaking the mop between applications to the windows, to cool it down enough to not dry. It was only 65-degrees. It took me at least a half hour to clean the entire five panes.

My question: How do you handle something like this (without a water-fed pole) when it is, say, 100-degrees out? I’ve thought about buying bags of ice to put in my water, but thinking that may crack the glass and would take entirely too long anyhow. Does anyone have any know how? @Luke?

@AdamPWC, how do you do pole work on hot glass?

Do you have any ladders? I know pole work is ideal for commercial to move along quicker, but being fairly new to pole scrubbing myself, I would prob move quicker with my ladders on that one. That’s just my opinion,
I know it takes a lot of practice to get good and quick with the pole. Having the excelerator helps but again, practice practice.

I’d use the excelerator and a long extension pole. Stand back a good distance so you can clear that over hang. I’d mop it and clear one side of the window. Flip the mop back re wet the other side and clear that side. Flip the pad again wet the center then fan the remaining water quickly. If you cant get all the way fan half re wet the last portion and fan .

@AdamPWC, how would you get above the overhang with a ladder?

@Luke, thanks.

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If you can do it the way that @Luke said, it would be best. If not, there are concrete curb stops that can support the bottom of your ladder. If you’re using stabilizer arms and it’s at the right angle, you might be able to clear the over hangs. When doing any ladder work, KEEP SAFETY IN MIND. I definitely see another way to clear those awnings with a ladder and I would feel safe with it but the safety trainer part of me doesn’t really allow me to share that idea. If you can’t get it with the pole, then remember, some jobs are best to pass on. Practice with that excelerator though, some guys would fly through that job.
I can move pretty darn quick with my ladders but if you can master the pole, you would be much better off!

Ice cold water on hot panes is a recipe for an insurance claim against you for cracked glass.

Stand on a 12 to 20 foot folding ladder in front of the awning as the angle with be just about perfect. Zero degree Unger or the Moreman with the FLIQ on a pole. Have a window cleaning of bucket of soapy tap water on the ground to dunk the FliQ/Channel/Mop in and rinse repeat for all five of the panels.

Any chance that you can work on it early in the morning before the heat gets ridiculous? Coming from a guy in Florida where you break out in a full sweat at 7am before you get in the truck from the front door…

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