# portable down streaming or dedicated?



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Hey everyone, Happy New Year!

Sorry I have not been participating as much lately- busy with a crazy interior season (winter) and wedding preparations (mine).

I had wanted to seriously get into down streaming, as an addition to painting that I offer. There are only a couple companies (that I can find on the interweb) that do it around here.

I was wondering how many of you have a dedicated vehicle with your downstreaming set up. This kind of makes sense to me because you have the buckets for chemical mixtures and the higher GPM washers are heavy; so using extra long hoses would be easier than traipsing around with it. 

IF you do not use a dedicated vehicle for your downstreaming, what do you do instead? how does it differ?

thanks in advance all ye pros!


----------



## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

Coby, I know your question is targeted more at painters rigs, but I'll give you feedback from my perspective. Properly setup you can fit everything in a van including water reserve tank and reels. You can also fit (4-5) 5 gallon pails and a sprayer in there and with a tool shelf holding sanders and sundries. Its obviously very tight. I trashed the suspension on two medium duty vans so that is also something to consider when loading that heavy.


----------



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Ken,

Thank you,


I feel like with the potential worth in downstreaming, both in preparation for painting, and in new business opportunities- having it's own vehicle makes sense. 

I also wanted to see how other painting contractors handle this.


----------



## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

I have a enclosed trailer, probaly will set up a box truck next.


----------



## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

I didn't like the market here for washing so I just load my tank and pw on a flat bed trailer when I need them.


----------



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

I had a trailer but had to get rid of it, because I never drove it to sites due to the small residential streets. Further, it was illegal to park on the street not hooked up to a vehicle, so it was costing me $200 a month in insurance to keep it. 

So I am either going to get a small van set up for down streaming or create a more portable system. If there is enough market for down streaming, the former certainly makes more sense than the latter.


----------



## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

Dunbar do you have a lot of vinl houses up their


----------



## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

I got a small trailer setup a couple of years ago for the same reasons you are mentioning. It has transitioned mentally from being for the purpose of paint preparation and a little extra side work to figuring out how to do nothing else. Having a dedicated setup for it will make life far less cumbersome. Heavy duty van will work great. Small box truck


----------



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Dave Mac said:


> Dunbar do you have a lot of vinl houses up their


There some vinyl houses, but they are a thing from the 90s I guess. This area still has a lot of older stucco/wood siding houses, a lot of heritage houses, and a TON of new houses which are all either heritage revival (trying to look heritage), or stucco and fake stone things. 

I was mostly thinking that people would appreciate having their house cleaned in a less damaging way than typical pressure washing. I figure for every exterior paint job I sell, I should be able to sell a follow up down streaming for the next few years.

I would also like to investigate roof washing. I have been saying all of this for years and then I never get around too it- continue doing what I am doing. I know this is the "next step" in the evolution of my business. Both in safer surface prep & in expansion. 

What has stopped me is the technical side. I have read lots of posts on how you set up the down streaming system, but it is really all over my head.


----------



## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

I liked the idea of providing a warranty based upon the stipulation that I am used once per year to clean the home and check for defective paint for x amount of dollars. Definitely makes for repeat customers. _Definitely makes for a whole new operation to take care of as well. _

DS'ing and upstreaming are different only in that the chemical is inserted into the system after the pump rather than before. It is far easier, safer, effective and more efficient than using a pump up back or hand sprayer to apply chems for removing mold. DS'ing chems makes your pump last far longer than upstreaming them. 

Here is a couple links that may help you get started in learning some things. 
http://www.ptstate.com/index.php/board,9.0.html
http://www.ptstate.com/index.php/board,15.0.html


----------



## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

Dunbar its really easy, and a great business I highly recommend it


----------



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Thank you everyone.

I just get stressed when I hear about fittings and parts I need to buy so that I can inject chems into the stream and have it come out at low pressure and high volume.

No one around here knows what I am talking about, so I have to find parts in the USA and figure it out myself.


----------



## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

www.pressuretek.com

I'm not sure how had it is getting stuff from here to there. But, Bob is the owner. He will answer the phone or call you back pronto. He will simplify the experience for you and get you what you need fast. 

Ken must be busy making money today.


----------



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Thank you. I have contacted Bob!


----------



## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

Dunbar tell him you have no expereince in setting up a rig, and you need his advice, he will guide you step by step, I actually got it down pretty good and would glady talk to you on the phone about it, or post pictures and answeres here. Bob message board has everything you need to know their and all those experts over their are very helpful.


----------



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Dave Mac said:


> Dunbar tell him you have no expereince in setting up a rig, and you need his advice, he will guide you step by step, I actually got it down pretty good and would glady talk to you on the phone about it, or post pictures and answeres here. Bob message board has everything you need to know their and all those experts over their are very helpful.


You rock. So does everyone else that replied. Also thanks to Ken for continually entertaining my questions.


----------



## Truckee Painter (Feb 25, 2013)

I have a 12' trailer to haul my big hot water washer. I have it on rollers so I can bring it outside. Its a bitch to move around though. No way I am running that inside of my staining trailer. Too many flamables. I run 200' of house off of it.


----------

