What are WFPS & what are they used for?

WFPS stands for Water-fed Pole Systems. They are used for cleaning windows, signage and even cladding ~ at heights up to 20m ~ without using ladders, scaffolding or expensive cherry pickers.

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How do they work?

The poles are telescopic and can reach heights of 20 meters. They incorporate a cleaning brush and a water supply. Pure Water is pumped through jets in the brush at the top of the pole, where it is sprayed onto the glass. The brush contacts with the surface of the glass and frames, and lightly agitates the surface, loosening the dirt. Any dirt or dust particles are flushed away by the constant stream of pure water.

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Are WFPS systems new?

No – a company called Tucker first introduced them during the 1960’s in the USA, and they are still used extensively around the world today.

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Are they easy to use?

Pureglaze provide full training in all aspects of pole work and safety standards relating to WFPS. However, like any skill, practice breeds perfection and a period of up to 4 months may be required to master the technique.

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What are the advantages of using WFPS?

The main advantages are safety, speed and quality.

·         Safety – using WFPS allows the operator to work from the ground i.e. without using ladders, and so removes the risk of working at height completely.

·         Environmentally friendly – WFPS use only pure water and so there are no detergents or chemicals to pollute the environment.

·         Cleaner – windows cleaned using the system stay cleaner for longer, as the surface of the glass becomes sterile from the use of only pure water.

·         Speed – cleaning windows using a WFPS is usually 30 to 80% quicker than conventional window cleaning methods.

·         No damage to property – because WFPS do not require ladders or scaffolding, there is no exterior marking or damage to walls and windowsills, and no unsightly ladder marks or damage in lawns and borders.

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How good are WFPS? (Some people say it will never do as good a job - is this true?)

In many cases it actually does a better job. Correctly used it will always do a good job. We are still amazed at how perfectly it cleans. A good way of checking the efficiency of your technique is to do your own house and then go and clean the insides. You will see for yourself.

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Does the glass stay cleaner? (Many people say the glass stays cleaner longer – why is this?)

Firstly, because over a period of time, the frames gradually get cleaner, leaving no dirt for the rain to wash down onto the glass.

Secondly, because WFPS wash so efficiently with no detergents, they leave no detergent residue on the glass, which would otherwise attract particles of dirt. Eventually the glass becomes sterilized.

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What will the system clean off?

It will clean off the following:

Bird mess - it is essential to pre-soak this with the purified water and leave it to soften. Sometimes you will have to do this several times. You will get used to looking out for it and giving a quick squirt when you first arrive. Then you will have to scrub and scrub! It can be very tough!

Snail trails - every window cleaner knows how stubborn these can be, but with the brush it's straightforward. Your first brush down will highlight where they are then just scrub and watch them melt away.

Caterpillar trails - these are usually some of the hardest of things to remove but pure water just melts them. A second scrub will easily remove them.

Fingerprints - your first brush down will highlight them then just concentrate your scrubbing on them.

Putty marks - a pre-soak and scrub will usually remove most putty marks on glass. Allow putty to harden for a few weeks before working on the window.

Fresh plaster and concrete - if it is only a few days old, pure water will usually dissolve even concrete (be careful to rinse brush head off afterward).

It will not clean off the following:

Dried on egg - trick or treat time! This dries like glue and the only thing that will ever remove it completely is a scraper.

Silicone, masonry sealant or paint - scraper time again.

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Why can’t I use normal tap water to wash windows?

Of course you can use tap water together with a soap or detergent, but if you only use tap water to clean the windows, the glass will appear milky white and/or streaky when it dries, and you will be able to write on the glass surface with your finger. (Try it for yourself). This effect on the glass is due entirely to the mineral content of the tap water.

Only pure water allows for spot-free cleaning and so tap water must be processed through a reverse-osmosis unit (RO) or a de-ionisation vessel (DI) to remove all  impurities before being used to clean windows.

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What do TDS, RO, DI and Pure Water mean?

TDS means Totally Dissolved Solids, and is the measurement (in parts per million) of the total quantity of minerals dissolved in water. (If you were to test the water at your tap, the meter would probably show a reading of between 035 parts per million (035 ppm) and 600 parts per million (600 ppm) depending where you are in the country).

RO means Reverse-Osmosis and refers to the reverse-osmosis filtration unit used to extract 95 to 98% of the dissolved solids that exist in all normal tap water.

DI means De-Ionisation, and is usually referred to in the context of “DI Cannister” or just “DI”. The “DI canister” is used to “polish” the water just before it is applied to the windows.

Pure Water means when all of the minerals are filtered or extracted from the water, resulting in a TDS reading of 000 ppm (indicating zero mineral content or total demineralisation)

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