1

FREE SNEAK PEEK

2

“This is a must-have book for anyone wanting to get into the pressure washing business. It is a must have book for veteran power washers to have if you’re having trouble your marketing. This is a must-have book for your employees to read – if they do not know where your company direction is then your company will never grow. The pages in the book that talked about one person a week being wronged by you or your company had a dramatic impact on the way we are now doing business – not to say we were doing anything wrong, but it opened our eyes on what we do not want to do. AGAIN THIS IS A MUST HAVE BOOK! Buy it, read it, read it again, study it, put it to work and GROW!”

– Bryan Henson, Xstream Pressure Washing”

Subsribe to PCC Magazine and Save 25% off the Cover Price

www.PCCMagazine.com

Take a Sneak Peek...Welcome to our new “sneak peek” version of the online Pressure Cleaning Contractor Magazine. Inside we’ve included the beginnings of each article included in the June/July 2011 issue. Full articles are available to our paid subscribers only.

Wearealsoaddingafewnewbenefitsforsubscribers, including text only versions of articles (in addition to the full version), making it easier to print off the articles you want to keep and save.

For those who still have not subscribed, what are you waiting for? A subscription is only $36 for 6 issues, or $7.50 every other month. A 6-issue subscription equates to less than 10 cents per day!

Subscribe Today!

Special Thanks to Celeste Gothorp of Carolina Pro Wash for all her hard work on our website, and for opening her home to me (Allison) while in North Carolina working with Steve.

Cover “mug shot” features James Lewis, Underpressure Powerwashers

3

www.graffiticontractors.com

Allison Severe Duty Pumps will run harder & last longer than anypump in the industry and to show you just how confident we arethat our Severe Duty pumps are better all you have to do is lookat this warranty.

○ Exclusive 2-year ‘bumper to bumper’ warranty with renewable service plans.○ Heavy Duty Reinforced Brass Heads with External and Internal Bracing.○ Large Diameter Stainless Steel Valve Caps with Increased Thread Depth.○ Oversized Bearings for greater belt ‘side-loads’ means longer pump back-end life.○ Heavy Connecting Rod Assemblies with Guide Pins for Perfect Cap Alignment.○ ‘State of the Art’ Packing Design means longer, uninterrupted run-times.○ Cool-run Technology and Extra Capacity Oil Sumps promote longevity.

Model GPM PSI RPM Shaft Gas HP Weight LIST PRICE CONTRACTOR

TS4035 4.0 3500 1450 24mm 13 31 $1475.00 $495.00TS5635 5.6 3500 1450 24mm 18 31 $1610.00 $495.00

JUST HOW GOOD IS AN

EnviroSpec will provide a full 2-year ‘Bumperto Bumper’ warranty on these two AllisonSevere Duty Pumps. Just return it to us pre-paidand a certified systems technician will replaceany worn parts such as check valves, packings,oil seals or anything else that is showing signs ofwear and the possibility of ‘downtime.’ We willalso perform a 42-Point Inspection, clean andchange the oil and make sure your pump comesback to you in ‘like new’ mechanical condition.

Our job and promise is to keep your equipmentrunning with little to no down time and we dothat by providing our customers with a certifiedpump inspect i o n a n d s e r v i ce p ro gramthat you can’t get anywhere else.

SPECIAL NOTE: Just because the pumps GAS HP requirement may seem tobe higher than the engine you have - these pumps will still work with anyengine that you have so long as it has a 1” engine shaft. You will just haveto adjust your pressure lower than the rated pump pressure. You will stillget the same GPM - just less pressure. For example: If you need a lot ofvolume and not as much pressure you could run the 5.6 GPM Pump with a13 HP engine and adjust your pressure to 2500 PSI rather that the maximumrated pressure of the pump. Call with questions - it really is easy to do.

AllisonSevere Duty Performance Pump?

2-YEAR‘BUMPER to BUMPER’

WARRANTY

Our...TS4035is a direct replacement for:

A�R: RW15COMET: RW4035SGENERAL: TS1511

Just ‘zip their’s off’ and‘zip ours on!’

If anything happens inthe first two years we will

FIX IT FREE!

THE ONLY PUMPIN THE WORLD WITH A

Our... TS5635is a direct replacement for:

A�R: RW21CAT: 5CP5140

COMET: RW5535SGENERAL: TS2021

PRESSURE PRO: HP5535Just ‘zip their’s off’ and

‘zip ours on!’

AllisonSevere Duty Performance Pumps

More Mobile Washer Call EnviroSpec than any other company.

EnviroSpec1-800-346-4876

Visit our Web Store and Technical Site@ http://www.envirospec.com

and while you are there request a catalog

www.envirospec.com

Our Advertisers Support YOU, the Contract Cleaner.

Please Support Them!

4

Allison HesterEditor

Editor’s Note

My husband, Michael, returned last February from a

year-long deployment to Afghanistan. He was part of a small, specialized unit sent to help teach the local villagers how to farm something other than poppies (for opium). It was a noble cause…at least in theory. In reality, the mission was troubled from the getgo. You see, while the impoverished villagers lived in dirt houses with little food and almost no possessions, one thing they did own that they wanted to hold on to were their heads. Soon after Michael’s unit arrived, the Taliban began decapitating locals who were caught talking with the Americans. Clearly, the U.S. troops had some major obstacles to overcome before even beginning to open lines of communication with the locals. The Special Forces who were already in the area had learned about something very valuable, which helped them get in with some of the locals: “BIG WASTA.” Men of the Middle East respect facial hair – the more the hair, the bigger the “wasta” – or instant esteem

shown. Early in the mission, a clean-shaven Michael traveled to the local village with the SF guys – who had gotten special permission to grow moustaches and beards – to meet some of the locals. Michael, who at the time had no wasta, was not invited to join in activities, being forced to sit at the “kiddy table” of sorts – althought they actually owned no tables – while the grownups talked and drank tea. Soon, the National Guard gave special permission to allow key members of Mike’s unit to grow non-compliant moustaches. (They would not cave to the idea of beards.) Apparently Mike naturally had the biggest wasta and was able to grow a full-blown 70’s style ‘stache, which became a running joke on his base. His BIG wasta also helped him gain a strong respect by the locals and others in the area (such as the kitchen crew pictured above). OK, so what does this have to do with pressure washing? As this month’s cover story tells, the pressure washing industry is facing impending increased regulatory control as local municipalities such as Houston are tightening their washwater discharge belts. In order to work toward reasonable solutions, contractors must apply big wasta of their own.

BIG wasta

5

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as growing a super macho ‘stache – although many wives are probably appreciative of that. (Trust me!) No, our industry’s big wasta comes from education – understanding what the Clean Water Act says, understanding what best management practices really mean, and learning how to educate your own local authorities about pressure washing discharge. So over the next several issues, we are going to be tackling some of the environmental control that’s underway, starting today. Our cover story focuses on the issues currently taking place in Houston and why so many contractors are in an uproar over what’s happening there. I also had a long chat with Jerry McMillen, aka “Sirocco Jerry,” to get a better understanding of BMPs and clarifying some misunderstandings on what they are and what they are not. In upcoming issues, we will look at the Clean Water Act and what it truly says about pressure washing discharge. Let me end with a short example of why this is important. In late May, Guy Blackmon of Pressure

Kleen in Fayetteville, NC, was “pinged” by stormwater enforcement in the small town of HopeMills,NC.Theofficersaidhehadalreadyfinedacoupleofothercontractors$1000eachfor noncompliance. Guy responds, “No biggie. I told him that if I could help in any way to just let me know. Funny....he didn’t seem too thrilled about that, or my knowledge in BMP’s or the CWA.” So they shook hands and the enforcement officialwentonhisway. Now that’s some BIG Wasta!

BIG wasta

6

www.monkeyrack.comwww.PowerWashStore.com

www.FilterShineUSA.com

www.TheGreaseBox.com

www.NationalCleaningExpo.net

www.WindowCleaningResource.org

http://sealnlock.com/

http://josephdwalters.com/

Please Support Our Advertisers!

www.SiroccoVacuums.com

In This Issue:Crackdown In Houston Houston has never been known for its cleanliness. In fact, the EPA named Houston the dirtiest city in 2001 and it still remains in the nation’s top 10 for air pollution, with rates as high as 150 percent above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. But air quality is only part of the problem. In2010,astudybythenonprofitgroupcalledTheEnvironmental Working Group showed that out of out of America’s 100 largest cities, Houston ranked 95th for drinking water quality, finding46differentcontaminants,includingthingslikearsenic,

benzene and acetone. In 1982, the Houston Police Department created a special law enforcement group – the Environmental Enforcement Unit. Over the years, they have taken on pollution by major industries such as ship building and automotive manufacturing. However, in recent years the law enforcement agency has been cracking down on a different type of “polluter” – the pressure washing contractor – and setting confusing,conflictingandarguablyunreasonablestandardsthatarerunningmanypressure washers away from the city, if not out of business altogether... .

NCE East July 28-30 in Tampa

How to Save THOUSANDS of Dollars a Year by Steve Stephens

Starting in the pressure cleaning business 30 years ago, I learned some things very early on. I am not mechanically inclined, so I knew I would have to take every precaution to eliminate any major mechanical work. When I began my business, there were no pressure cleaning distributors or mechanics that knew how to work on pressure washers... .

For the fourth straight year, hundreds of pressure washing contractors will gather in Tampa for one of the industry’s biggest events of the year – the National Cleaning Expo East. This year’s program looks to be the largest and most information-packed yet,filledwithtopindustryspeakers(including our publisher Steve Stephens), certificationsandbootcamps,exhibitsand demonstrations on a “cleaners playground...”

8

Kory FinleyKory Finley of K & J Pressure Cleaning in Tampa struggled quite a bit when

firstgettingstartedintheindustry.Hehadtolearnseverallessonsthehardway,which is why he stresses the importance of doing your research before doing anything else, including a market analysis. “Make sure there is a need for the type of service you want to provide and that people are willing to pay for it.”

Kory started pressure washing in Atlanta, Georgia in 2006 when he realized he did not want to continue on his career path in retail management. His wife, Lauren, supported his choice to start his own pressure washing business, which then focused on kitchen exhaust cleaning (KEC). “It was a slow start,” he admits...

Staying Grounded: Gutter Cleaning for the Professional by Keith Cox, Sparkle Right Cleaning Service “What would you charge to clean my gutters while you are already here cleaning my home?” For me, this is an opportunity that used to seem like a double edged sword. Either I either had to charge an amount that might disrupt the good situation I was establishing with my customer, or I was going to charge a price the customer would like, but was ridiculously low considering I could suffer an accidental fall ...

Reframing BMPs

by Allison Hester

This past month, I naively discovered one way to stir up controversy in the industry. Mention the term “BMPs” – or Best Management Practices. After posting that I was seeking comments about some recently published BMPs for washwater control, I quickly learned this was not a popular topic. Thankfully, I received a kind note from Jerry McMillen, aka “Sirocco Jerry,” who offered to help me get myself out of the pickle I’d created by sharing his wealth of knowledge and expertise on the topic. Best Management Practices, according to Jerry, are

just that – BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. These are not dirty words. They are notaboutthefearofbeingcaughtdoingsomethingwrongandbeingfined.Theyare not even about regulations. They are about working smart, educating properly, and building sustainable relationships...

9

Rookie Camp Helping “Newbies” Start Smart This month, Doug Rucker of Clean and Green Solutions in Humble, Texas – a suburb of Houston – hosted his third monthly pressure cleaning school “Rookie Camp.” Designedspecificallyforpressurewashing contractors who have been in business for less than three years, Doug’s Rookie Camp teaches those relatively new to the industry about business and cleaning through both in-class and on-the-jobsite settings. “My main goal is to help guys who are starting out rather than those who’ve been in it for years,” Doug explains. “I want to help them learn the basics that people need to know to get their business started from a legal standpoint, an accounting standpoint, and on to actually having to clean a house or roof...”

Having a relationship with a local supplier is invaluable to a successful business. Recently I stopped in on Hydrotek of Redlands, California, to take a tour of the production facility and to pick up a piece of equipment theyhadaskedmetotestinthefieldfor them. This tells me a lot when a supplier wants to know how the end user feels about how their products perform and what adjustments or improvements they can make. I have been a very loyal Hydrotek user for many years. I sat down with Casey Meelker in the sales department, who has been my go-to guy when we have equipment needs, to discuss a few reasons why a business should decide on a local supplier. Take a look at a few of the things we have discussed and see if you may have these things in mind when making equipment and supplier selections...

10 Advantages to Buying Locally

by James Lewis, Underpressure Powerwashers

Every once in a while, you come across someone in an industry that gives so much to so many. Memorial Day weekend of 2011, that someone gave yet again. Russ Johnson of Southside Equipment in Kentucky not only hosted one of this year’s best events - but he also gave away ANOTHER skid unit to a lucky winner...

Derby City Networking Recap by Celeste Gothorp, Carolina Pro Wash

10

Every choice we make has an end result. When I choose to be mean, nasty and ugly to you then I have also chosen to receive mean, ugly and nasty from you. When I have chosen to be kind, gracious and polite to you, in 98 percent of the cases, I have chosen to be treated in a kind, pleasant, thoughtful and gracious manner by you. In turn, I have chosen myself. You see, I believe we can teach everyone this lesson: that our condition and our situation is the result of our own choices...

Educating Your Local FireOfficial by Jason A. Wellman, FilterShine USA & The GreaseBox, LLC.

An often overlooked fact is thatmostofourfirstrespondersarevolunteerfirefighters.BasedonFirefighterFatalitiesintheUS,6/10,from 1977 to 2009, there have been 3677on-dutyfirefighterdeathsintheUS(notincludingthe340firefighterdeaths at the World Trade Center). Over 60 percent of these were volunteer firefighters.In2010,fourpercentoffirefighterdeathsintheUSoccurredata commercial restaurant facility... .

With all the window cleaning associations and organizations out there, window cleaning companies really have no reason not to be held to high standards when it comes to safety training. After all, these organizations offer discounted prices on OSHA, ANSI and other accredited safety courses. However, there is yet another way to keep workman’s compensation costsdownwhilekeepingyourfieldtechnicians working and in good health. This is by investing in a waterfed pole and DI/RO (Deionized and Reverse Osmosis) setup...

Waterfed Polesby Salvatore “Tory” Marino, Elite Window Cleaning

Windows Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning

Your Input Determines Your Output, Part II by Steve Stephens

Subscribe Today!www.PCCMagazine.com

New Tech Training 101 by Steve Stephens Howmanytimeshaveyoubeencalledawayfromyourofficetotroubleshootminor problems that your technicians should be quite familiar with? That’s right. Too many. Instead, I am going to provide you with education material you can provide to your technicians, aid you in their training, and turn many wasted times into productive times...