The Equipment Behind the Business

To execute a cleaning job properly, you start with the right equipment.

For Envirowash, that equipment ranges from trucks to hoses to ladders to harnesses, with each item fulfilling a specific purpose.

“We have a checklist for each job to make sure we have everything we need from the ground up,” says Operations Manager Ryan Conner. “We always want to be prepared.”

The company’s six Ford F-250 pick-up trucks are the actual foundation for all projects. Running on diesel fuel, each vehicle has toolboxes alongside its rear bed, is equipped with ladder racks, and pulls a trailer loaded with gear. Typically, that includes a pressure-washing machine, water tanks, hoses, climbing harnesses and ropes, cleaning solutions, and occasionally a hot box – an adjustable-temperature water heater.

“Most house-washing uses a warm water wash, so you don’t shock the plants [around the house],” Conner says.

One trailer is dedicated to reclamation jobs – projects where water is collected after use so it can be disposed elsewhere. For those situations, two water tanks are on the trailer, one for clean water, and one for dirty water.

“Reclamation is necessary when we’re working a commercial job and nearby drains go directly to creeks or streams, instead of a water treatment facility,” Conner says. “We sometimes reclaim water at a residential job when the surrounding plantings are delicate and need extra protection.”

During the slower winter months, Conner and year-round technicians clean and rebuild every trailer, spending up to two weeks checking the structure and connections to prevent break-downs during the company’s busiest time, which usually begins in April and can last until November, if the weather holds. All the equipment – ladders, hoses, harnesses, ropes and hooking clips – are inspected to ensure they are in good condition and safe for the next season. Paint sprayers and plate compactors, necessary for some paving jobs, also get routine maintenance.

“We always want to make sure that everything is in good shape at the start of the season,” Conner says. “Sure, things break, but we can prevent a lot of problems if we do that good maintenance work in advance.”