Picking the Best Pole for the Project

06 May.,2024

 

Picking the Best Pole for the Project

How do you “Pick the Right Pole for your Project”? If you look through our product catalog you’ll be inundated with the breadth of our extension pole product line.  Different lengths, materials, threaded ends, fluted, fixed length – the list of options goes on and on. With so many different extension poles to choose from we figured it would help to provide a guide.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of electric telescopic pole brush. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Begin by asking yourself these three questions.

1. What will I be using the pole for?
2. How often will I use it?
3. How high, or far, do I need to reach?

The answers to these questions will help you narrow down your selection. An example: A homeowner who will be painting the outside of their home this summer. They will want to use this pole to paint their interior sometime later this year. Their home is two stories and they have a cathedral ceiling in their home’s entryway.

Because of the multiple uses and high reach needed, you will want to choose a heavy duty or professional extension pole. Also, when determining the length of extension pole to purchase the following rule of thumb applies. Your height minus 6″ plus the length of a fully extended pole equals the height you will be able to reach. Most two story homes will require you to use at least an 18′ extension pole.

A heavier fiberglass pole suitable for painting may not be the best choice if you plan to use it only for dusting. For dusting you can choose a lightweight aluminum or steel extension pole. When choosing between aluminum or steel poles, most aluminum poles and sliders are anodized which prevents rust and provides a smooth extension. Steel poles can rust over time so don’t purchase a steel pole if your application requires contact with water.

Water-fed Poles & Brushes

If you have a task that requires the use of water, Mr. LongArm offers two styles of water-fed poles to be used in many different outdoor cleaning situations. The HydraSoar and TeleWash extension poles can be connected to a standard garden hose via a flow control shut-off valve. Using various styles of brushes you can clean decks, siding, patios, windows, boats, RVs, automobiles, masonry and many other surfaces. Using a flow-thru angle adaptor you can also clean gutters or water hanging plants.

All Fiberglass Poles

If you need a pole to change light bulbs you definitely need to choose a pole with a fiberglass handle or even better one with a fiberglass slider as well. Fiberglass is heavier and more rigid than other materials but more importantly it is non-conductive under most circumstances. That makes it much safer to use around electricity than metal poles. Since, we’re on the subject, extension poles should never be used around electrical wires. Be sure that while you are extending your reach to finish difficult jobs you are not inadvertently reaching up to electrical wires since most extension poles are highly conductive.

Locking Mechanisms

Internal Twist Locking

Twist locking extension poles, usually aluminum or steel, offer a good lock with the versatility of locking at any length. Mr. LongArm Twist-Lok poles are bi-directional and lock with a twist in either direction. These poles are lighter and are the easiest to handle. They are great for the DIYer and best used in combination with other light-weight attachments like squeegees or painting tools.

Compression Locking

Compression locking extension poles, such as our Alumiglass or Pro-Lok Poles, also provide the versatility of locking at any length and are available in two and three section extended length poles. Mr. LongArm also offers three section poles that extend up to 23′. These poles have the longest reach and are great for painting or cleaning 2-story structures.

Push Button Positive Locking

Positive locking poles are popular with most paint contractors since they provide a push button locking device and are faster to change lengths. This type of locking mechanism is found in our Smart-Lok and Super Tab-Lok line of poles. You will want to choose a positive locking pole for prep work such as sanding and scraping since these activities require applied pressure. Positive locking poles only lock in pre-set lengths, 1-2 ft and 2-4 ft poles lock every three inches and all others lock every six inches. Smart-Lok poles also offer a push button tool changing system as opposed to fixed threads.

The Smart-Lok system, is universal and will work with most standard threaded tools. Smart-Lok is an excellent choice for multiple color changes and really increases your productivity. One last big advantage to these two poles is they are easy to service if paint or something else interferes with the button. All the user has to do is pop the button off and remove the foreign substance or object inhibiting the lock.

Still Need Help?

Armed with this information, as well as your own personal preferences and budget, you should be able to make an educated decision about which extension pole is right for your project. Mr. LongArm extension poles are found in the paint department at many local hardware stores and home centers.

If you are still unsure about how to pick the right pole for your project. Call our customer service department at 1-800-821-3508 and we will be happy to assist you. You can also try our Pick-A-Pole App.

To keep up with Mr. LongArm on social media, follow us out on Facebook , Instagram & Twitter.

 

 

A Guide To Starter Kits

Have you found yourself looking for a complete Window Cleaning kit, and wound up sat scratching your head?

If so, you're in the right place. We are going to break down some of our most popular starter kits, and highlight the benefits & features of each.

If you're needing to buy all the equipment needed to clean windows, a starter kit is the most cost effective way to do so. Our starter kits are designed to include everything needed, without the confusion of finding compatible products.

Oh, and to sweeten the deal, Starter Kits usually come with nice bit of discount.

Traditional Starter Kits

If you're in the market for a set of traditional equipment, a starter kit is likely to be the best means of doing so. Many of the traditional brands make their tools compatible only with other tools from the same brand or collection. For example the ErgoTec range from Unger are specifically shaped to fit the Unger Locking Cone, allowing traditional tools to securely lock to an extension pole.

Mixing and matching between products can be done but its often simpler and more convenient to use tools from the same collection.

Here are Two of our Favourite Complete Starter Kits

The Unger ErgoTec® Classic tools are our best selling, most reliable tools in this area. You'll find these regularly on our site in the distinct Unger Green.

The Unger ErgoTec® Premium Starter KIT

The Unger ErgoTec® Premium Starter Kit

Alternatively, if you're looking for something outside of the proverbial box, perhaps the Moerman® ProClean range is better suited, with tapered ends and swiveling handles. These are equally distinct in the regular Moerman Blue.

MOERMAN® EXCELERATOR 2.0 Premium Starter KIT

Moerman® Excelerator Starter Kit

Finally, in the distinct FaceLift red is the FireBlade® Ultimate Bundle. This is a traditional Starter Kit that includes the Phantom Traditional Pole, a lightweight and comfortable pole with patented clamps designed to last a lifetime. Don't forget to buy an additional toolbelt if needed.

FaceLift® FireBlade Ultimate Bundle

FaceLift® FireBlade Ultimate Bundle

If you require something a little more comprehensive, then the Unger ErgoTec® Set is perhaps where you should look. This kit comes with everything needed to get started as a traditional Window Cleaner, included high quality detailing cloths and multiple sizes of squeegee channel, it also includes a complete carry case, meaning you can keep the equipment packed away neatly when not in use.

The Unger ErgoTec® Set

The Unger ErgoTec® Set

Want more information on fiberglass aluminum telescopic pole? Feel free to contact us.

Basic Pure Water Starter Kits 

The term Pure Water in Window Cleaning describes ordinary tap water that has been filtered through a purification system, to remove all the natural minerals. This is explained further in our Complete Guide To Pure Water Cleaning

The reason for this is that pure water dries to leave a completely clean finish, as opposed to general tap water that dries & leaves minerals on the windows, which result in hard water stains and unsightly white spotting.

When applied to Window Cleaning, using pure water means that there is no need to squeegee the water from the window - providing you have agitated (scrubbed) the dirt and rinsed the window thoroughly, you can leave it wet!

There are a number of benefits to this type of cleaning, and so most Window Cleaners will consider getting a pure water cleaning kit at some point. Read ore about Switching to Pure Water Window Cleaning

Within this category of basic pure water kits, there is two possible routes that you can take. To know which is best suited, you will need to know if you plan to clean using a water source (a garden tap for example), or will you carry your own water each day.

Firstly, if you are looking to purify and clean directly from a garden tap, then you will simply need a purification unit, and a water-fed pole.

This next kit is designed to be plugged directly to a tap, and can then purify water on demand. The DI unit has a built-in TDS Meter, to give you a reading on the purity of your water. Eventually the water will stop reading 000 ppm, and when this happens, you simply order a replacement bag of DI resin (the consumable used to purify water) and, when it arrives, switch the resin bag in a few seconds.

The Unger Pure Water Cleaning Kit
  • Unger DI filtration unit
  • QuickChange™ Resin Bag - 2 Litre
  •  1.5 metre or 2.5 metre nLite® Connect Aluminium Pole
  • 20m Unger HiFlo™ Pole Hose
  • Unger nLite® Radius Brush & Pencil Jets

You will need additional equipment if you plan to store and carry your own water, rather than using a tap on each clean.

The FaceLift® BigBoy II Backpack & WCW 35 Litre Trolley does this by including equipment similar to the previous kit, but with the addition of the trolley or backpack to deliver the water without the need for a tap.

Both are battery powered, and include a flow controller & 40-60 psi pump, which is then used to deliver the purified water to the windows. 

The FaceLift® Pure Water Starter Kit
  • Choice of 22L FaceLift® BigBOY II Backpack or 35 Litre Trolley
  • DI Vessel with resin
  • Choice of Complete FaceLift Renegade Pole
  • All necessary hose & connections

Pure Water Starter Kit & Renegade Pole

The FaceLift® Trojan Trolley System

If you require either built in filtration, or a larger capacity, The Trojan Trolley might be the ideal solution. The Trojan Trolley Starter Kit is an industrious 70L purification & delivery trolley. This is the go-to equipment for many Window Cleaning businesses, and can often be found on university/ college campuses that have large grounds to cover, but poor access for vehicles.

Included in the Trojan Trolley Starter Kit:

  • Trojan 70 Litre DI Trolley System
  • Choice of FaceLift Phantom Carbon Pole
  • Complete with a choice of brush heads
  • Compatible Hose & Couplings included

FaceLift® Trojan Trolley Starter Kit

The Trojan trolley is simply filled with tap water, which is then purified through the DI vessel as you clean, making it very simple to operate.

The trolley is fitted with a 30m hose reel, 100psi pump, digital flow controller and is powered by a 12v Gel battery. This allows you to clean at any height and up to 30m away from the trolley - whilst allowing you to vary the flow to conserve water or give you a bit of extra scrubbing power as necessary.

Van Mounted Starter Kits

Van Mounted Systems are largely considered the gold standard for Window Cleaning equipment, and not without good reason. 

In the simplest terms, a van mounted window cleaning system is a purpose built system that facilitates your entire business functioning from the back of your van.

There are many variations of the van mounted system but generally speaking, a complete system allows you to purify, store and deliver large quantities of water for window or exterior cleaning.

You’ll notice this type of pure water cleaning system also go by the names;

water fed or water fed pole system, van mounted, pole or pole cleaning system

We have a number of Van Mounted Systems available, but our Compact Ideal Starter Kit is consistently one of our best selling starter-kits.

It's perfect for a first venture into pure water cleaning, and includes everything needed to purify, deliver & clean windows with pure water, but without the high price tag that comes with a more comprehensive set up.

This FaceLift® COMPACT Ideal Start-Up Kit

  • Choice of 325 or 425 Litre FaceLift Compact Van Mounted System
  • Choice of Top Mounted 100m Electric or Manual Hose Reel
  • Choice of 22 or 30 foot Carbon or Hybrid Pole, complete with hose & brush
  • Free Delivery to Mainland UK (Excludes Ireland & highlands, see delivery terms for full details)

FaceLift® Compact Ideal Start-Up Kit

If you decide that this remarkable kit the correct option for you, there are a number of final considerations to make, to ensure it provides a complete solution.

Floor Protection

Before fitting a van mounted system, it is best practice to apply some protection to the floor of the vehicle, this will help prolong the vehicles life and protect against the wear and tear of every day usage. Whilst there are a number of options to do so, a quick & inexpensive option is to use Protecta-Kote Bedliner Paint. This is a tough, high grip paint that can be easily applied and left to dry prior to fitting a van mounted system.

See More Protecta-Kote Options

Maintaining The Van Mounted System Battery

The Ideal Start-Up Kit comes ready fitted with a 75 ah Leisure battery - this will need regular charging.

To do so there are two options, the preferred means is to connect the auxiliary system battery to the vehicle battery. This will allow the system battery to charge while the vehicle is in use. Doing so will limit any need need to access and charge the system battery, though it's important to note that depending on vehicle usage, the system may need to be charged via mains power from time to time. Depending if you decide to use a split charge relay or a battery charger, you will need to purchase:

Leisure Battery Charger

Split Charge Relay

Pole Storage

Keeping poles stored away can prevent them accidental damage, and allow you to keep on top of your hoses (which can quickly become a mess!), our internal pole holders are a simple means to do so - these simply fix to the inside of the vehicle and allow you to keep poles & a-frame ladders safely during transit.

Pole & A-Frame In-Van Storage

Is there something we've missed?

If you have any questions, direct them to our customer support team at info@Windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk

Head to our Starting a Window Cleaning Business Hub for more helpful guides

If you want to learn more, please visit our website fruit pole picker.