Vacuum system Versatility and New uses $$

ONPLS

New member
I don't know how many guys have vacuum systems and how many actually use them often, but I thought we could get a tread going for what guys are using them for. They are way more versatile than just reclaiming dirty water.

The back story. We specialize in parking garage cleaning, I wanted to get into some higher value cleaning so Jerry hooked me up with a beast 31hp vanguard with 30g sand trap and 21 inch surface cleaner. Right now we really only use it for about 10% of our garages since its a bit of a slow process and the majority of garages are just sweep and wash down, not deep cleaning.

So I have been looking for other alternate uses to use my vac, so far my favorite, and kick ass money maker has been drain and catch basin work.


Here's a video of a drain we just did. The customer had plumbers come out and tell them that they had to dig up the damn landscaping to fix the drain since it must have collapsed and let dirt in.

Boom Pow $1,000 bucks in 20 minutes! And the customer is amazed. Guys let think outside the box.

Who has ideas for what else we can use Vac systems for, Sirocco Jerry chime in here too!
 
Great idea Jason. Are you sucking out catch basins in just parking garages...or also car washes? Gutter cleaning and carpet/tile cleaning also come to mind as vac uses.
 
Yes mainly garages, We can do about 6 catch basins before our tank is full, any more and we sub it out. this video was a courtyard at a commercial building.

Gutter cleaning is great idea. I would love to see pictures, with an aluminum extension wand.
 
Plumber was trying to rip of the customer, you got lucky with that.

I had a job at the Calgary airport when they were building a new runway with the electrical side. Got a call from Black & McDonald to thaw and vac electrical conduits between light fixtures. I spent weeks as the ground froze way earlier in the year then anybody anticipated. I would thaw the conduits with thermoplastic hose and jetting nozzles and heat. I would also be sucking out the water so the conduits would have little to no water so they would not freeze. I would also have to thaw and vac out the man ducts, 5 feet deep 4x4 feet LxW. They could take hours as temp was always -10`c or colder and that much snow and ice does not melt instantly. The process worked so well I was asked to thaw out the entire runway/taxiway of all the light cans. 2 sub contractors, myself, got my other truck on the runway full time for 2 months, made 15x the cost of the vac unit over those 4 months on this job alone doing my other normal customers work as well.

I use the vac system weekly now doing fleet washing of trucks and trailers as it is required by them. Also use it for odd jobs cleaning gensets and other things along that nature. Also get called to clean spills in parking lots and on roads in which I use the vac and surface cleaner.

A lot more uses for the setup, would not expect a $1000 in 20 mins to happen to often though.
 
Hey Benjamin, your dead right on the $1000 bucks for 20 minutes. I had a desperate customer who really needed help in a hurry and was facing a huge undertaking. I wasn't so excited about bringing out the trailer in the freezing cold, (Damn Canada) so I said $ 1000 bucks if I get it unclogged, $ 450. minimum charge if I don't. Val and I have worked together for 5 years now, He agreed right away and was seriously thrilled about not having to RFP for a drain and landscape job at the beginning of spring.

I charge about 170-200 per catch basin and often times we make more money faster with the vac system than a day washing the same garage. For a 40,000 sq footer I get about 1200 bucks, takes 3 guys 4hrs to sweep and wash, with a sweeper with separate truck and trailer and wash trailer separate truck and trailer. Same garage to vac and flush the 6 drains and 1 trench, probably same price with 2 guys. in about 2 hrs.

I had a bit of buyers remorse when I first bought the vac system since I wasn't using it that much. Now i'm in love! I just want guys to realize what an asset they are with a little ingenuity.
 
Also get called to clean spills in parking lots and on roads in which I use the vac and surface cleaner.

What do you do with the wash water? been a bit of a sticking point for me, so I haven't done any spill work.
 
I have a tandem freightliner with a 22ft box, so I have my main tank (5600L) and a separate reclaim tank that is 2200 liters. Once you are done, the water you have to dispose of through a landfill or where ever they take oils or contaminated water. That can get expensive fast depending on how much water you have, so my advice is go with an empty tank so you are not charged for more water. That is the proper way of doing it, most don't do that as the cost and time can be expensive and just dump it where ever.
 
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