Russ s said:
Chris ,i know you said you dont use a wand so could you post some close ups of your applicator so we can see how tours are applied
Sure Russ, here it is
https://www.accuspray.com/store/sprayguns/SS-Lawn_Spray_Guns.htm
However, this is the stock one.
We get quick change adaptors made for this gun to, use spraying systems nylon nozzles.
The adaptors are available from Spraying Systems Industrial Products division.
Find you a local spraying systems rep in your area, and he can advise, or call the company in Tampa.
The nozzles simply screw on, quick change style, so you will always have the right nozzle in your pocket.
We like a narrow 15 degree one for doing the edges, and then switch to a 25 degree to really go fast on the rest of the roof.
They make several 0 degree ones, and we use them to shoot chemical, like if we are on a slippery tile roof, and missed a spot on the wet side, we can simply put a zero degree nozzle on, and shoot 30 feet across the roof to the spot we missed.
The only "advantage" I have experienced from a wand is spraying from the ground, maybe.
A wand does place your nozzle closer to the roof, if you are standing on the ground.
But, that's what step ladders are for, and a gun will shoot just as far as a wand, and don't wear your arm/shoulder out.
BTW, the gun we use has a stainless spring, a potential trouble spot.
Stainless only has a "C" rating for chlorine, not good
We have ours made for us out of Hastelloy, but repair kits for the gun include a new spring, and are cheap.
If you replace it every 3 months, no problem.
Regular ACE Hardware plastic screw nozzles for garden hoses can be used, if your pump has enough flow.
ShurFlos don't, unless they are placed in tandem, and large diameter hose is used, like 5/8 or 3/4.
The standard gun is used by landscaping and turf pro's to spray lawn's with chemicals for ants, pests, etc.
They have to be fast, to cover a large area of land.
They are available in 3 different flow rates.
The 1.5 gpm should work fine for a roof.
It has a shower head pattern, so you will have to be careful around the edges, until you get used to it.
Instead of a ball valve, it has an adjustable trigger, so one can easily restrict flow around roof edges.
It also has a locking trigger, so you can crank it wide open, and fly.
I kinda like the shower head pattern on tile roofs, it seems to "catch" the edges.
If you order a gun, and have a standard shurflo, use the 1.5 gpm size.
If you have a dual shurflo, or a roller pump, etc, use 3 gpm.
If you are using 3/8 hose, then you need to adapt the gun like we do for the Nylon Quick Change Nozzles.
The reason why is because 3/8 hose is very restrictive, and is robbing you of pressure, and flow.
If you have say a 60 psi 1.6 gpm shurflo going into 200 feet of 3/8 hose, the pressure drop is going to be almost 48psi!
That means you only have 12psi left to push your flow.
In other words, you will not actually be getting 1.6 gpm at the end of your hose.
So, what people do to "compensate" is to use a really small nozzle to increase velocity.
Unfortunately, while it will "spray", it will also take forever to do a roof.
The real culprit is the restrictive 3/8 hose.
Once it is eliminated, the pump can work properly, and deliver near it's rated flow and pressure, w/o being choked.
I am convinced that this is why wands are so popular, because SOMETHING is needed to hold the small nozzles necessary to make these small hose compromised pumps spray at all.
Once the pump is "un choked", it opens up a whole new world of possibilities, and one can then enter a whole new world, not the world of the pressure washer, but of the pest and lawn professional !
