Southern freeze coming

[Rfreeman]

Do you have a weepmizer or low flow on your weep system? If you removed the tips on. The gun I would think that would have been enough to keep the weep flowing through unless the pressure is low or got low at some point.

I have a ball valve that controls my weep. My Helper didn't turn it on all the way when we were shutting them down. As the second cold front moved in it took 15 mins and the furthest bay from the ER was starting to freeze up. Thankfully we kicked on the pump and the pressure shot out an ice slug!!!

 

[RSmith]

Low flow. I also have a ball valve for my weep that I leave fully open with individual adjustments for each bay that I leave on a slow solid stream. The water supply to the ball valve is turned on with a solenoid when the bay closest to the equipment room gets to 36, or I lose power. It is the way this wash was set up when I purchased it. Crazy that you caught that at just the right time. I will likely be taking a heat gun to my hoses tomorrow

 

[Randy]

Low flow. I also have a ball valve for my weep that I leave fully open with individual adjustments for each bay that I leave on a slow solid stream. The water supply to the ball valve is turned on with a solenoid when the bay closest to the equipment room gets to 36, or I lose power. It is the way this wash was set up when I purchased it. Crazy that you caught that at just the right time. I will likely be taking a heat gun to my hoses tomorrow

I'd take the frozen hoses down and put them in a bucket of hot water to thaw them out. Do you have a Dixmor Weepmizer? You want to balance the system out so that your getting a equal amount of flow to each gun and foam brush. I left my nozzles installed on the guns. If it's not going to get above freezing about you might want to think about shutting down the car wash and not fight the ice and freezing bays.

 

[Keno]

We were too late getting to one of our washes after taking too long at another wash. Already had frozen tubing and hoses, couldn't pump washer fluid through all the lines. We'll see in a few days how much damage we get...

 

[2Biz]

Might not be too good of idea to take hoses off and keep weep running! Can't remember where I got this picture or how long it took to get to this point, but know this is what can happen! This was from a busted hose or swivel union...

 

[traveler17]

You guys will likely be fine. If the poly tubing is not brittle it will likely survive a freeze/thaw cycle. You will find your weak spots here and know what needs to be done next time.

I'm not set up properly for cold weather so it took me 2.5 hours at each wash to shut down. This is something I only do maybe once a year. I'm going to have to make some plumbing changes and invest in doors for the IBA.

I’m in SE coastal NC. If I lived in a place where it stays cold for long periods I’d 100 percent invest in doors for the In Bays. I just looked this morning and looks like I will stay closed couple days.

 

[2Biz]

I’m in SE coastal NC. If I lived in a place where it stays cold for long periods I’d 100 percent invest in doors for the In Bays. I just looked this morning and looks like I will stay closed couple days.

No need for doors...I've stayed open without doors down to -5° (minus 5°) and had customers washing cars....No freezeups...It can be done!

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Not to derail, but one of the benefits of my job is getting to work with customers from all over the place. I've gotten a ton of calls from operators in the south over the last 10 days or so for suggestions. Meanwhile, I drove by a customers 5-bay on the way home last night. 10 degrees. Snowing pretty heavy. Every bay lined up 3-4 deep.

 

[Greg Pack]

No need for doors...I've stayed open without doors down to -5° (minus 5°) and had customers washing cars....No freezeups...It can be done!

No floor heat here and customers are unaccustomed to the cold. 85% will just wait until it warms up. Just looked at my camera and yesterday I had a total of four people drive on the lot at one of my washes, all trucks. That kinda confirms to me it's not worth the trouble.

Doors on the IBA would be nice just to keep from having to freeze protect the autos.

 

[2Biz]

No floor heat here and customers are unaccustomed to the cold. 85% will just wait until it warms up. Just looked at my camera and yesterday I had a total of four people drive on the lot at one of my washes, all trucks. That kinda confirms to me it's not worth the trouble.

Doors on the IBA would be nice just to keep from having to freeze protect the autos.

Totally understand. Just replying to the post from traveler and thinking he needed doors....Staying open to -5° was a challenge for me to see how cold it could get and still stay open, without doors! LOL...Especially with all the work I did winterizing the CW! As I get older, I don't need the challenge and it surely isn't worth it with the cost of weep water these days! I closed down a few days ago. It was 6° this morning. No regrets in making the decision!

 

[traveler17]

No need for doors...I've stayed open without doors down to -5° (minus 5°) and had customers washing cars....No freezeups...It can be done!

I believe you but how is that possible or is the list of details to long Last hard ice and snow we had here years back I was driving by washes that had ice walls from ceiling to floor like the pic you showed but in the automatics.

 

[traveler17]

Not to derail, but one of the benefits of my job is getting to work with customers from all over the place. I've gotten a ton of calls from operators in the south over the last 10 days or so for suggestions. Meanwhile, I drove by a customers 5-bay on the way home last night. 10 degrees. Snowing pretty heavy. Every bay lined up 3-4 deep.

I’d like the secrets with no doors and no floor heat. It forecasts 20 here and I’m shutting down.

 

[Dan kamsickas]

I’d like the secrets with no doors and no floor heat. It forecasts 20 here and I’m shutting down.

To be honest, the secret is the salt we get. You have to wash your car or it rots, so the washes get used enough in the cold to help keep the joint from freezing up.

 

[traveler17]

To be honest, the secret is the salt we get. You have to wash your car or it rots, so the washes get used enough in the cold to help keep the joint from freezing up.

That’s the problem here, not enough use when it’s “just cold”. No threat of ice or snow and we get no benefit of salting the roads after shutting doors.

 

[2Biz]

I’d like the secrets with no doors and no floor heat. It forecasts 20 here and I’m shutting down.

Sorry, I forgot to mention one important piece of the puzzle, I have floor heat...Weep only on high pressure guns and washer fluid/air injection on all the LP hoses...I went outside about 1:00 today and was going to reopen just 2 bays....It was 19° and the wind was brutal...Windchill probably close to zero....I turned around and went back inside....I used to fight it, not any more...Especially since water/sewage has gone up 56% in the last 3 years and I've never been this old before! LOL Its just too expensive to stay open for just a handful of cuctomers. I'll make it back when it warms up!

 

[traveler17]

Sorry, I forgot to mention one important piece of the puzzle, I have floor heat...Weep only on high pressure guns and washer fluid/air injection on all the LP hoses...I went outside about 1:00 today and was going to reopen just 2 bays....It was 19° and the wind was brutal...Windchill probably close to zero....I turned around and went back inside....I used to fight it, not any more...Especially since water/sewage has gone up 56% in the last 3 years and I've never been this old before! LOL Its just too expensive to stay open for just a handful of cuctomers. I'll make it back when it warms up!

That’s cold, our high was 38 today , guess I’ll stop complaining after hearing your temps . But I do the same. If I see a hard freeze coming I just shut down early evening both locations.

 

[OurTown]

and I've never been this old before! LOL

We could say this everyday!

 

[ShinePro]

Busy busy
Started getting busy at 15 degrees
Now a heat wave at 28
Then a truck knocked the height limit sign with a rack in back at 7:10 pm
Didnt notice
Stalled the razor
Had to go reset it
Still washing cars at 9:00 pm
Thank god for my good floor heat
and the automatic air blow down on the Razor. Sure makes life easier!

 

[traveler17]

Busy busy
Started getting busy at 15 degrees
Now a heat wave at 28
Then a truck knocked the height limit sign with a rack in back at 7:10 pm
Didnt notice
Stalled the razor
Had to go reset it
Still washing cars at 9:00 pm
Thank god for my good floor heat
and the automatic air blow down on the Razor. Sure makes life easier!

Thats awesome . I hate when it freezes here w nothing but clear sky’s. If we get no threat no salt on the roads.

 

[ShinePro]

Thats awesome . I hate when it freezes here w nothing but clear sky’s. If we get no threat no salt on the roads.

The cars here are literally white with salt.
Ohio has a great budget for road salt and they spend every dime of it!