It’s interesting how we pessimists are thinking the party’s over, and the optimists are thinking that the party is just starting. There are definitely two ways of looking at it.
I have often wondered if I make (keep) any more money in the winter than in the summer. We have some huge weekends in the winter if everything lines up right with snows and thaws. But we also have periods when it is sub zero, no one is washing, and the gas meter is just going round and round to keep the building, floor heat, and weep water warm. So I pulled some data out of my records, but it doesn’t fully answer the question. This is based on a 6 bay self service wash in Omaha.
In a typical winter season of December through March my place grosses about $5400 more than it does in the same summer period of June through September. But in the winter months, I have the following expenses that are not there in the summer.
The outdoor lighting is on 16 to 17 hours per day instead of 8 to 9 hours in the summer. The floor heat boiler is on about 700 hours for the season, and the weep water flows for about 900 hours. This is money going down the drain and up the chimney without washing any cars. I don’t have enough information to put a dollar value on this.
If you like winter, your party is just starting, and I am glad you are enjoying it. But I would much rather golf, bicycle, or mow than push snow, chop ice, and watch TV.
Just my $.02, have a good season everyone.
