Prepping Your Truck Mount for The Winter Season
Although each truck mount manufacturer will have specific recommendations for their equipment, the following are general steps that will likely apply to many, though not necessarily all, truck mount machines:
• Get familiar with requirements. Long before cold weather arrives, carpet cleaning technicians should be fully aware of what steps they should take to properly winterize their equipment. Sometimes serious and costly problems may arise if winterizing steps must be taken at the last minute, just hours before a blast of winter arrives.
• Select the proper antifreeze. Before discussing how much antifreeze to use for winterizing the machine, it is necessary to discuss what kind of antifreeze to use. The major differences among the various brands are the “corrosion inhibitors.” Some brands of antifreeze are formulated with very high-quality inhibitors to provide the needed level and types of protection for the truck mount and its components. In contrast, a lesser quality brand may not contain the additives and corrosion inhibitors to thoroughly and properly protect the extractor. Many manufacturers recommend and install 100 percent glycol-based antifreeze and will likely recommend the continued use of this type of antifreeze for the machine.
• Drain any mix tanks, water boxes or containers your truck mount may have. Some machines will have a drain valve to release antifreeze; others will require the pump to be on and water to be released out of the wand. Some machines will automatically switch off when water is drained; others must be manually turned off. It should also be noted that antifreeze can be toxic, and most communities have regulations on how it is to be disposed.
• Fill with antifreeze, in the amounts recommended by the manufacturer. With some manufacturers, this may be 100 percent antifreeze, not diluted with water. With other machines, it may be a 50/50mixture of antifreeze and water.
• Either turn the ignition key on or start your machine, depending on the procedure necessary to circulate the antifreeze through the machine. The antifreeze must be moved through the entire system and be completely circulated, as this will allow it to protect all components that are affected by water.
Be prepared
Carpet cleaning technicians should carry antifreeze with them during the winter months, in case more must be added.
Wands and hoses should be stored indoors when not in use; this also applies to virtually all tools and chemicals.
If at all possible, when not in use, the truck or van should be stored in a heated garage. If you do have to store your vehicle in an unheated garage, or outside, and you are depending upon an electric or portable heater to keep the temperature above freezing, make sure you purchase a remote temperature sensor alarm. These relatively inexpensive devices can be easily purchased at Amazon.com. You simply put the sensor in the van and the alarm in your home (so long as the proximity is within the manufacturers recommended distance). If the electricity goes off, or your heater runs out of fuel and the temperature in your van falls below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit), it sets off the alarm in your home.
Winterizing vehicle-powered units
There are two basic types of truck mount systems:
• Slide-in systems are powered by their own engines and are bolted into a van or truck.
• Vehicle-powered or clutch drive truck mount systems (CDS) use the truck’s or van’s motor to power the extractor.
Most of the suggestions and steps already discussed apply to slide-in systems that have their own motors and pumps.
Vehicle-powered or clutch drive systems do not have their own motors so, for the most part, their winterizing concerns are tied to properly winterizing the host vehicle.
A ‘do-it-yourself’ job?
Most manufacturers will provide detailed instructions on how to winterize their equipment.
However, some truck mount manufacturers recommend that their machines be winterized at an authorized service center.
For those technicians who lack the time or mechanical expertise or who are just concerned that the winterization process be done correctly, taking the equipment to a service center at your local distributor (CleanSource) may be the best option, especially if you are going to be shutting down your machine for a week or more.
The most important thing is to simply be aware that there are specific steps that must be taken to keep the equipment running properly throughout the winter and up and ready when warmer weather returns.
If you need more help, understanding the right procedures for winterizing your truck mount, feel free to contact us at either:
Columbia Location:
1215 Metze Road
Columbia, SC29210
1-800-457-0102
Charlotte Location:
4520 Westinghouse Blvd. Suite A
Charlotte, NC28273
1-800-292-3309