hot water in summer?

[torquewrench]

Does anybody shut the hot water off for the summer?
I did and haven't got any complaints but another car was owner said thats a big no no.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I have four washes and do it every year...never hear a peep about it.

 

[Mel(NC)]

I turn my hot water off in the Summer. No complaints in the 3 years I have been doing it. I don't think customers are going to miss it much when it is 95 degrees outside.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I am not a terribly sophisticated SS operator. Have heard that customerslike to feel a warm wand. One wauy to save $ is to have theability to T in Hot and cold. Then you csn reduce the amount of Hot water enough so the gun does not feel cold.

As an aside, in the tunnel bus. I know the sap foams better when I take the edge off the cold water, as does the drying agent. The soap a;so cleans better, but it is not as important as say on a 35 degree day. Now, the surface of the car may b 80 degrees so the soap does not need to be as war, but cold water were not help dissolve tree sap, and bird poop.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

I turn the temp down a bit in the summer, but its still "hot water wash, cold water rinse."

 

[Waxman]

What's the temp you turn down to and from what normal temp? Just curious. Thanks.

 

[denduke]

Hot Off

We shut off the hot water a few years ago and I cancelled my account with the Gas Co.
I have had very few complaints, if any. Seems like what's more important is high pressure, lotsa soap and the cleanliness and constant maintenance of the entire property.

 

[ToFarGone20]

Was 120...down to 80 now. Haven't heard anything about it and it is cleaning just fine. This is on my only "inverted L" typed machine (is a RACO...not ryco).

 

[Kevin James]

We don?t have Hot water. The previous owners turned it off years ago as the gas prices went up. It was only plumbed on the soap cycle and if you watch the average customer they only have the soap for a very short amount of time, some less than a minute. No one has ever complained about there not being any hot water so we are going to keep it off. The other 2 car washes don?t have any hot water.

 

[MEP001]

I run the hot water year 'round. It failed on two occasions, and boy did people complain. Maybe if we had opened with none we'd be ok, but here once people are used to getting something you'd better not try to take it away. The two closest washes have warm water, barely enough to feel. I have to use an insulated wand or it would be uncomfortable to hold long.

 

[washnvac]

I need hot water in my area. I actually turn it up a bit in the Summer. It is needed to get extreme tar, tree sap, and bug goo off the vehicles. I run 115-120. My soap and wax cycle is hot. I advertise it as such. If people wanted cold water, they could do it at home. I run 105-110 in the Winter. I agree with MEP; my customers know they get hot water at my washes. If I went to a wash with no hot water, I certainly would not go back. But, it is your choice. It would not be called competition if we all operated the same. For my area, it could be why a couple of operators have filed bankruptcy on several locations.

 

[ProCarWashes]

I need hot water in my area. I actually turn it up a bit in the Summer. It is needed to get extreme tar, tree sap, and bug goo off the vehicles. I run 115-120. My soap and wax cycle is hot. I advertise it as such. If people wanted cold water, they could do it at home. I run 105-110 in the Winter. I agree with MEP; my customers know they get hot water at my washes. If I went to a wash with no hot water, I certainly would not go back. But, it is your choice. It would not be called competition if we all operated the same. For my area, it could be why a couple of operators have filed bankruptcy on several locations.

I noticed that the old heads that posted to this subject still run hot water. I not only run hot water in the summer but run at a higher temperature. Since the incoming tap water is a higher temperature then it's not costing more to raise it to your operating temperature. Some operators know how to run a wash, but some operators know how to professionally run a wash. Dave don't get any ideas or I'll come up there.

 

[Waxman]

Well, I jack around with enough stuff. Since I'm cleaning well and customers like the place, I might as well keep the temp. up where it always is!

Thanks G.