Pole Shed Washing Warning

Deere Dude · Jul 25, 2012

Just passing on a memorable experience. Over 10 years I noticed my pole building roof was getting dirty from overhanging dirty trees and farm dust and a little mildew. I wanted to wash the mildewy walls of the building for 5 years but the side walls are 14' so I kept putting it off, until a week ago. The roof was dirty and very slippery so I was nervous about it, but found if I started on a small section using a swimming pool brush pole and some Mold Armour from Menards and standing on an adjacent building I could clean part of it and then when that was dry I could methodically clean the rest of it while standing on clean dry panels. I did one side of the 36x54' building that way. I tried to not let any over-spray go over to the dirty side because I know dirt and water makes it like an ice rink.

I must have let some over-spray get on the dirty side because when confidently walking to the other end of the building very near the peak trying to not walk on the clean panels but on the dirty side, I fell down and slide to about 4' from the edge before I skidded to a halt

It was so slippery I could only back up about 3 inches at a time to get back to the peak. Needless to say it scared to snot out of me. All the way down I was trying to figure out how to land this puppy, and I couldn't envision a very happy ending. I had so many scratches running down my body I looked like I got in a cat fight. And then I still had to clean it.

A few day later I noticed if I pull my tall fifth wheel camper next to the building I can get a lot of it clean from the roof of the camper. I guess the answer is either to cut down the trees so the shed don't get so dirty, which I hate to do because the shade is nice in the heat of the summer, or remember to stand on the camper roof next time to get the bottom 3/4 of it clean. Maybe also to make sure it stays clean by not waiting so long to wash it.

If you have any other suggestions, I would be glad to hear them.

idaho2 · Jul 25, 2012

Deere Dude,

Your **** lucky your not in the hospital or dead. That job is a two man job and someone has to be wearing a safety harness. I x-ray people for a living and from 14' any fall will and can cause all kinds of problems. It's not the flight down but the sudden encounter with terra ferma that'll get cha. I'd suggest to go to a sporting/hunting store and purchase a tree stand safety harness and use a rope to tie it off on the opposite side of the building - truck, tractor, tree or anything - that will not let you slide off the side your working on. Thanks for your story. Hope others pay attention to it.

idaho2

dreamer · Jul 25, 2012

tie it off on the opposite side of the building - truck, tractor, tree or anything - that will not let you slide off

I would strongly suggest NOT tieing off to any vehicle! Ask my brother why!

dreamer.

idaho2 · Jul 25, 2012

Dreamer,

Someone left the key in the ignition!!

idaho2

Jstpssng · Jul 25, 2012

idaho2 said:
Deere Dude,

Your **** lucky your not in the hospital or dead. That job is a two man job and someone has to be wearing a safety harness. I x-ray people for a living and from 14' any fall will and can cause all kinds of problems. It's not the flight down but the sudden encounter with terra ferma that'll get cha. I'd suggest to go to a sporting/hunting store and purchase a tree stand safety harness and use a rope to tie it off on the opposite side of the building - truck, tractor, tree or anything - that will not let you slide off the side your working on. Thanks for your story. Hope others pay attention to it.

idaho2

I should have been one of those horror storoes... years ago I was climbing from a 1 story shed to a 2 story house. I had just gotten 1 leg up when the ladder kicked out. I slid down the shed face first and did a swan dive onto the frozen gravel. All I could think as I was laying on the ground was "holy ----, I'm still alive! Buckets of Safety - Snug Harness.com These are well worth the money, for guys who aren't going to be using them every day.

newbury · Jul 26, 2012

dreamer said:
tie it off on the opposite side of the building - truck, tractor, tree or anything - that will not let you slide off

I would strongly suggest NOT tieing off to any vehicle! Ask my brother why!

dreamer.

Ditto - more than one person has been injured when the"anchor" vehicle was driven off!

Deere Dude · Jul 26, 2012

Good advice, and I knew I should tie myself off to something using the right harness, but I don't have one. Bad excuse, I know. I'll have to keep my eyes open for one.

1bush2hog · Jul 27, 2012

Wow! I would be having to clean my shorts after that

Glad to hear it was not worse.

Deere Dude · Jul 27, 2012

1bush2hog said:
Wow! I would be having to clean my shorts after that

Glad to hear it was not worse.

I have been in bad situations where I came out of it in very good shape and I just move on and forget about it right away. But this one rattled me a little bit. Sliding in my poop probably didn't help anything. Of course I didn't tell my wife about the incident until I was all done. She would have found out anyway come laundry day.

greasemonkeyok · Jul 27, 2012

I tied off the "safety" rope to the hitch on a vehicle in the driveway while working on the roof. When my 16-year-old came out the front door and headed to the vehicle oblivious to the world, I had visions of being drug through the neighborhood with the stereo blaring rock music. Still gives me shivers to think about it.