Perhaps the most important decision as a Pure Water Window Cleaner is ensuring you get the right pole. After all, this piece of equipment will be in your hands all day, every day.
Don't be tempted to think that they all perform the same task - choosing the right pole can help you work more effectively, reduce the load on your back and shoulders, and improve the product you're delivering (namely, spotlessly clean windows).
Time is money and if you can deliver better results in less time, any investment will quickly pay for itself.
The main differences between poles lies in the materials used, the clamping system, and the collapsed and extended size. By exploring these factors, you can select the pole that best fits your needs.
Pole Materials
Water Fed Poles are generally composed of the following materials - each have their own unique benefits.
Aluminium
Aluminium poles are very sturdy, and extremely hard wearing, but can be heavy when compared with alternatives. For this reason, they lend themselves perfectly for domestic usage. They can be a little difficult to control above 25 or 30ft, nonetheless, they are an excellent starting pole, especially for those on a budget.
Check out the FaceLift® Renegade and Unger nLite® connect Aluminium Poles
Glass Fibre
Glass Fibre poles are known for their lightweight design and affordable price point, making them a great option for those looking to save money. However, they can be more flexible than other materials when fully extended, which can make them challenging to control as the height increases. We recommend these poles for use up to a maximum of 22ft. Nonetheless, they are perfect for those who prefer a lightweight pole over the sturdiness of an aluminium pole
Check out the FaceLift® Phoenix MkII Glass Fibre Poles
Hybrid or Carbon Composite
As the name suggests, these poles are made by combining different materials, with around 50% of the material being carbon fibre.
Hybrid Poles are designed to offer some of the benefits of a full carbon fibre pole at a lower cost. They are sturdier than Glass Fibre Poles and lighter than Aluminium Poles, striking a balance between the two. As a result, they are an excellent all-around option for cleaning daily cleaning. We recommend these poles for use up to a maximum of 30ft.
While they may be heavier than carbon fibre poles, hybrids are still relatively light and priced between aluminium and carbon fibre poles, making them a popular choice for new window cleaning businesses looking to balance cost and benefits.
Check out the FaceLift® Phantom Hybrid, FaceLift® Phoenix MkII Hybrid & Unger nLite® Carbon Composite Poles
Carbon Fibre
Carbon Fibre is the gold standard of telescopic pole. They are equal parts robust, rigid & lightweight. The average price point is higher than the aforementioned poles, but once you've used a carbon fibre pole, you'll struggle to go back. Carbon fibre is recommended for use up to 50ft, and is especially important if you are using the pole all day, every day.
Light, robust poles relieve a lot of the strain on your body caused by cleaning at height with a water-fed pole. It's common to hear veteran Window Cleaners advise to invest in a carbon fibre pole right from day one.
Check out the FaceLift® Phantom Carbon & Unger nLite® Carbon 24K Poles
HiMod and Ultra HiMod Carbon Fibre
For professional Window Cleaners who need the highest performance tools, these are extremely lightweight and rigid poles. Hi-Mod & Ultra Hi-Mod water-fed poles are made from high-grade carbon fibre, with a narrower pole thickness, allowing the pole to remain incredibly rigid, with reduced weight.
If available in your budget, you won't beat these poles for efficiency and they can be used at anything up to 70ft, not to mention the reduced strain it puts on your body - your shoulders and back will thank you in the long run!
Check out the FaceLift® Phantom HiMod and Unger nLite® connect HiMod Poles
Pole Clamping Systems
The clamping system is really what differentiates one brand or model of poles from the next. Almost all brands will have the above material options available, and whilst section lengths and diameters can make a difference, none will have as profound an effect as the clamping system.
We have a collection of pole and clamp types to look through, in both the Unger nLite® and FaceLift® brands. However, the real game-changer in this respect is our unique FaceLift® Phantom water fed pole design.
This pole clamp was designed from the ground up to reduce the wear and tear your pole experiences, whilst also delivering unparalleled clamping power & grip.
Currently, our FaceLift® Phantom range of water fed poles are our best sellers - by a long shot!
Take a Look at Squeeky Clean Dave's Review of Our Phantom Pole After 3 Months of Use
Pole Sizes
The size of pole you require is largely going to be dictated by the type of work you require it for. Most domestic work is done on the ground and first floor, and so a pole reaching 18-22 feet is ideal, with a collapsed length of approximately 5ft.
By comparison, you may have a lot of commercial work at 30,40 or even 50ft - these will require a better standard of material and a few more extendable sections. Though it isn't an exact measurement, if you consider each floor to be 10ft, you can estimate the height you need to reach.
Now you may be tempted to think that it's best to get the biggest pole possible so that you are covering all bases, but in reality, cleaning a 20ft property with a 50ft pole is difficult, time-consuming and extremely energy sapping - we generally advise to have a specialist high reach pole that covers the 5% of your work that requires high reach equipment, then perhaps a 'day-to-day' pole that covers the other 95% of your work (generally 18-22ft).
Take a look at the complete collection - Shop All Poles
Head back to the Starting a Window Cleaning Business Hub to find more information.
