Compensating for weather

T

Tassadar

Car Detailing Whore
I know some of you from the south can relate to this, so here goes. Where I live, the temperatures outside during the day are downright unbearable. Usually by 9AM we are into the 90s, and after 10 its allready over 100. It usually stays over 100 until roughly 8-9 PM, and the lowest I have seen it was at 3AM when it was 82 outside.

How the heck am I supposed to detail cars in this heat?
 
One word.

Shade!!!

I have the same problem as you and don't have a shop to do this work in. I do have a large canopy and a covered wash bay where I do my details.

The outside air temp where I work last week was around 110 and there's no possible way I would detail the exterior of a vehicle in the direct sunlight when it's that hot.
 
Ive been afraid that I would have to go and buy a canopy. I have a garage that I can put vehicles into, but there is very little airflow, and its too short to allow working on the top of SUVs.
 
Your only other choice is put air conditioning in your shop. I bought a used window unit years ago I believe I spent 100$ at an auction and built it into the wall. Sometimes I let it "precool" the shop and when I run the vehicle in it doesn't take long to cool it back down. Really helps when the bugs try and eat you alive.
 
Dan even though you may have to buy a canopy You can get ones for around $100 dollars at home depot and they are the pop up ones this may not be cheap but cheaper than others out there. Either that but a big tarp and attach it to your garage wih some long aluminium poles on the other end.. I hope it all works out....:)
 
I wish I had a shop! I do this stuff out of my driveway. I guess I am going to have to go with the canopy, that or have people drop the cars off the night before, and work on them through the night.
 
The only problem is you can miss alot in dark... I mean natrual light is the best to see flaws.. either that or get lots of flourecent lights but that can cost more than a canopy...
 
Actually there have been times when I have had to walk around cars with a flood light, because I ended up working so late into the day on them.

I am really slow at detailing cars, I need to get faster.
 
speed will come in time.. I used to work at a dealership where I worked for a few weeks at night I hated it even flourecent lights don't show things like sun light... try the tarp for a cheap fix. I'v done it before on really sunny days with no shade.. it's not pretty but effective..
 
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