Why Portable Extractors are Gaining Increasing Popularity with Restoration Contractors

I was recently speaking with one of the top executives at one of the largest restoration franchises in the world. He spoke eloquently of the fact that he was seeing a trend in many large restoration companies going back to high performance portable extraction equipment as a “replacement” for the truckmount in their restoration equipment arsenal. It wasn’t your typical argument over whose “dog is better and bigger in the fight” that so often dominate the discussion of what kind of equipment to use in our industry. It was really an intelligent conversation about what makes the most sense (and cents) from a logical business management standpoint.

So why is there a trend toward portable extractors with some large restoration contractors? It certainly is not because they can’t afford truckmounts. Many of these companies do multiple millions of dollars in revenue. It certainly is not because they don’t understand the full capabilities of truckmounts. Most of them have operated a variety of slide-in and direct drive truckmounts in the past. I think it is actually an evolution of sorts in the on-going development of restoration companies.

The advantage of having a strong and reliable heated portable extractor is invaluable. Undeniably one day, just about any restoration contractor will run into a restoration job at a multi-level facility – one where you they won’t have the ability to run hundreds of feet of hose from a truckmount to the area where the work is being done. In addition, there are many industrial, government, or commercial buildings where for security reasons they have a closed door policy. They don’t allow doors to be ajar for long periods of time. A strong, reliable portable extraction unit like the FloodKing may be exactly what they need. But most restorers already have a portable for those types of jobs. Why are portables gaining a foothold as the primary carpet cleaning and water extraction machine in some companies?

It has to do with how they invest their money into their capital equipment. The big advantage that most restoration equipment has over any type of extractor (truckmount or portable) is that it creates revenue without the use of labor. In other words, it is taken onto the job site, set-up, plugged in, and it starts earning money. For an extraction machine to make money, there has to be someone “attached” to it (a technician), operating it and using it to extract water or clean carpeting or hard surface floors. Some restorers simply don’t have a lot of situations where they have a need for cleaning capability from an extractor. Their thought is – why would I invest $60 – $80K in a truckmount and van, if we only use it on a few jobs per week, and sometimes it sits for weeks at a time. If the large restoration company does not offer carpet cleaning services , and uses their equipment for extraction and restoration only, it simply makes better sense (and perhaps cents) to invest in a portable extractor rather than a truckmount. If the restoration company does a lot of extraction and job clean-up (carpet cleaning, hard surface cleaning, pressure washing, etc…, ), plus they still offer carpet cleaning services, then a truckmount almost always still represents the right decision.

So what is the right kind of portable for the restoration contractor? Restoration contractors who need extraction capability constantly and cleaning ability occasionally certainly want to invest in a portable with strong cleaning capability. That is what makes the PEX500 the portable of choice for those restorers. The PEX500 provides you with the extraction power of dual 3-stage vacuums with unrestricted airflow. When cleaning, the combination of the most powerful heater available in a portable and an adjustable solution pump up to 500psi gives you truckmount like cleaning capabilities. But it is the “easy” transport design of the PEX that makes t so ideal for restoration. Built in a “dolly-style” format, the PEX is the very easiest to load and unload from a vehicle high performance extractor built. Add to that it is the easiest to go up and down steps. This makes it the perfect choice for the restoration contractor taking it to a wide variety of homes and businesses. Many restoration contractors choose the HydraPort 400 High Performance Extractor from HydraMaster. The HydraPort 400 gives you the cleaning power of adjustable pressure up to 400psi, and in inline heater. It does this in a very economical package that is perfect for the occasional cleaning job and for extraction. For extraction only capability, the FloodKing is the ideal restoration choice. The innovative design has increased the efficiency of the airflow by top mounting dual 3-stage vacuums, thus eliminating stand-pipes and bends into the tank. This significantly reduces restrictions in airflow and increases efficiency. Powerful yet efficient, the 3-stage vacuums only use 13 Amps of power with one cord which is ideal for flooded sites where power may be limited. The FloodKing’s ergonomic and lightweight design makes it easy to handle by one person with little or no bending or stooping. Large rear wheels carry the FloodKing up and down stairs or nearly anywhere you need it to be, to complete the job with little effort or strain. To increase productivity, two (2) diaphragm bilge pumps automatically and continuously remove the waste water from the 9 gallon recovery tank through a standard 3/4″ garden hose at 10.5 GPM, thus eliminating the need to stop and empty the tank.

What is the right decision for your company? HydraMaster has a complete line of truckmounted and high performance heated portable extractors. Use our experience to help make sure you make the right investment for your company. Would you like more information? Let us know here.