How To Pick a Windowcleaner in Glasgow and Western Scotland

I have always lived in places where the window cleaning was always pre-arranged and you only paid so much per month and it was all sorted for you. This was fine and I took it for granted until I moved into my own place and had to start looking for a window cleaner that could do a fine job, you know, like in those commercials where the glass is so clean that people walk right through it (or at least, try to)? So I started my search for a window cleaner in western scotland or a window cleaner in Kilmarnock or maybe a window cleaner in Ayr just to make sure I got my bases covered and hopefully found the best in the area. To make sure I got the big professional ones too I looked at window cleaners in Glasgow to see how the big boys do it and how much they charge.

As I started talking to them I would ask each one; why should I pick you? See, I was looking for someone to get the contract on a fix-and-forget basis so I would not have to worry about it at all but just knew it was sorted out. Now here's a really neat trick, if you are looking for any service at all be it plumbing, website design or window cleaning and you know what you want but you dont want to be short-changed, you can ask the simple question why should I pick you? and the people you are talking to will answer you in industry language. In other words, they are the 'experts' in this field and they know the criteria used to judge good work, they know the background required to do the work and all kinds of certification and insurances that you and I would probably never think of or maybe at best, just dont want to think about. Their statements will be something like, ''we are certified by Ladders free and we are covered in such and such ways and we use such and such equipment''. I did not know anything about this and a quick google around the net showed me that to be certified as Ladders free you had to have the following:

• Public Liability Insurance
• Employers Liability Insurance
• Commercial Customer Referees
• Know all the Health & Safety Procedures of window cleaning
• Have a Current Competency Report  
• They also use water-fed poles which means they will not need to climb up too high making the whole situation safer and clatter-free. Nothing worse than scaffolding around your property for weeks just to clean two windows!

 They will also more than likely have the ''LaddersFree'' logo on the top right side of the image below on their stationery

Now the industry guys have gone to great lengths to take a thorough look at a window cleaner's background to make sure they are fit to work in this industry and also to be trusted around your property. This is all so you and I are safe when we contract window cleaners in our local areas. So that was one thing I quickly learnt and to cut a long story short, I will now put more points to look at below.

• Due to the use of water-fed poles they cust costs by taking scaffolding or cherry pickers out of the picture
• Cladding and gutters can be cleaned from the ground
• They can access those awkward areas in the back so your windows are cleaned all round. There is nothing worse than a striking clean window next to one that's starting to look tinted due to filth! It does not work.
• Other places on site can be cleaned as well such as street lamps, signage, solar panels, wind turbines, canopies, conservatories and atriums
• Client privacy is maintained as there is no need to climb to their bedroom or bathroom windows or above. All washing is done from the ground.
• Landscaping and flower beds are not damaged by ladders, scaffolding or bulky cherry pickers.
• Buildings, siding and window sills are not marked by ladders
• Work is quicker and operatives are off the site sooner than cleaners using ladders/ scaffolding/ cherry pickers etc.
• They use inonized-water in the poles and this makes the wash last longer than ordinary tap-water. My window cleaner in East Kilbride, Scotland  has saved me money already since he now only comes once a month (not twice) due to the ionized water cutting my bills in half!
• Proven Experience and Quality Service
• Positive Word of Mouth or testimonials, talk to their other customers as you will need to know, trust and like your window cleaner so you can give them un-supervised access to your property while you do your other life essential activities.
• Pick a window cleaner that's within your budget
• When you look at testimonials as mentioned above, do not forget to ask how they handled any problem areas in the past. This is important as you will need to have a way to complain or voice any concerns you may have should anything go wrong in the future.

If that's been helpful please post a positive comment or add any other criteria you may have for picking a window cleaner. Thanks!

Why does this keep happening at Xmas...???

If you are in Scotland you might be familiar with East Kilbride (EK), a town on the south-west side of Glasgow. And, if you are familiar with EK you will also remember that mid-December to March-ish this year (2010) saw heaps of snow that one only had to look at and swear all the global-warming theorists had no clue. I am also sure they made a mental note to attend the next global-warming-theorist meeting with the sole purpose of challenging global-warming as there was record-level snowfall since records began, surely the world was getting colder, not warmer? And no, I am not one of these challengers but having seen the snow we had, I had my own doubts! And no, this writing is not about snow, no sir-ree, it's about the blocked drains that happened and gave the plumbers in Glasgow a very busy and profitable time. You see I have always prided myself as someone smart enough to see it when it's coming and sometimes even before it's coming but this situation left me asking why and how we could have had blocked drains in our flat. Deep down I was convinced it was the lady downstairs but since we share the same communal water and drainage system, we all had to foot the bill, paying oldman winter they told me. Needless to say, with all the Xmas gifts and January disease I was not happy about this and wanted to ask my plumber friend from Glasgow to pick his brain a little bit. He goes ''I want to be No.1 in the No.2 business. Your crap is my children's bread and butter.'' Like I said above, I consider myself a smart fella, but it was only after he told me the stuff below that it dawned on me wht that statement really meant. D-uh !

Drains block for a number of reasons. Blockages can occur from a variety of unnatural products flushed into the drain. There are a number of solutions that clear the drain-Rodding & Pressure Jetting.


His Top Tips On Drain Maintenance

If there is a problem with a blocked drainage system, it is important to know what may be causing the blockage. It may be a broken pipe, ingrowing tree roots or accumulated grease from a nearby restaurant.

Problems in drainage systems vary from rainwater ducts overflowing due to an accumulation of leaves or mud or other natural or man made materials. I am sure that we are all aware that it is only natural products that should be flushed away. You will be amazed at the items that I have found in drains.

The most common reasons for a drain or toilet blockages are obvious e.g. Too much toilet paper and foreign objects. Foreign objects that I have had the pleasure to unclog include children’s toys, loo fresheners that hang on the in-side of the bowl, sanitary towels, incontinence pads, paper hand towels, cigarettes, soap, toothbrushes, nappies, baby wipes and kitchen towels. If you know of any one flushing any of these items down the toilet, be sure to give them my number 0800 021 4011 or 0141 560 0134.

Traditional drain rods can be used to plunge the toilet or drain. This method is successful for the majority of blockages. When this method does not work other measures will need to be considered. This includes removal of the W.C. to allow for an examination of the waste pipe for foreign objects such as toilet fresheners (a plumbers friend). A plumbers' snake or Auger(wire) can also clear blockages from waste pipe work. If all of the previous methods fails High Pressure Jetting (H.P.J.)is a fail safe way to clear the most persistent of blockages. A jetter machine is connected to a water supply either by a common garden tap connection or via supply in the street. A nozzle at the hose end converts the water into laser cutting jets which strips deposits and scale from pipe walls, flushes out waste and restores the pipe bore to its full flow. During the jetting operation, the route the water takes must be watched closely and the jetting direction changed as necessary. Water Jetting units are ideal for cleaning soft stoppages such as grease and ice from drain pipes. They use a stream of high pressure water that hits the stoppage and flushes it away. The thrust of the jetter nozzle drives the hose down the pipe and the forward and sideways action of the jet cleans away the blockages completely.

Drain maintenance is extremely important for everyone’s well being. Here are a few things that can be done to ensure proper drain maintenance.

•For homes, ensure every member in the home knows what can and cannot be put down drains. This can stop further drainage problems.

•Drain maintenance is important, whether it is in commercial or domestic places, routine drain check-ups should be made. Look out for smelly surface water at the base of a drain pipe or surface drain. Be aware of waste taking longer than normal to drain or flush away.

•Should blockages occur, whoever notices it should make it known to those in charge or find a drain maintenance service to attend to the problem.

•Ensure drains are always kept clean and free of any debris that could cause it to get blocked. Fitting gutter and drain protection devices such as guards and covers will eliminate blockages from leaves and other debris.

Apart from the usual unblocking of drains, High Pressure Jetters can be used for a diverse range of applications including: clearing road gullies and gratings as installed on many commercial and retail sites which often become inoperative due to silt, etc. This equipment is also used with a lance attachment to provide high-pressure cleaning of walkways, forecourts, entrance areas, etc, which have become hazardous due to build up of natural deposits such as moss, etc. H.P.J. units are excellent at: Paint and limescale removal,

Graffiti, fly poster and chewing gum removal, Patio, drives, paving slab and concrete cleaning.

You have heard the saying “Where there’s muck there’s brass! I was cleaning out a drain when I noticed something glinting in the dirt. I picked up the gold coloured ring and the first thing that came into my head was ‘is this real gold! The only way that I knew how to test for gold was the teeth test. Ooops!