There’s still time for window cleaning before your New Year’s party

So much to do and so little time with New Year’s Eve only days away – along with the food, the drinks and the decorations, there’s also the general cleaning you have to do before the doorbell rings with your first guest.

It’s a splendid time of year, and one of the year’s biggest parties. Guests aren’t coming to inspect your home and give you a grade for cleaning. Still, you don’t want them to get the wrong idea; you don’t want them to think you don’t care about your home or that you don’t care about the impression you make.

Considering, the last thing you want to worry about, particularly in the middle of winter, is cleaning your windows. But, if the windows need cleaning the windows need cleaning.

You can clean the house immaculately but they’ll still notice dirty windows. You can put up all kinds of great decorations to distract them, but they’ll still notice the dirty windows. If only there was a way to clean the windows this time of year. If only there was time to clean the windows before the New Year’s party. The good news is that there is a very good chance that there is a solution from both perspectives.

Quality window cleaning companies, such as McHenry based Northern Illinois Windows, clean windows year round.

“We still have a few openings if someone wants us to clean the windows in their home before New Year’s,” said Bill Thomas, the owner of Northern Illinois Windows. “It’s on a first-come-first-served basis, but if someone calls in the next couple days, there’s a good chance we can help.”

Another bit of good news is that, once the party is over, assuming things didn’t get really out of hand on New Year’s, you’ll still have clean windows. You might want to keep the shades drawn New Year’s Day, assuming you have a pounding headache trying to recover, but, after that, you can throw open the curtains and enjoy a clear view of winter’s panorama outdoors.

Thomas said that the window cleaning specialists at Northern Illinois windows are professionals. They’ll get in and get the job done without creating additional headaches for the homeowner. And, if the party is at the office, they can clean those windows, too.

Whether someone needs their windows cleaned or not, however, Thomas said he wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year.

Why does ultraviolet light cause color to fade?

   Because of photodegradation.

It is all about the chemical makeup of an object. The technical term for color fading is photodegradation. There are light absorbing color bodies called chromophores that are present in dyes. The color(s) we see are based upon these chemical bonds and the amount of light that is absorbed in a particular wavelength ... (read more).

That chest of drawers ain’t what it used to be – not with UV rays coming through the window

Remember when you found that chest of drawers in the back of that furniture store. You really weren't planning to buy anything that day. But then you came around the corner and there it was along with a bed and nightstand.

You had no interest in the other pieces – just the chest of drawers. It called to you. You knew just where to put it. It was as though you’d something you’d long searched for but never knew you were searching.

The cost was a little more than you wanted to spend but there’s a sense of permanence to a piece of furniture, such as this, that made the cost acceptable. It transformed the back room – made it complete. When the sun came in the window each morning, the rays of light seemed to dance off the polyurethane finish.

You’d appreciated that chest of drawers for years. One of your most prized possessions, you took comfort knowing, when your time came, the chest of drawers would go to your daughter and then, one day, to hers. There was only one thing you didn't plan for.

The sun sucks the life out of your furniture

It turns out the sun did more than dance on your chest of drawer’s finish; it also dried the polyurethane and the wood below it. It faded the color of the wood.

The drawers didn’t slide the way the used to slide. The piece just wasn't the same.

How did that happen? Right in front of you, your chest of drawers changed. It grew old in ways you didn't appreciate.

This is what happens to furniture when exposed to the ultra-violet rays of the sun. Those rays are silently powerful and consistent, as though the surf is wearing a rock smooth.

Curtains can reduce the effects of UV rays but they seldom eliminate the rays. And when the curtains are drawn, you can no longer look outside through the window. You might as well replace the window with a solid wall. There is, however, one other option.

Window film, such as the window film produced by 3M, actually blocks 99.9 percent of the sun’s ultra-violet rays. Window film would have preserved the chest of drawers in the story above, as well as other pieces of furniture, flooring and even paint on the walls.

In the meantime, tinted window film can cut down the heat produced by the sun, heat you then spend money to remove from your home or office with air conditioning. Window film can also reduce the glare that comes through the windows.

What is ultraviolet (UV) radiation?

"Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major risk factor for most skin cancers. Sunlight is the main source of UV rays. Tanning lamps and beds are also sources of UV rays. People who get a lot of UV exposure from these sources are at greater risk for skin cancer ... (from American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/sunanduvexposure/skincancerpreventionandearlydetection/skin-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection-what-is-u-v-radiation)."

Window Quiz - What is a Jalousie Window?

Test your knowledge of windows

What is a Jalousie window?

Answer (according to Wikipedia), a Jalousie Window is a "louvered window, the jalousie window consists of parallel slats of glass or acrylic that open and close like a Venetian blind, usually using a crank or a lever. They are used extensively in tropical architecture. A jalousie door is a door with a jalousie window."

Glass Facts - this one will raise an eyebrow or two

There are different kinds of windows. For instance, the window above a door and, sometimes, above other windows, is called an eyebrow. No, it's not thick and hairy but it's still an eyebrow.

The first glass window?

Could this be the first glass window? Possibly. It is dated to approximately 100 AD and was found in Alexandria.

(Source: Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window

Relieve a little holiday strain – hire someone to install your Christmas lights and decorations

Over the years, fewer and fewer homes are decorating with Christmas lights this time of year. Frankly, it’s a hassle. You have to climb into the attic and dig the lights and decorations out from where you stored them last year, if you put them up last year at all. You have to pull the ladder out of the garage and climb around the house trying not to fall. You hate to join those who have stopped putting up their lights but there must be a better way.

There is. Hire someone else to put up your Christmas lights. One such company is Northern Illinois Windows of McHenry.

“This time of year, we put up Christmas lights for homes and businesses in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin,” said owner Bill Thomas. “A lot of people don’t want to the hassle, are too busy or are worried about climbing ladders.”

Thomas said his crew has the experience to handle installing lights and decorations even on the largest homes and businesses in the area. They do a professional job so it doesn’t look like someone was just trying to get it done.

815-385-6646

“When we’re done, our customers can take pride in the lights and decorations on their homes,” he said.

Thomas said his crew does more than just put up lights. They also take them down. And, in the offseason, they store the lights. The following year, all a homeowner or business manager has to do is call and say, “Can you come out and put up our lights and decorations now?”

Customers can even schedule a year ahead of time to have their lights and decorations installed. In that case, they don’t even have to call, though they’ll receive a call letting them know a crew is coming out in a day or two.

This is festive time of year made all the more festive when streets are lined by homes and businesses adorned with sparkling lights and colors. It’s also a hectic time of year. Most people have enough things on their plates without worrying about putting up holiday lights and decorations. Hiring a company to do it for them relieves them of the strain.

Window cleaners turn to holiday decorators this time of year

Jack admires the Christmas lights on the house across the street. Usually, he puts lights up on his house, too, but not this year, not after his accident.

Leaha would like to join her neighbors in celebrating the holidays with some lights for Hanukah but, with her son living half-a-country away, at 72, it’s probably not a good idea to climb a ladder.

Ron and Linda have Christmas decorations and they have a solid ladder. They just don’t have the time to put up the lights this year.

All of these people, and more, may skip putting up holiday decorations this year. Their reasons for doing so are valid. But, there is another way where all of these people can fully participate in the season and share their holiday spirit with friends and neighbors. Some companies, such as Northern Illinois Windows in McHenry, offer holiday decoration services.

“For one reason or another, some people can’t put up lights and decorations for the holidays,” said Bill Thomas, the owner of Northern Illinois Windows. “In some cases, they want their decorations up but they’d rather not do it themselves. In either case, we can help.”

Most of the year, Northern Illinois Windows is cleaning or putting tinted window film on windows. They also clean gutters and put gutter guards on gutters. But, when the holidays approach, they also offer a holiday decorating service.

“And we’ll come out to take the decorations down, too,” said Thomas. “Even if you enjoy the family tradition of putting up the lights and decorations, in the bitter cold of January, you may want to skip the hassle of taking them down again.”

Thomas said the cost depends on how many decorations and on the house. A ranch will generally cost a little less than putting decorations on a two- or three-story house.

“We’ll also put decorations out for businesses,” he said. “You know, we really enjoy this kind of work, especially when we drive by at night and see a house all lit up with decorations we put up for a customer. It feels like we’re adding to the festive nature of the season.”

Thomas said that his crews have put up holiday decorations for years; they’re professionals and do a professional job.

Thomas said folks can call him for a quote to put up (and take down) holiday decorations at 815-385-6646.

No, it’s not too cold to wash your windows

Winter scenes fade away with dirty windows.

Well, now that the cold has set in, there’s nothing to do but let the windows get dirty and wait for spring to arrive, right? If that were true, how would you enjoy that pristine, snow-covered scene outside the window this winter?

Fortunately, quality window cleaning companies, such as Northern Illinois Windows, clean windows all year round. As professionals, they know how to overcome the elements. They’ll leave your windows as clean and streak free in the winter as they do in the middle of summer.

What’s more, as professionals, they’ll clean your windows safely and with virtually no obtrusion. Bonded and insured – the window cleaning technicians at Northern Illinois Windows have the training and equipment to do the job right and safely in all four seasons.

Over the course of the winter, when many homeowners simply allow the dirt to accumulate on their windows, many respond by keeping the curtains drawn. With short periods of daylight, and more time spent indoors, this can increase the sense of cabin fever that can give people the blues.

Clean windows make you feel good. They encourage you to leave the curtains open. That additional sunlight can cheer you up. At the same time, the sun will pour heat through the windows thereby lowering the heating bill.

Professional window cleaners aren’t flustered by the cold. Window cleaning season runs year round and includes residential cleaning and business cleaning. With the latter, clean windows are essential year round.

When a customer walks into a store, a dirty window sets a bad first impression, even if it is the middle of winter. On the flip side, that you’ve taken the effort to have your windows cleaned regardless of the elements, speaks loudly about your commitment business’s commitment to quality service and products. It also says you care when the windows at your home are clean.

Gutter guards offer convenience while protecting your roof and home

Every year, it’s the same thing; the gutters fill with leaves and, if someone doesn't get up there and clean them, trouble is brewing when the snow flies. When the gutters are full, ice and snow build up onto the roof. On a warmer winter day, when the snow and ice start to melt, instead of flowing down the gutter and downspout, they look for somewhere else to go.

Often, that alternate root the melting ice and snow chooses is under the shingles and through the roof. The next thing you know, ceilings are damaged, sheeting and rafters begin to rot and insulation looses its R value – its ability to keep warm air inside in the winter and outside in the summer.

There is only one reasonable alternative to cleaning gutters each year; keep the leaves and debris out of the gutters to begin with.

Gutter Guards are the ticket

How do you keep leaves and debris out of gutters? Simple  - you cover the gutters so leaves and debris can’t get in. The important thing is to make sure the water can get in while keeping other matter out.

Leaves aren’t the only unwanted element that can work its way into gutters. Pieces of gravel break off of roof shingles and fall into gutters. Birds and trees drop seeds and branches into gutters.

Have you ever seen small trees, plants or weeds growing out of a gutter and asked yourself, “How did that get there?” Keep the seeds out of the gutter and you won’t have to ask that question. Good quality gutter guards will keep them out.

Once you’ve decided to relieve yourself of the annual challenge of cleaning your gutters, the next question is, “Which gutter guards are best.”

There are several styles of gutter guards. One type uses foam that is placed in the gutters to displace leaves and other objects. Over time, however, the foam breaks down. Before you know it, along with leaves and other particles, the foam is clogging the gutters.

The best bet is to cap your gutters with a material that lets the water in while keeping other matter out. You’ll want gutter guards with a small enough mesh that roof gravel washes over the gutters instead of into the gutters.

Good quality gutter guards are relatively inexpensive and provide years of maintenance-free convenience. Since gutters filled with leaves, debris, snow and ice can break under the weight, gutter guards can also help you to avoid costly gutter and fascia repairs.

Tinted window film offers a solution to drawing the shades over your favorite outdoor scenes

It’s part of your morning ritual; one of the first things you do is to draw down the blinds. It’s not that you really want to draw the blinds but you do it anyway.

Outside the window, there is a wonderful panorama – trees are turning colors, squirrels are busying gathering acorns to bury and, occasionally, you might even see a deer wander by. But, you’ll wait until the afternoon to enjoy the view. Now, this morning, it’s just too darn bright. The sun blares in the window with such brilliance that you can almost hear it scream. It’s more than your eyes can handle.

The glare is too much and so the shades are drawn. Fortunately, there is a possible solution to the glaring sun that does not require drawing the shades – tinted window film.

Tinted window film almost works like the light dimmer switch in your dining room. It turns down the sunlight as it comes through the window. Tinted window film has the potential to turn down the sunlight enough so that you can leave the blinds up.

At the same time, tinted window film leaves the view outside clear and uninhibited, assuming your windows are clean (Northern Illinois Windows always cleans the windows, both sides, when installing window film). Of course, if you want a fogged window film, that’s an option, too. Otherwise, that clear view is in its full glory day or night.

While toning down the glaring sun, tinted window film also protects you, your furnishings and your floor coverings from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultra-violet rays.

Have you ever moved a piece of furniture and discovered that the carpet or tile below it is richer and fuller in color underneath? That’s what your flooring looked like originally. Over time, the UV rays of the sun have washed the vibrant colors out of your flooring.

It’s easy to see under a piece of furniture. The furniture creates a time-capsule effect by blocking the UV rays. Otherwise, the UV effects occur slowly, so slowly that you don’t notice the gradual change. Most types of window film, tinted or otherwise, reflect 99.9 percent of the UV rays. That’s good news for your flooring and furniture and it’s good news for your skin.

In terms of cutting the glare so you can see, and see that scene outdoors, window film has the potential to rectify these problems. It can do such a good job that you may decide to completely remove the shades from that window all together.

Fall colors can lead to clogged gutters

Sure it’s beautiful. The splendor of autumn colors in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin is virtually unsurpassed among the wonders of nature. Yet, those crimson red, golden yellow and fiery orange leaves represent the arrival of that annual ritual where trees shrug loose of their leaves. And, when they shrug those leaves loose, those leaves come down.

When the leaves fall to the ground they create the need to break out the rakes. In Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, as well as other areas, this means raking the leaves into piles and dragging them to the curb for vacuuming, bagging them for removal or raking them into piles for burning. But, not all leaves make it to the ground.

Many leaves fall onto roofs and into gutters. Those that fall on the roofs often make their way to the gutters. In either case, they create a blockage that denies the gutters the ability to perform their intended duty – conducting water from the roofs to the ground without creating hazardous pools (icy pools in winter) or potential flooding of basements.

“When gutters are clogged, not only are they unable to efficiently move the water as intended, they also become part of the problem rather than part of the solution,” said Bill Thomas, owner of Northern Illinois Windows in McHenry, a company that washes windows and cleans out gutters. “With clogged gutters, snow and ice can build up beyond the breaking point. The breaking point is where the weight is too much for the gutters and they collapse.”

As a gutter collapses, Thomas said it can create a hazardous condition for anyone walking by at the time. Even if that’s not the case, it can create icy and flooding conditions. As the gutter pulls free from the house, it can damage the roof, fascia and eaves.

Water can also buildup under the roof, when the gutter is clogged. This can damage the roofing material and the wood below it. Water flowing over a clogged gutter, on a warmer winter day, can cause pools below that are treacherous when frozen as the temperature drops again.

The solution is to clean gutters so the water can flow through as designed to do. Since leaves fall in the autumn, and snows generally come down in the winter, the best time to clean your gutters is in that short period between the two seasonal events.

“Cleaning the gutters is not a highly complex process,” Thomas said. “However, since it does involve working off of ladders and climbing on roofs, it’s not something you should do without serious attention to safety. That’s particularly true if you have a two-story or higher home or office.”

When in doubt, Thomas said it’s best to call in a professional. However, he said you shouldn’t call just anyone who claims to clean gutters.

“It’s essential that you hire someone who is insured and bonded,” Thomas said. “If they aren’t, not only are they more likely to use less than the safest procedures, but, if they do fall, you’ll find yourself with a bigger problem than clogged gutters.”

For more information, call Thomas at 815-385-6646.

Welcome to The Northern Illinois Windows blog

This, the new Northern Illinois Windows blog, is where we will post information relevant to window cleaning, window tinting, gutter cleaning and power washing. We hope you find this information helpful in maintaining your home in top condition and we welcome your questions and feedback. Regular maintenance of your windows, gutters and siding will extend the useful life of your home, not to mention how much the neighbors will love you for it.