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.