Snow or not – there’s still time to clean your gutters

As the snow melts, water can work its way up

under the shingles and cause significant

damage to your roof. Thankfully, you can still

have your gutters cleaned.

Are your gutters making you a little bit nervous after several accumulations of snow here in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin? It’s not that the snow would have melted away already. But, since you didn’t have the gutters cleaned before winter weather set in, you may actually see a little sag in the gutters.

Of course, there isn’t anything you can do about it now, right? You’ll just have to wait for spring to roll around. WRONG!!!

And that’s not a good idea. Clogged gutters can allow melting snow to climb up and under your roof’s shingles. That could turn into a very expensive problem.

You can also have gutter

guards installed.

The good news is that there are companies, such as Northern Illinois Windows, who clean gutters and won’t allow a little thing like snow to get in the way. They’ll even install gutter guards this time of year.

Yes, it’s easier to clean the gutters before the snow arrives but they can still be cleaned after the snow flies.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

At this festive time of year, here at Northern Illinois Windows, we like to reflect on how thankful we are to have such wonderful customers who have trusted us to clean their windows, clean their gutters, install holiday lighting and/or apply window tinting. We are proud to have earned your trust.

While we stand ready to continue earning your trust, we would like to take this time to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Our hope is that the holiday brings you all the blessings you could wish for and a 2026 that will stand out as a wonderful year to remember.

Clean windows in winter are good for your body and your mind

Winter often offers a spectacular view out your

windows. Don't spoil that view with dirty

windows. Clean windows provide the best

possible view and other healthy benefits, too.

As the temperature change has finally caught up with Autumn, we’ll start bundling up before we go outdoors. On the other hand, we’ll also spend more time indoors in the colder months. Even those who enjoy winter activities, tend to spend less time outdoors as winter approaches.

As we’re driven indoors by the cold and inclement weather, the interior confines begin to take a toll on our states of mind. They call it cabin fever. By the time Spring rolls around, most of us are almost desperate to escape into the outdoors. But, until that time arrives, we have to cope.

It helps to cope if we don’t feel too cramped and confined. Beyond going outdoors when we can and it’s reasonable to do so, creating a comfortable environment indoors will help us to survive the colder seasons with a degree of sanity intact.

Hot cocoa and Autumn soups will help. Keeping the house clean and uncluttered will help. Having a pleasant view of the outdoors will go a long way toward improving your state of mind.

You can hang a Currier & Ives painting on the wall but why bother when you have the potential for the real thing right outside your windows?

When a fresh coat of snow drapes itself across the landscape, the pristine winter scene that greets your eyes can bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart. But don’t spoil that view with dirty windows. 

Another challenge of Autumn and winter is that the days grow shorter. That means we enjoy less sunlight, and sunlight is important both physically and mentally.

According to Dr. Charles Garven, in a Cleveland Clinic article, “More than 90% of our vitamin D comes from sunlight exposure. The skin absorbs ultraviolet-B rays, which triggers the conversion of a cholesterol molecule in the skin into vitamin D3.”

This gives us:

• Strong bones
• A healthy immune system
• Better mood
• Cardiovascular health
• Better Muscle function

Keeping our windows clean, therefore, will help us take advantage of the sunlight we receive when sunlight is reduced by the seasons. In other words, clean windows are good for your mood and your body.

Riding snowmobiles or watching, don’t spoil winter’s wonderland with dirty windows

Northern Illinois can provide a winter wonderland that
snowmobilers just love. But, whether you're out on the trails
on your sled, or watching other riders go by, don't allow
dirty windows to spoil your view of winter's wonderland.

Like it or not, winter is just around the bend. Then again, maybe you’re one of those who love winter. You love the crisp cold air, ice fishing, skiing and snowmobiling. It’s even possible that winter is your favorite time of year. With the approach of winter, you’re busy waxing up your skis, getting your ice-fishing gear ready and tuning up the snowmobile.

Another reason to love winter – one that even those who aren’t as enthusiastic about the season can enjoy – is the opportunity for winter vistas to adore from the warmth of your home while looking out the windows on a freshly fallen snow.

 Snowmobilers see that blanket of white and their hearts begin to pound, their palms itch and all they can think about is getting out on the trails on their sled. But even they might pause to appreciate winter’s panorama.

There is one potential problem when it comes to relishing the visual splendor of winter – dirty windows.

A scenic winter landscape just isn’t the same when you witness it through dirt-smeared glass. When the glass is clean, you can almost get the feeling that you’re gazing upon a Norman Rockwell painting. With a hot cup of cocoa, a book and a comfy chair, you can recline and relax in utter tranquility.

But, even if you’re heading out on the ice to drill a hole in the ice and catch some fish, or you’re loading the skis on the ski rack and heading out to the slopes, or revving up the snowmobile to catch that white wave, it’s nice to know you’ll come home to clean windows when your outdoor adventures are done for the day.

Clean windows in winter are an asset for businesses, too. Why wouldn’t a business want to provide its clients with a vision of winter splendor? It’s waiting outside, why not make the most of it?

Whether you love winter or prefer to hibernate through the season, clean windows will enhance the view of winter’s pageantry.

Don’t let clogged gutters spoil your appreciation of Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin autumn splendor

These folks don't have to worry

about clogged gutters on their 

Northern Illinois home; they have

gutter guards. For those who don't

have gutter guards, there are

professionals who can clean your

gutters while keeping you safely

off of ladders.

Aren’t the autumn leaves in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin beautiful. We should all take some time to relax and appreciate nature’s splendor, shouldn’t we?

Of course, it’s a little difficult to have unfettered appreciation for those red, orange, yellow and brown leaves when they’re clogging your gutters.

When you think about climbing a ladder and scooping them out of the gutter, that appreciation is likely to dissipate quickly. That’s especially true when you think about having to repeatedly climb up and down the ladder while moving it in between. And it won’t help when you come to realize that those pretty leaves can stick to things when they’re wet, including the inside of the gutter and your gloves.

After a while, gutter-dwelling leaves almost seem to create a kind of gluttonous mess that is downright unpleasant.

It doesn’t help to remind yourself that cleaning the gutters is a task that comes with every autumn. If only you could alleviate yourself from the burden of cleaning the gutters, the worry of falling from a ladder, you could fully appreciate the grandeur of autumn.

The good news is that such an option is readily available. Rather than enduring the inconvenience and risk associated with cleaning your own gutters, you can bring in professionals who, with a quality company, clean your gutters professionally and completely. 

And when they’re done, you’ll have no mess to spoil the view around your home.

Even better yet, with the established gutter cleaning companies, you can schedule to have them come out every year at the appropriate time to leave your gutters clean and prepared for the winter ahead.

Covering your gutters offers an annual solution

Another way to avoid the annual distraction of cleaning the gutters, you can also have guards put on your gutters to keep the leaves out in the first place. You’ll be able to enjoy autumn’s beauty without the slightest worry about leaves clogging your gutters.

Remember, with clogged gutters, thawing ice can push water back up under your shingles and damage your roof. This makes gutter cleaning more than a trivial matter.

Is having your kitchen staff clean windows an efficient use of their time, or your money?

Is it an efficient use of your staff's time
to have them clean your restaurant's
windows?

What restaurant owner isn’t thrilled when a family of eight or more come in to celebrate the birthday of one in their group? A celebration, such as that, tends to prompt a lax fiscal mentality that includes more appetizers and, definitely, dessert. But you want the service to bolster the festive nature of the event. What if it doesn’t?

For instance, what if they are left waiting too long for service. What if the joyous conversation is interrupted by someone asking, “When are they going to come take our orders?” This is not a good time for diners to notice waitstaff standing about idly or even doing chores that could be done at other times.

Imagine if members of that group are beginning to glance at their watches because their meals have yet to arrive while they see a waitress washing windows. It’s not hard to visualize someone in the group commenting, “Couldn’t they be helping to get our orders out rather than washing windows right now?”

It’s not that clean windows aren’t important for an establishment that serves food and drinks; they are. Clean windows are vital when it comes to presenting an eatery or café in a light that suggests cleanliness that extends to food preparation areas. Diners like the idea that their food will be served in a clean and hygienically safe environment. But is having the staff clean the windows an effective use of their time?

When it comes to cleaning windows, restaurant managers may choose the less experienced members of the waitstaff for the job. But wouldn’t their time be better used learning the ropes of taking orders, promptly communicating the customers’ wishes to the kitchen staff and efficiently serving orders?

It takes time for a waiter or waitress to learn the menu and all the nuances involved in filling orders while addressing special needs of some diners. Mostly likely, they also need to learn your POS system, as well. And how many on your staff are really qualified to clean windows.

Cleaning windows isn’t just about getting the dirt off the glass; it’s also about avoiding streaks and not making a mess in the process. Hopefully, the employees who run your restaurant are professionals who know what they’re doing. It’s a bit much to expect their expertise to extend to window cleaning, too.

And how long will it take them to clean your windows? It’s not their primary job. You can’t expect them to complete the window cleaning as promptly as you expect them to take orders. But those who clean windows professionally know what they’re doing.

When a professional window cleaner is done cleaning your windows, the windows are clean, there are no streaks and no mess. And they don’t take all day getting the job done.

Are your windows and walls giving dirty looks to potential customers

Consciously or subconsciously, potential customers are
likely to notice if the windows and walls of your business
are clean or dirty. And what they see outside is likely to
influence their impression of what they'll see inside.

Have you ever seen a scowl or a dirty look on someone’s face as they entered a business? Could it be they’re only returning the dirty look your business gave them on the way in? Unfortunately, that’s the kind of dirty look that could have potential customers walking on by.

The first impression a potential customer has of a business is based on what they see of the exterior of the building. This is especially critical for a company that sells food where a dirty look can even change a potential diner’s appetite. But it really applies to all businesses.

People are particular about what they eat. With a restaurant, they want their food prepared in a clean kitchen and served on clean plates and bowls. Customers will send back a fork that isn’t clean. Any hint that the food is prepared in a dirty kitchen is sure to earn a dirty look from the customer. 

Restaurant owners go to pains to keep their kitchens clean only partially because the health department has codes requiring it. The health department doesn’t inspect a restaurant every day but diners do.

Keep in mind that the health department doesn’t inspect restaurants, diners, cafés and other eateries out of aesthetic concerns. The health department conducts inspections of these establishments because an unclean eatery is likely to be an unhealthy eatery. And this brings us back to the external appearance of a restaurant or café.

Clean windows and walls speak volumes about the quality you offer your customers

The prominent aspects of the outside of businesses are the windows and walls. If the windows aren’t clean, they might prompt dirty looks from potential customers. The same goes for the walls. There are those who won’t give it a conscious thought. But their subconscious may return the dirty look reflected on dirty windows.

Window cleaning and power washing have the miraculous ability to wipe away dirty looks, the kinds of dirty looks that turn diners and customers away from a restaurant or business.

If the presentation outside the business demonstrates a conscientious effort to present a good impression, most diners and customers will assume that such an attitude carries through to the products and services provided inside. Dirty looks are as unlikely inside as they are outside.

Window washing and power washing are both dirty look eliminators. 

Wedding Party, Graduation Party, Birthday Party or a simple BBQ:

Window cleaning and power washing help, whatever you’re celebrating

Summer time is party time. As your backyard

becomes the outdoor party room, make sure

the house is presentable. You may want to

consider power washing and window cleaning.

There’s so much to do you don’t know where to turn next. But all those preparations aren’t going to take care of themselves. Whether it’s a wedding party, a graduation party, a birthday party or simply a barbeque get-together, you want everything to go off without a hitch. And you want the house to look its best – and that includes clean windows, doesn’t it?

Do you have invitations to send out? Do you need to rent tables and chairs? Do you need to rent a tent, chafing dishes, bouncing houses and/or games? Where will you set everything up? 

Of course, before you put one stake in the ground for the tent or a bouncy house, place tables and chairs anywhere in the yard, you’ll need to cut the grass and clean up the yard. And you’ll want the house to be spotless, inside and out, won’t you?

If you’ve straightened up inside, vacuumed and dusted, shined the silver and polished the glassware, that’s a good start. But, if all that is done, and the windows are dirty, those windows will standout like sore thumbs all around the house.

Windows are generally transparent. Therefore, they’ll need to be cleaned indoors and outdoors. 

While looking at the windows from the outside, you may notice that the siding around the windows is none too clean either. Essentially, the house needs a bath before the party begins.

With all you have to do, why add cleaning windows and bathing the house to your to-do list? A much better idea is to call in the pros.

Professionals will do a streak-free job of cleaning your windows. And, with power washing, your home will look so nice you’ll enjoy the appearance long after the party is over. Same thing with those clean windows.

Whatever your celebrating, clean windows and siding will go a long way to presenting your home the way you want friends and family to see it. 

From window cleaning, to power washing to window tinting and gutter cleaning: NIW has the professional service for you

From window cleaning, to power washing, to

window film and gutter cleaning, NIW has

an array of services to meet your needs.

It’s wonderful to have a window cleaning company on speed-dial. After all, who wants to wash their windows. It’s not uncommon to hear a maid service say, “But we don’t do windows.” Not only do window cleaning companies ‘do windows’ but they specialize at doing windows.

A really nice thing about quality window cleaning companies is that some of them do more than windows. For instance, Northern Illinois Windows, which has cleaned windows for residential and commercial clients in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin since 1991, also provides other services that keep customers smiling while safely keeping them off ladders.

Window Cleaning

Window cleaning is how NIW got started. As mentioned above, they’ve provided superior window cleaning services for 34 years. They like to say that they clean windows “one pane at a time.” They clean windows in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. 

Some customers like to setup to have NIW come out and clean their windows on a monthly basis. Others prefer to call and schedule a cleaning when they’re ready. Commercial clients often prefer to see NIW’s professional window cleaners cleaning the windows on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. 

It’s good to know you can call on NIW if you have a special occasion, if you want to present a positive image for customers and if you simply appreciate a clear view out of your windows.

Power Washing and Awning Cleaning

If your home or business is looking a little grubby, NIW is ready to come out and clean the exterior of your building when you need them. If you’re getting ready for painters to come out, NIW will help to prepare your walls for paint.

The same applies to cleaning your awnings. Trees will sprinkle your awnings with sap and we don’t even like to think about what the birds do. NIW will return respectability to your awnings.

Window Film

Is the sun shining a little too brightly in your windows? Are the sun’s UV rays fading your floors and furniture? NIW installs the best professional window film, including quality 3M products in homes, retail stores and offices.

And if you’re looking for an aesthetic appeal or a little more privacy, NIW can provide professionally installed window film that will do the trick. 

Gutter Cleaning and Gutter Guards

Clean gutters allow water to properly drain. Clogged gutters will back up and the water will pour over the edges of the gutters or back up under the shingles of your roof.

NIW will clean your gutters so they work properly. They can also install gutter guards that will keep you gutters clean.

Curb appeal means attention to detail and that includes clean windows

You’re thinking about selling the house? You want it to sell fast and at the best possible price, right? You want it to look its best. Curb appeal matters and that means attention to detail. And, if you’re attending to every little detail, you don’t want to forget the windows. Dirty windows on a clean house can stand out like sore thumbs.

Of course, you want clean siding on the house, too. If it needs some TLC, you may want to have some power washing to bring the impression up to snuff.

You’re selling the house, you’re going to make sure it’s ready to impress potential buyers: the grass is cut, bushes are trimmed, windows are cleaned and everything is in its place. But what if you’re not selling the house?

Many of us simply like to keep our homes looking good. We want everything to be in tip-top shape. In fact, it’s a way of being a good neighbor. Most of us don’t appreciate a neighbor who allows their home to look like a hovel.

Then there are times when company is coming to visit.

No doubt you’ll spend time tidying up inside, vacuuming, dusting, washing the floors, bathroom and kitchen. You’ll also want clean windows when visitors are inside looking out. But, before they enter your home, they’ll gather an opinion while approaching the door. And dirty windows and/or walls won’t give a positive first impression.

Maybe, you’re one of those people who doesn’t mind washing your own windows. But, then again, you’ve got enough to do without taking on that big chore. For professionals who wash windows, they have the process down to a science. They do the work in short order and, if it’s a quality window cleaning company, they’ll leave your windows sparkling clean.

Professional window cleaners are also adept at climbing ladders and cleaning windows at heights. You don’t have to worry that you or a loved one will fall from a ladder.

Clean windows are one of the details you don’t want to miss when it’s time to clean, whether it’s Spring Cleaning, for a special event, to improve your home’s curb appeal when you put it up for sale, or just because it makes you feel good to have a nice clean home.

Yes, you can have your windows cleaned all year round

Even though it's winter, you can have your

windows cleaned all year round.

The problem with clean windows is you may not notice them because, well, they’re clean. But a dirty window is something that, more often than not, grabs your attention. And, even if you don’t think that it has touched a nerve, subconsciously, it may affect your state of mind. Those dirty windows may grate on you. If only you could keep your windows clean all year long. 

Turns out, you can! No, you don’t have to climb a ladder in the middle of January; but someone else, who is fully bonded and insured, can do it for you. Window cleaning companies, like NIW, clean windows all year round. 

Are you thinking, ‘That’s crazy talk! No one is going to try to clean a window outside when the temperature is below freezing. The water will freeze.” 

It turns out professional window cleaners do just that. They know what it takes / know what to use to ensure that the solution in their bucket doesn’t become a block of ice. Then they dress appropriately and carefully proceed to clean your windows. 

December, January, February and March: professional window cleaners are on the job. 

“We keep ‘em looking good all year round,” said Bill Thomas of Northern Illinois Windows. 

Though there is a point where the thermometer is a bit too low, in many cases, though it’s below freezing, window cleaners are on the job. 

“Some of our customers, including commercial customers such as Woodstock Country Club and Blue Ribbon Millwork, arrange for us to come out once a month all through the year,” said Thomas. “They don’t have to call us; as long as they want us to keep their windows clean, we’re on the job. You don’t have to worry.” 

While some window cleaning companies may sign homeowners up to contracts, companies, such as Northern Illinois Windows, don’t operate that way. 

As Thomas put it, “Our customers aren’t locked into anything. They can call us anytime they want and we’ll take them off the schedule. Or, if they want us to come back again, they can just give us a call and we’ll put them back on.” 

The same is true with Northern Illinois Windows’ commercial clients, who often want their windows cleaned once a week or every two weeks. 

And quality window companies, such Northern Illinois Windows, often offer other services, perfect for the cold months, like chandelier cleaning and Ceiling Fan Cleaning, to name a few. 

If you don’t want winter to hide your view.. Make your windows shine by booking an appointment with us today! 

Get paid to be your own boss with stress-free “Franchise-Alternative”

Have you ever considered a franchise opportunity? What if there was a way to be your own boss without burying yourself in an insurmountable mountain of debt? 

Franchise-Alternative offers path to success without the debt 

Northern Illinois Windows, the premier window cleaning company serving residential and business customers North and South of the Wisconsin border since 1991, has created a “Franchise-Alternative” that offers opportunity without the risks or the stress. It’s the perfect fit for those with the entrepreneurial spirit who are reluctant to wager all that capital. With NIW’s “Franchise-Alternative,” the right entrepreneur is put on the road to success with a winning proposition.  

The person with the right attitude will receive everything they need to get started, including: 

• A Truck 
• Their Window Cleaning Equipment 
• Training and Coaching 
• A Base Salary and Percentage with the potential to make $1,500 per week 
• Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance  

Considering that you’re joining a company with a successful 32-year track record, the potential for success is almost unlimited. The right candidate will hit the ground running and the sky is the limit. 

Interested candidates should call 815.385.6646 or email a resume to bill@niwservice.com. 

Why It’s Important to Keep Your Windows Clean in the Summer

The summer has finally come to northern Illiois, with the welcome sun shining down on McHenry, Crystal Lake, Barrington, Woodstock and beyond. It’s at times like this that people’s thoughts naturally turn to beach vacations, picnics in the park, long walks, ice cream and window cleaning. Oh, is it only us who thinks that last one? Well, window cleaning is kind of our job here at Norther Illinois Windows – you can’t blame us!

All jokes aside, the summer is an absolutely brilliant time to get your windows cleaned. This is true for a few big reasons.

Firstly, you have to consider what your windows just went through. The winter – between the cold, the snow and the rain – wasn’t just tough on us, but on our homes too, and you’d better believe it affected your windows.

Things like dirt, grime and salt will have undoubtedly built up over the past few months, and – if left unchecked – these can damage your glass. The same definitely goes for even more harmful substances which also thrive in tough conditions, like algae and mold. Even though everything looks lovely again now in this summer weather, these things still need to be cleaned away professionally – by a company like Northern Illinois Windows – for the long-term health of your windows.

Secondly, clean windows will greatly aid your enjoyment of the summer. Many people like to stay indoors a fair amount in this season, particularly when it gets uncomfortably hot outside. That doesn’t mean you don’t want to benefit from the weather, however, and clean windows help you to do just that. They actually let through significantly more light than their dirtier counterparts, therefore letting the sun inside and helping to make your home a brighter, cheerier place.

Thirdly… clean windows simply look better! That’s not our most scientific reason, we know, but it’s true! Summer is traditionally the season in which folks entertain the most, whether it’s inviting their family over to stay for a few days, or holding a barbecue for their friends. Naturally, you want to ensure your house is looking its absolute best when you do this, and having clean windows is an integral part of that.

So, we think it’s clear that it’s extremely important to have clean windows in the summer. Of course, you can try to do this yourself… but we certainly wouldn’t recommend it. The DIY approach to window cleaning sounds like a good idea, but – without professional-level equipment or training – you stand a significant chance of simply damaging your windows, rather than actually cleaning them.

It’s much quicker, easier and safer to simply hire a professional window cleaning company, like Northern Illinois Windows. We’ve been cleaning windows in places like Cary, Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Fox Lake for over 25 years, and we’re known to always achieve great results.

This is traditionally a pretty busy time of year for us, with seemingly everyone in northern Illinois wanting to get their windows cleaned at once, but we’re sure that we’ll still be able to fit you in! To get in touch with us now, in order to discuss your window cleaning needs, or to simply book us in straight away, just send us an email at bill@NIWService.com, or call us on (815) 385-6646.

Picture holiday hope and beauty from your home’s windows

Picture waking Christmas morning to find a carpet of fresh-fallen snow gently laid across the ground outdoors, a glaze of snow intricately outlining each branch on every tree. Looking out on this picture of nature’s majesty, it’s enough, for a little while, to sweep away any thoughts of the trials and tribulations of 2020 – to give you a fresh perspective on the hope and opportunity of the New Year approaching.

Of course, you want to ensure that the Currier & Ives scene outdoors is not hindered by layers of dirt on the window. We say layers because the dirt accumulates inside and out. Together, they can serve as lens filters casting a pall over the winter wonderland where white is interpreted as a shade of brown and the uplifting and joyous scene, as though it were an over processed film, is lost. But what can you do about it now that winter is setting in?

Qualified window cleaning companies, such as Northern Illinois Windows, clean glass at temperatures far below what we’re experiencing now or likely to see before December 25th.  In other words, you still have time to have those windows, the picture frames on the world outdoors, pristinely cleaned in time for the holidays.

Here at Northern Illinois Windows, we wish you many picturesque visual experiences outside your home this winter. We hope you have a chance to get outdoors to hike, sled or ice skate as part of the panoramic splendor of the season. With the lockdown and its quarantines, getting out of the house for a little while is probably something we could all use about now.

More than that, we wish you a wonderful holiday – a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year.

For NIW, community and giving back leads to Operation “Wild Horse”

The shared experiences of 2020 have shown us all the importance of community and on giving back. Here at Northern Illinois Windows, one way we’re giving back is by supporting a wonderful cause – Operation “Wild Horse.”

Operation “Wild Horse” is a program that helps veterans to overcome PTSD. Veterans suffering from PTSD are partnered with horses, caught in the wild, and a miracle connection inevitably grows between them. The horses help bring peace to the veterans and the veterans help to calm the horses.

In support of this worthy program, Northern Illinois Windows is contributing 5% from all Residential Services to this 501C organization. If you want to learn more about Operation “Wild Horse,” visit: https://veteransrandr.org/operation-wild-horse/

Safety and security film for commercial windows enhances multi-functional aspects of glass

Installers apply commercial
window film to a building
in Barrington recently.

Commercial windows are multifunctional equipment for your store or office and that includes providing security. With commercial window security film, that efficiency is significantly enhanced. They let sunlight in while keeping bugs, birds, and other animals out. But security film can help keep two-legged intruders out, as well.

In a serious storm, windows keep most wind and wind-blown objects out of the store. But with commercial window security film, the storm needs to blow a lot harder to breach the glass in your office windows. 3M, a champion of safety and security window film, has done test after test-firing 2X4s and other objects at windows. The windows with safety and security film can take a brutal beating before they give way. Without the film, the glass can shatter with very little provocation.

When windows shatter, dangerous shards of glass can go flying into your store. But, though the glass will eventually break, commercial window security film will generally hold the pieces safely in place. Of course, as mentioned above, Mother Nature isn’t the only one who might try to come in through your office windows.

Some people would rather smash your windows when the store is closed, and help themselves to your goods than come in the front door and pay like the rest of us.

3M, the leader in safety and security commercial
window film, conducts extensive testing of the window
film they produce.

3M has tested safety and security film with hammers, bricks, crowbars, and almost anything someone would use to break the glass in your windows. Without commercial window security film, one hit, and the glass is smashed. But with safety and security film on your store or office windows, that burglar will have to beat on the glass repeatedly. All the while, the police have more time to arrive on the scene. Commercial window security film is a real deterrent to burglars.

Oh, and there’s another multifunctional aspect of windows with commercial safety and security window film; 3M and other manufacturers of window film also provide tinted versions.

As Illinois reopens, commercial window cleaning gets businesses off on the right foot

As the state starts phasing back into an ‘open-for-business’ status again, commercial window cleaning offers an opportunity for businesses here in Northern Illinois. Customers, clients, and prospects will increasingly appear on the roadways and walkways outside your place of business. This is a rare chance for a second first impression as they pass by or approach the front door.

Your business can dazzle them with brilliance as you welcome them back into your store or office, a store or office that is spic-n-span from the floors and walls to the sparkling clean windows. If you’re in the food industry, your windows will beckon them inside with a sanitary shine that reflects proudly on the quality of the cuisine you offer.

Commercial window cleaning will help you knock the dust off your business and set the stage for eager customers who can’t wait to return – who are eagerly looking forward to that day almost as much as you are. Offices, from consulting firms to medical facilities can let the sunshine in for a bright inauguration of the post-shutdown rebirth of business in Northern Illinois. And a quality commercial window cleaning company can help ensure the day’s success.

This is an opportunity for a fresh start you couldn’t have planned for. Clean windows are the portals to the magic of what you do inside your, restaurant, store or office. Commercial window cleaning is the welcome mat as customers and clients escape from isolation as the economic engine begin roaring to life again. 

Clean windows are part of what you can do to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But it’s a part you don’t want to neglect.

Can window cleaning help endure isolation?

Hopefully, you’re managing through our shelter in place order. However, it’s understandable if you may feel a little edgy these days. You sit inside looking out the windows thinking about how much more you would enjoy the springtime if not for the coronavirus. But then you start to notice the dirt on the windows and even looking out the windows on a sunny day diminishes your optimism.

When you’re stuck at home, at the very least, you should be able to look out on the world through clean windows. And you can. There are window cleaning companies that will come out and safely clean those windows for you. Clean windows will give you a chance to feel a little normal again.

Sunlight has a positive effect on people in the best of days. It makes people feel better. It can put a smile on your face. In the days of our pandemic, sunlight potentially offers a significant amount of relief for people during the pandemic.

Established window cleaning companies will clean your windows, inside and/or out while practicing COVID-19 guidelines. When they’re done, the sun will shine in without having to pass through dirty layers that have accumulated on your windows.

It’s easy - just call 815-385-6646 for your appointment.

Northern Illinois Windows conducts review of CDC guidelines to protect customers and staff

After a careful review of business practices, NIW is
available for essential janitorial and maintenance services.

Northern Illinois Windows is continuing to serve the Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin region with essential janitorial and maintenance services while abiding by social distancing requirements related to the coronavirus pandemic. Following a week-long review of business practices, the company is confident they can safely provide those services they’ve offered to residents and businesses of area communities since 1991.

“We’ve adjusted our work activity with employees respecting social distancing guidelines,” said Bill Thomas, the CEO and founder of Northern Illinois Windows. “We’re sending crews out on a limited basis.”

The review was Thomas’s way of ensuring that the company is doing its part to help during the emergency. By complying with all the new mandates, he’s helping to keep employees off the unemployment rolls. The review included time spent finding the components of the CARE Act that will offer the best coverages for NIW employees and their families.

“Our primary focus is to keep our customers and employees safe during this crisis,” said Thomas. “At the same time, we’re using all the tools offered by the government to keep our employees working. We’re trying to do our part.”

Thomas recognizes that the war on COVID-19 has two fronts: the war on the disease itself and the fight to limit the economic damage wrought by the pandemic. In the latter regard, the company has made a commitment to supporting other area businesses. They realize that supporting businesses also entails supporting employees at those businesses.

“When the crisis passes, we’re going to have to get the economy going again,” said Thomas. “Anything we can reasonably do to save businesses so they can recover when the time comes is to everyone’s benefit.”

Northern Illinois Windows stands with you in COVID-19 fight

We're all in the fight against COVID-19 together, even
if we have to maintain social distancing. At NIW,
when we're able to go back to work cleaning your windows,
we'll do so while practicing the best possible safety standards.

With the COVID-19 pandemic that has swept across the country, these are hardly ordinary times. At Northern Illinois Windows, we are dedicated to doing our part to support our community while joining the fight against the spread of the disease.

As a concerned business owner, we will follow all mandated state and federal measures to mitigate the disease and shorten the life of the pandemic. Currently, this includes a ‘shelter-in-place’ order from Gov. JB Pritzker. This order requires Illinoisans to remain at home unless their travel is of an essential nature.

Here at NIW, we tend to think of our window cleaning services as essential. However, we understand that our definition may not coincide with the governor's. Therefore, until the order is lifted, we are unavailable for the quality window cleaning, window tinting, gutter cleaning and other services we customarily provide.

In the meantime, we will do all we can to support our community. We will continue to order food, for delivery or pickup, from restaurants in the area. We will shop responsibly for groceries in town and use any other essential services we can during this time of crisis.

At NIW, we’re prepared to do our part after victory over coronavirus 

Most importantly, we are prepared to support the local economy in a broader sense once the crisis has passed. We believe in America and the American spirit of entrepreneurship and enterprise. When things begin coming back to normal, we’re ready to do our part there, too.

When things do return to a semblance of normality, many of you will find that your windows are dirtier than your accustomed to seeing. We intend to be responsive to increased demand at that time. However, as normality may come in stages, while the ‘shelter-in-place’ order may be rescinded, we will continue to provide our services with the utmost care to avoid any spread of COVID-19 or other diseases.

Our strict policy for your safety

With that in mind, we will institute a strict policy for our employees who exhibit any flu symptoms or have come into contact with others who are. Our policy will require that, under these circumstances, they not report into work and will stay home until they are deemed safe to return to work.

Upon request, our staff will wear protective gear and wipe down surfaces in our work area with disinfectant wipes so as to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

When providing window cleaning services for senior homes or other businesses/facilities that serve the aged, we will only clean the outside of windows. This policy will be applied at the homes or businesses of any of our customers who request it.

These are difficult times. But we’re convinced that we will get through this with faith in American ingenuity and by sticking together in these days of crisis.

Let the pros relieve you of the worry of window cleaning for the holidays

Having guests over for the holidays? If so, things can get a bit, shall we say, ‘hectic.’ You have to plan the meals and clean the house. What about entertainment? Will guests require your help arranging accommodations (possibly in your home)? Will someone need to go pick up an elder relative from the city or airport? With everything you have to do, will you look out the window as your husband rolls in the driveway with Grandma only to realize you forgot to clean the windows?

Cleaning the windows for the holidays is often that one-step beyond. It’s the point where something has to give. But, if you think about it, there is a solution. Call in the pros.

Professional window cleaners will do a professional job cleaning your windows. They’ll get your windows clean while you concentrate on other things, such as holiday shopping if the pending event is in December.

As the professional window cleaners clean your windows, you can relax at the kitchen table making your grocery list. And without the extra strain of cleaning windows, you won’t be rushed the way you would otherwise. You’re less likely to forget something you won’t be able to get at the convenient store Thanksgiving morning when the grocery store is closed.

When the holiday arrives, and you’re all sitting around the table comfortably allowing dinner to settle, you won’t be surprised if Aunt Lucy mentions how clean the house is: “Even the windows are perfectly clean.”

And we Thank You for the Opportunity

For Northern Illinois Windows, stories, such as the one above, are among the pleasures of what we do. We love hearing from a customer about how our window cleaning helped set the stage for a wonderful holiday.

As much as we appreciate the opportunities to assist our clients is equal to how much we owe them for the opportunity. We try to show our appreciation by doing a job cleaning windows that is worthy of the quality our clients have come to expect. But, once in a while, it doesn’t hurt to verbalize our thanks.

With Thanksgiving approaching, and other holidays in the month ahead, this is an excellent time to tell people how much we appreciate the chance to assist them with their window cleaning, gutter cleaning, power washing, and holiday light installation. So, thank you and may you have a wonderful holiday season.

Will you risk your health to clean your gutters? Why not hire the pros to do the dirty work?

We could spend this blog listing the proper equipment you’ll need in order to clean your gutters. We could describe, without seeing your home or office how to go about cleaning your gutters. But, ultimately, we can’t guarantee your safety.

There’s a lot to working safely from ladders. It’s a little like trying to teach someone to golf. It’s almost impossible to keep everything in mind at once, unless you’re a pro. Considering the dangers of climbing ladders to clean your own gutters, you might think it’s better just to leave your gutters full. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good idea either.

You need to clean your gutters, particularly before winter, because they don’t allow water to discharge into and out through the downspouts. Instead, the ice and snow builds up on your home or office roof. Under the snow and ice, the heat from inside your home or office defrosts some of the lower layer of snow and ice. If the gutters are full, the moisture released by this defrosting process has no where to go but in.

By in, we mean that the water backs up under the shingles. Serious damage can be done to the wood sheeting and framing under your roof if you don’t clean your gutters. In other words, it’s essential to have your gutters cleaned with winter’s approach. This is all the more the case since winter is preceded by autumn, the season known for falling leaves, many of which, inevitably, land in your gutters.

Obviously, the solution is to bring in a professional to clean your gutters. There are a lot of people advertising as professionals and offering to clean your gutters. Some of these are people with little more experience on ladders than you may have. They simply saw this as a way to make some cash. So how do you determine who to hire.

A true professional has experience. They’ve cleaned the gutters on many houses and offices before. They know what they’re doing. They know how to work safely from a ladder. They’ll have the right equipment on hand to begin with. They’ll also know enough not to do a job, such as cleaning gutters, without proper insurance and bonding.

With professionalism will come attention to detail. The pros will clean the leaves, twigs and that disgusting sludge from your gutters in a way that leaves no doubt they’ve done this before. They’ll test the downspouts to ensure they’re clear. They’ll test for leaks and other problems.

Hiring a professional is well worth the cost. While they safely clean your gutters, you can devote that time to other pursuits.