Once a lot of fun, Maple-seed ‘helicopters’ clog your gutters

Peaking over the edge of this gutter are 'helicopter' Maple seeds that have clogged the gutter. Once they were fun, now they're more of a nuisance. 

Oh, when we were young we loved them. We’d pick them up from the ground and toss them in the air then step back and watch them spiral to the ground. Of course, there was a technique. If you threw them wrong, they tended to drop like rocks. They needed to reach their apex flat and horizontal to the ground. If you threw them up just right, they would spiral slowly to the ground.

We called them ‘helicopters’ but they’re actually seeds from Maple trees. As adults, we don’t always find them as enjoyable as we once did. The density in which they fall varies from year to year. Some years, such as this, they come down heavy.

Whether they come down heavy, or not so heavy, they’re a nuisance. They cover the grass so that, when you cut the lawn, they leave trails in the grass behind. You’ll also find them all over the pavement. You’ll see neighbors out sweeping them off the sidewalks and walkways. But, worse of all is what they do to the gutters.

Filled to the brim, the gutters ravenously collect those twirling ‘helicopters.’ Then, when the rains come, the ‘helicopters’ wash into the downspouts and clog. Suddenly, the water has nowhere to go. It backs up and pours over the leading edge.

If left that way, not only will the gutters fail to function, but the ‘helicopters’ will begin to decompose into a thick and sticky mass.

The solution is to get up there and clean the ‘helicopters’ out of the gutters. Then, it’s advisable to push a hose into the downspout and flush the helicopters out.

Yes, it’s a hassle. But, the hassle it will create over time is much worse. And the good news is that, if you clean them now, there’s little to worry about until the leaves fall in the autumn.

Probably the best way to deal with the hassle of ‘helicopters’ falling into your gutters is to let a professional do the job. This way, you avoid the messy job of cleaning them out of the gutters and, better yet, the hazard of climbing a ladder to do the job. That’s also why it’s important to hire a company that is insured to do the job. You don’t want the hassle of the medical bills if a worker alls from the ladder, too.

So, let someone else clean the ‘helicopters’ out of your gutters. And, just to reminisce, toss a ‘helicopter’ or two into the air to see if you still have the technique.

Clean your windows in March and save 15 percent

Print this ad, or just mention the ad to claim your 15% discount.

If you look out the window right now, you may find it hard to believe that Spring is coming. It is and it’s not too far away. We could still get some rough weather but, Daylight Savings is around the corner, the days will grow longer and the cold will grow shorter. And then, a lot of people will switch into Spring-Cleaning mode.

Inevitably, Spring Cleaning includes what many consider an unsavory chore – washing windows. Fortunately, Northern Illinois Windows is available to spare them the aggravation and drudgery of window cleaning. More than that, the window cleaners at NIW know how to do the job quickly and right.

Since April is always a crazy time for window cleaners, Northern Illinois Windows is offering an Early Bird Window Cleaning Special for home owners. Have your windows cleaned in March, pay with a cash or check, and you’ll receive a 15-percent discount.

Yes, NIW cleans windows in the cold. Their window cleaners will go through wind and snow to clean your windows. They’ll clean your windows down to zero degrees. And, most importantly, they’ll leave them streak free and clean.

Imagine how nice it will be to start your Spring Cleaning and your windows are clean already.

To schedule a window cleaning, call 815-385-6646. To learn more about Northern Illinois Windows, visit www.niwservice.com.

Woodstock Eye Care applies 3M Kryptonite to windows to protect glass frames

In the summer, you can almost feel the sun blazing through the windows and burning the color out of the products you have on display. At least you don’t have to worry about that during the winter. Wrong.

Even when it’s well below zero outside, when the sun shines in the window, those ultra-violet rays are at work draining the color out of everything in their path. There are exceptions but that’s only when someone has taken precautions. One such exception is at Woodstock Eye Care, 591 South Eastwood Drive (Route 47), Woodstock.

The optometrists at Woodstock Eye Care are joining that wise group of business owners who laugh in the face of UV rays. How can they act so carefree in spite of the relentless assault from the rays of the sun? The answer is simple – they have some Kryptonite.

Woodstock Eye Care provides the highest quality products, including eyeglasses, contacts, optical supplements, sports vision and more. They are specialists in providing the best eye care experience for patients of all ages and treating many different eye conditions, such as myopia, astigmatisms and presbyopia.

In the windows up front and along the side of the building are display racks with a wide range of frames. The problem is that they noticed the sun was doing a number on the display frames. Frames that were once dark or full of color are increasingly gray and faded.

That’s why they called in window experts to provide some Kryptonite. Against the UV rays of the sun, Kryptonite is called UV resistant window film. Their concern was that they would have to apply a heavily tinted film in order to block enough UV rays to make a difference. They were happy to hear that’s not the case.

The industry leading manufacturer of window film is 3M. Their film blocks 99.9 percent of the sun’s UV rays and it doesn’t matter if it’s a deeply tinted Night Vision film or the Neutral 70 film Woodstock Eye Care has chosen – they all block the UV rays the same.

With the 3M Neutral 70 film, prospective clients driving by on Route 47 can still see the frames in the window. Now, however, those frames will last and last with virtually no negative effects from the sun.

To contact Woodstock Eye Care, call (815) 338-0107.

With a couple adjustments, window cleaners keep windows clean in the winter, too

Window cleaners use water to clean windows. No problem – a bucket of water, some soap, a sponge and a squeegee is all they need, right? But what about winter?

In the winter, when temperatures drop, water tends to freeze outside. Window cleaners either have to stop cleaning windows or they need to make some kind of adjustment.

At Northern Illinois Windows, they mix windshield washer solvent with the water. The colder the weather, the more solvent they use. If it’s not so cold, they just use a solution with a little less solvent.

Other window washing companies may use ethanol or even alcohol racing fuel in the winter to avoid the bucket-of-frozen-water syndrome. Whatever they use, they all have one thing in common; when the temperature drops below zero degree Fahrenheit, there’s not much they can do. Even these mixtures and elements begin to thicken when the air is that cold.

Of course, another aspect of washing windows in the winter is the effects of the elements on the window cleaners themselves. The colder it is, the more they need to bundle up. As a result, their physical movement is hampered somewhat. It can slow the process.

For a professional window cleaner, they’re generally good enough at what they do tha they can clean your windows without getting the water (or whatever is in the bucket) all over themselves. That’s a bit tricky but it’s something they learn after doing the job for a while.

When the temperature gets cold, it’s a really good idea not to get wet out there. A wet window cleaner is liable to be a sick window cleaner the next day.

Many people don’t even think about the idea of someone washing their windows in the winter; they assume the cold brings the process to a halt. That’s not the case. It merely requires appropriate accommodations.

Regardless of the temperature, as long as it’s above zero, Bill Thomas, the owner of Northern Illinois Windows, said his window cleaning technicians are able to do the same quality work. They still get those windows clean.

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.