Uncategorized Archives - Erics Window Cleaning

Pressure Washing & Window Cleaning Help Sell Homes

Eric Gusich — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 15:18:31 +0000

In todays competitive real estate market successful realtors know that a good first impression is really important and curb appeal helps sell homes. Many homeowners who are in the process of selling their home often get a list of suggested improvements from their realtor that will help show the home better and sell it faster.

Window cleaning and pressure washing are usually close to the top of that list because they add instant curb appeal and have a very high return on investment. Getting your outside surfaces pressure cleaned invites potential buyers outside to visualize how they might use the space. When they are left dirty there’s a good chance they will stay inside and just look out from inside. Having clean windows also gives the potential buyer the perception that the home has been properly taken care of as they take a look around.

Here’s some benefits to getting your house pressure washed or having your windows cleaned when selling your home:

Invites potential buyers into a room or space
Pictures look better online
Gives the perception of proper maintenance
Increases curb appeal
Return on investment is very high

When looking for your new house keep the homes current windows in mind as you walk through. If they’re dirty when you attend an open house there’s a good chance there could be some other hidden health hazards around the house as well. Inside your house, windows, as well as their sills and tracks, act as magnets for indoor air pollutants. Allergens such as dust, pollen, pet dander and even insect feces are just a few airborne pollutants that are floating around the air inside your home. These are known to aggravate allergies and asthma and even lead to chronic respiratory problems down the road.

There are also a host of bacteria and molds that tend to lurk in warm, dark, moist places—these usually accumulate inside the tracks of your windows and sliding doors. Then when you open them (even if it’s weeks or months later), they can be blown all over your house.

If you or your family have allergies it might be a good idea to get the air quality in the house tested before you make the decision to purchase. A number of homeowners have told us they’ve had such bad allergies and couldn’t figure out why after being in their new home. When they removed or cleaned all the window treatments left from the previous owner the allergies went away. Many times pet dander, pollen and dust cling to the drapes, blinds or shutters causing an ongoing problem for people with allergies and asthma.

If you get overwhelmed from the suggestions your realtor gives you don’t panic. Many times your realtor will have a handful of service contractors they can refer you to to do the work for you. Hiring a professional window cleaner and pressure washer will save you a huge amount of time and aggravation of trying to do it yourself. It could make the difference between selling quickly or having it sit on the market for months on end.

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3 Ways To Protect Your Windows During Construction

Eric Gusich — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 16:46:01 +0000

If your thinking of remodeling your home or starting a new construction build there’s a good chance you’ll have a lot of different subcontractors in and out of your house performing all different kinds of work. After seeing hundreds of homes under construction and remodeled here in South Florida since 2001 there’s one fact that stands out the most. Your windows will be the most neglected aspect of the project!

Yes, it’s true. Unless you hire a reputable and responsible contractor who cares about your windows chances are you are going to wind up with new windows or your current windows getting damaged in some way or another. Scratches and stains top the list of damage that may occur.

These are the top 5 reasons for scratching and staining of the windows and frames during construction:

Failure to cover windows and frames before outside stucco is applied. Stucco mix has chemicals in it when left on the glass will etch permanent marks into the glass if not removed quickly and properly.
Paint overspray on the glass inside and out. Painters that forget or neglect to cover window frames and glass will try to correct their mistakes by attempting to remove paint with scrapers that will scratch the glass.
Self-adhesive protective film left on window frames too long will damage the coloring of darker frames. Excessive sun exposure will “bake” the adhesive into the framing making it almost impossible to remove without using a chemical and discoloring the window framing.
Silicon glue and other construction adhesives that are left on glass and frames should be removed with the proper tools and solutions. Using small cheap razors and corrosive chemicals will surely damage sensitive glass.
Sliding door tracks and window tracks that are dripped on with paint, stucco and adhesives require extra attention so that the doors and windows open and close properly for inspection. Stucco and painting contractors don’t care about the windows or the window frames. Keeping an eye on these details will save you thousands after the project is complete.

Here are the 3 best ways to protect your windows during a remodel or new construction build:

#1 When starting your renovation project or new construction build be sure to ask your contractor to cover your windows both inside and out with a self-adhesive protective film. This will keep construction materials like drywall mud, paint, stucco and glues off the glass and the frames preventing staining. Using harsh chemicals or razor blades to remove these materials may result in permanent scratching or smudging of your new windows.

#2 If your contractor is not able to cover your windows in a protective film ask your painter to tape the windows inside and out with a clear plastic sheeting, this will provide light in the house during construction while still protecting your windows.

#3 Avoid letting painters and cleaning crews from using cheap razors in removing paint drips or overspray on the glass. Many times using an old-fashioned razor blade can severely scratch or damage your new windows.

Always get a professional window cleaner to assess your new windows to determine if they can be cleaned without permanently scratching the glass.

If you would like to have a professional assessment of your new windows you can call (954)740-8006, you can also visit our website at EricsWindowCleaning.com to schedule your free evaluation or to get a free estimate today.

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Removing Hard Water Stains From Window Glass

Eric Gusich — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 16:30:24 +0000

Dealing with hard water stains on your windows can be tough. The good news is that there are a couple products at your local home improvement store that will help take the stain out. The secret to removing the stain completely is to use a 4-6 inch hand held stainless steel razor that is meant for removing paint or construction debris from glass. If the stain has been on the glass for a while and you just spray or wipe on the calcium, lime and rust remover many times that will not remove the stain completely.

Here are some quick tips on removing hard water stains completely:

Zep brand Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover at Lowe’s or Home Depot works the best
Apply the solution to the glass using a spray bottle or old towel (wearing gloves is recommended)
Wait 5-10 minutes for the solution to react with the stain
Use the razor to lift the hard water deposits while the stain remover is still on the glass
Mix dish soap with water in a bucket
Use a towel with soap and water to wash the glass
Squeegee off remaining soap and water
Use a lint free micro fiber towel to dry the window edges

There are a few alternative ways to remove hard water stains as well. I’ve found the one mentioned above works to remove the stain about 80% of the time. Completely eliminating the original stain that was sometimes built up for over 10 years. If the stain doesn’t lift with this method you could try calling a local glass restoration company. They will have special glass buffing equipment that may be able to remove the stain. Or another possibility is to replace the pane of glass where the stain is. Sometimes this method could cost about the same as glass restoration so be sure to compare the two.

Keep in mind all glass surfaces are different. Some glass scratches very easy and some doesn’t scratch at all. It’s important the razor blade you use is stainless steel. Some people use a cheap one inch razor that is subject to instant rust when it gets wet. Most of the scratches we see on window glass is because the person used a cheap razor for the last cleaning and wasn’t familiar with the type of glass it was.

If you hear a sharp screeching sound like dragging your keys across glass it’s probably a good idea to stop using the razor. This sound usually indicates the glass is gonna be scratched after making a few passes with the razor. Depending on how raised the stain is may require a different amount of pressure being applied to the glass with the razor to take it off completely.

If you decide you don’t want to take on this project yourself, hiring a professional window cleaner may be the answer. Just mention to the window cleaner when they look at your property that you have a few windows that you would like the stains removed from. They can include that in your estimate and it could probably get it done this week.

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