Three Ways Of Running Your Winter Water Fed Pole + A Window Cleaning Nutter

Glyn Hewitt of "Adders rinse and clean" gives us his "Adders Guide to get working on Cold days":

"There are a lot of posts just lately about not working in this cold weather." "So what I thought I'd do is show you all how I go about working and if that helps anyone then great!" "OK, first just to show you how cold it was for me - here is my van."

"This picture was taken at 9.30 a.m., it was so cold that I could impale an apple on my brush."

"OK, the first thing I did was take my pump in last night, they say prevention is better than cure, so I thought if the pump is not in the van there is no way it can freeze. Here is my pump set up so I can easily take it in at night."

"OK the next thing was to fill my van up - this is a picture of the master tank."

"As you can see its outside and the water inside was frozen."

"I needed to fill up so what I did was take the hose that goes from the tank and put it in the bath to defrost." "I connected it back up and left it to run as you can see there was still ice pouring out of it so I let it run until that had stopped."

"OK, tank now filling, so I brought the hose reel and poles in and left them near the radiator so they could defrost."

"When I connected everything up, the hose was still not defrosted, so that went in the bath as you can see - it looks like a spaghetti bath!"

"Right tank all filled and the hose all nice and warm." "Time to see if all is OK." "And it was time, now at 11.00 a.m. and heres my works partner on our first job."

"Who says that you need a hot system in the winter months!"

OK... recap:

1 Never leave your system with out some protection from the cold.

2 Take as much gear inside as possible.

3 Never start work too early when the water can freeze up again.

4 Finish work early as well.

5 Never go back to ladders in the icy cold, that's just stupid.

6 Remember that w.a.s.p are the greatest rock band of all time!

"Hope all you lot managed to get working this week - all the best your fellow window cleaner, Adders!"

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The Electric Window Cleaner says "I found a Rubbermaid, she was cheap and keeps my water warm for ages.  A 25 litre drum looses approx 1 degree each hour. It holds 2  x 25 Litres or one and a hose reel and brush, which is handy to warm a frozen brush - its like a warm box. I also find that you dont need hot, if you store the 25l in your home they are approx 20 degrees, warm enough to work with. However if you use zillions of gallons then this is not for you.

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MyWagga says in the video below, "Even if you live in a hard water area, it may be possible to use your domestic hot water system to fill some barrels through a DI." "It wont damage the DI and you will have enough hot water to do some work until the weather changes." "Some sort of insulation for the barrels might be good."

(The Nutter) The coolest window cleaner in town: Is Jamie Powell the coolest window cleaner around? Well, he certainly was on Tuesday. Despite the freezing weather he stripped to his boxers the polish the panes at the Journal offices and publicise his charity fundraising drive. Jamie, 40, who lives in Tisbury, will be braving the elements in his underwear as he goes on his rural rounds in the run-up to Christmas, and hoping that customers will feel moved to pay him a little extra to support the Prostate Cancer Charity. The father of three said: “It’s a good charity. I chose it because my godfather, a good friend of my dad’s, is battling prostate cancer. Luckily he’s doing OK.” And how will he cope with the chill winds atop his ladder? “It makes absolutely no odds to me,” he said bravely, if perhaps rashly. “I’ll just keep moving and hope that somebody will make me a nice hot cup of tea.”

A quick disclaimer for the information above. Due to the fragility of membranes & vessels in cold weather, this information is provided for the user who assumes the risk for taking any of the above advise! Winter working is taken at the users risk.

Window Cleaning Benefits, Tips & An Important Notice

How To Pound Home The Benefits of Your Window Cleaning Services: -

Cutting Edge WFP Technology.
Insured.
Bonded.
10 years Experience.
Clean and neat staff.
Signed company vehicles.
Uniformed crews.

YAWN....

These are NOT benefits, but features of your services!
When you assemble and design your window cleaning marketing pieces, are they chock full of meaningful, motivating benefits, or are they simply full of lifeless features? Read more..

Have you taken the window cleaning marketing poll? Click on the picture below to cast your vote.

Mr Squeegee (a.k.a. Tony) is at it again - more neat tips from the cold weather guru...

Important Notice

Americans sold toys that contained asbestos (shortened version): Based in Redondo Beach, California, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is an all volunteer, private donation funded organization that promotes public awareness about the dangers of exposure to asbestos in the home, the workplace, and anywhere else the extremely hazardous, cancer causing material may exist. In addition to its campaign to heighten consumer awareness of the dangers of asbestos in children's toys and other American marketed products, the ADAO regularly sponsors independent laboratory inspections of merchandise that is suspected of being contaminated with asbestos in one form or another.

Asbestos contamination was discovered by the ADAO in: Scotch High Performance and All Weather Duct Tape; Gardner Leak Stopper; DAP Crack Shot Spackling Paste, and DAP 33 Window Glazing. Additionally, asbestos contamination has been detected in small appliances such as hot plates, certain cleaning powders, and hair rollers-all of these items sold by major retailers across the country. The ADAO, Public Justice, and other organizations strongly suggest that consumers guard themselves vigilantly against any exposure to asbestos, and if exposure is suspected, individuals should seek prompt medical attention while investigating all avenues of possible litigation to help recover damages in whatever form possible.

What does this mean to the window cleaner? If Dap 33 window glazing has been used on a window frame you have been cleaning, especially if it has gone dry, old or flaky - one hair is enough to cause asbestososis or Mesothelioma.

Winter Window Cleaning News

Another installment from Mark Strange of "Beautiful View" from Toronto, Canada gives us a few more unbiased reviews of products in the window cleaners workplace. This time his opinion on Ettore & Unger swivel 'T' bars in this weeks edition of "Tool Talk."

Window cleaner Phil adds festive sparkle to work: Santa Claus is coming to town bearing a sponge a ladder and a bucket of water. East Ayton window cleaner Phil Milner is bringing some festive cheer to his customers as he gets their windows sparkling brighter than the tinsel on their tree. The 38 year old, who has owned Crystal Clear window cleaning services since 1987, is donning the traditional red suit and fluffy beard while cleaning windows in and around Scarborough. Mr Milner said: "Business has going through a bit of a quiet patch recently so I thought I'd get into the festive spirit and try to give it a boost. "If anyone wants me to dress up all they have to do is give me a ring and let me know. "I've decorated the van too so I'm fairly noticeable driving around town. At the end of the day it's all a bit of fun for Christmas." Mr Milner has been cleaning windows in the Scarborough area for five years after moving from Bradford. He says he works a large patch covering almost all of the east Yorkshire coast. He said: "I'm building up a good business in Scarborough. I now use a pole system which mean I can work a lot quicker, more safely, and provide a better service. "However I also use the traditional ladders for a few of my customers as that is what they prefer."

Hordes of shoppers are pouring into Woolworths stores this morning (December 11) in search of a bargain as the beloved high street shop holds its closing down sale. The historic chain, which has branches across the News Shopper area, collapsed last month after a rescue deal fell through. Woolies’ administrator Deloitte announced the sale yesterday leading to shoppers braving the cold to try and get a bargain. The branch of the chain in Queensway, Petts Wood, is full of people looking for cheap deals. Terry Gill, of Poverest Road, Poverest, went there to see if there were any bargains on window cleaning products. The 67-year-old window cleaner is sad to see the shop closing down. Mr Gill said: “It is sad to see Woolworths going because I have known them since I was a kid. “I used to go in to get paint and chocolate, that sort of thing.”

Aviva has announced it will give Australians in high-risk occupations and non-working spouses the opportunity to be covered under a new Income Daily Living product. Occupations traditionally classified as too risky, such as labourers, window cleaners and motorcycle couriers, will now be eligible for income protection. The new product provides a benefit of up to $5,000 per month in the event of the insured not being able to perform two out of the five activities of daily living, as well as six times the monthly benefit in the event of a defined critical condition occurring.

Mount Shasta, Calif: Whether it’s road tripping through the American West in an ambulance/RV that runs on waste vegetable oil, bike touring around Cuba, mountain guiding in the Andes, Himalayas, or New Guinea, or helicopter ski guiding in Alaska, life-long Mount Shasta resident David Marchi has chosen a “road less traveled.” It is a journey that has him regularly crisscrossing the globe in what could be construed as a non-stop adventure. When he is not off in some far-flung corner of the world, Marchi spends his time working as a climbing guide for Shasta Mountain Guides and running his window washing business, which he often conducts from a bicycle converted to transport all of the necessary equipment. The ever-jovial adventurer and entrepreneur can often be seen pedaling his bike around Mt. Shasta or ski touring on the mountain he calls home. Earlier this fall Marchi was passing through town before beginning a series of excursions that would keep him on the road through the end of the year. His “short list” of exploits would satisfy some for a lifetime. Among them (and perhaps the most significant of all) was his recent engagement to Petit Pinson, a fellow traveler, explorer and “bon vivant,” whose curricula vitae of adventure matches Marchi’s in every way. This dynamic duo recently embarked upon a journey in their ambulance/RV, dubbed “Ekawa” (when viewed in a rear view mirror, a motorist sees its as “Awake”), which Marchi had converted to run on waste vegetable oil. The two were headed off on a six-week road trip in this eco-friendly RV to promote their newly founded international guide business Global Lines. The ambulance is equipped with comfortable living space for two that includes, among other things, a restaurant grade espresso maker, recycled hardwood flooring provided by Terramai of McCloud, and an LCD projector that will allow the couple to host slide shows on the side of the vehicle. The goal of their trip was to promote their newfound business and, more generally, the spirit of adventure, connection, and awareness that is close to their hearts. If the two are able to locate the necessary waste cooking oil, which is typically available from most restaurants, the cost of running the vehicle is zero. If in a pinch, regular diesel fuel can be used.

The Santaland Diaries: Before his breakthrough, Sedaris looked to most people, starting with his family, to be a hopeless, unemployable loser, which is why he applied to be a Macy’s elf at age 33. The only thing he was good at was cleaning houses: He did windows. And he also kept a diary, which has prescribed the literary form of all his later writing. With the help of his sister Amy, an accomplished actress cited in Santaland, Sedaris started reading his material in a Chicago coffeehouse, where he was heard by some executives from NPR. They aired the narrative early in the day, which caused such a reaction as to burn up the switchboard (this was before the rise of e-mail). Before the day was over, literally by heated public demand, Santaland was broadcast a second time. And Chicago lost a great window cleaner. Confessions of a window washer; Wade McCollum (pictured) in Syracuse Stage’s The Santaland Diaries.

BidMyCleaning launches Gift Certificates For Holiday Gift Buying Season: A gift certificate may in fact be the ideal gift since according to the National Retail Federation's sixth annual gift card survey conducted by BIGresearch, 54.9 percent of consumers would like to receive gift cards this holiday season. Friends, family members and loved ones will be more than happy to receive a gift certificate in these difficult financial times, and even happier to use a gift certificate from BidMyCleaning to take some of the load off their already jam-packed to-do lists. The gift certificates are sold online in any amount from $30 to $1000 and can be redeemed for maid service, window cleaning and carpet cleaning. In just three easy steps a customized gift certificate, complete with a personalized message will be on its way to your recipient. A formatted gift certificate e-mail confirmation can be printed instantly at home to be hand delivered to the recipient or the default option will email the gift certificate to the recipient. Once received, a link on the email makes it easy for the recipient to visit BidMyCleaning to schedule their cleaning service when they are ready. There are a wide range of denominations available to accommodate a gift purchase for a whole house cleaning at around $200 for the average single family home, regular maid service for a period of time at perhaps $1000 or a starting contribution towards a service at a lower amount like $30. The cost of cleaning is tailored to the specific size, condition and location of the home but a recipient of a BidMyCleaning gift certificate is able to view a range of instant bids from local service providers in order to choose one that suits them before redeeming the gift certificate.

Winter Window Cleaning Tips & Other News

Here is Tony Evans, alias Mister Squeegee - a Professional Window Cleaner from Iowa who will giving us hints & tips about working in the cold weather. Its going to be a long cold winter and Tony has a full list of winter window cleaning topics for us under the title "Weather or Not." Stay warm everybody.

Boston: Retailers are hoping that the combination of cold and snow will put people into the shopping spirit. NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that retailers need shoppers in the holiday spirit because sales have been slow so far this year. "The snow puts people into the Christmas mood," vendor Juan Tavares said. But whether you are a window washer or a window decorator, the bitter air doesn't make it easier for anyone who is working outdoors."Three sweatpants, three sweaters, the super gloves, three hats," vendor Jimmy Milliken said. After Monday, the weather should warm up, but there is a chance of snow.

Flintshire gas blast survivor says "I owe my life to God." A window cleaner who was seriously burnt in a terrifying gas explosion at his Flintshire home has spoken for the first time about his brush with death. David Roberts says he is lucky to be alive, following the blast in Stanley Street, Mold, Flintshire, last week. In an exclusive interview with the Evening Leader, the 41-year-old recounted the moment he was engulfed in flames as the blast ripped through the house, which he shares with his parents, Derek and Margaret, blowing out the windows and doors and leaving it gutted. He said: "The whole of Stanley Street could quite easily not be here today, the explosion was that huge. "It just goes to show that no-one knows when their time is up. I owe my life to God. " have a belief that it was God that saved me and my family that day."
The drama unfolded at around 9am on Monday, December 1, when David, a self-employed window cleaner, lit a cigarette. The next thing I knew I was on fire and shouting for help," he said."I didn't even hear the explosion because I was in it. I couldn't hear or see anything."I was surrounded by rubble and I didn't have a clue what was happening."David and his parents thanked neighbours who rushed to his rescue, tending to him until paramedics arrived. They also praised Flintshire Council's emergency response team, emergency services and local councillor Haydn Bateman. More than 30 residents were evacuated following the blast, with surrounding streets being closed off for days. The family also thanked the Dolphin Inn, where they stayed on the night of the blast, and the Beaufort Park Hotel, New Brighton, where they have been staying ever since. Mum Margaret said: "We lost everything in an instant but everyone has been fantastic, and so helpful." The family do not know where they will be spending Christmas, and have been told the house will take 18 months to repair. The cause of the explosion is still being investigated.
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White collar workers are increasingly dodging paying tax, MPs reveal: Builders and decorators might be the tradesmen that you most associate with tax dodging. But a new MPs' report shows that white collar professionals - including lawyers, surgeons and property developers - are increasingly fiddling their figures. The report reveals that Revenue and Customs has caught 57 barristers evading hundreds of thousands of pounds in tax. Of these, 36 agreed to return a total of £605,000 in unpaid taxes and fines. Another 21 barristers are still being investigated while the department states it is trying to trace the owners of luxury yachts and cars. However the majority of middle class tax evaders have not been prosecuted. It is all part of Britain's cash in hand culture which is costing the Treasury more than £2billion in lost revenue every year.
Around two million tax cheats operate in the black economy and their chances of being caught are 'very slight', the report says. Self-employed builders and decorators are singled out as amongst the worst offenders for failing to declare their full earnings by the Commons public accounts committee. It found that around 80 per cent of those working in the hidden economy owed relatively small amounts in tax, but that the total potential loss was 'significant'. Cash payments to workers such as a handyman, childminder or window cleaner are a feature of the UK economy. However, it makes earnings easier to hide from the taxman. A growing area of concern is individuals trading on the internet through auction sites such as ebay. The report reveals that 30,000 cases a year have been uncovered since 2003-04 - a detection rate of just 1.5 per cent. But another 11,900 cases resulting from tip offs to the Tax Evasion hotline last year are still awaiting investigation.

Boxing Window Cleaner: Allston, Boston: Tommy Duquette starts at the base of the Windsor Village apartment and townhouse complex in Waltham. Then he charges up the first 60 steps. Fast. Then he does it again, and again. Then there's a big hill. He charges up that as well. ``That's Round 1,'' he said. He does three more rounds without a rest. He does the whole thing in about 30 minutes.``It's a really intense 30 minutes,'' he verifies.
It's a workout he usually does on his own. He's tried to bring along fellow boxers from the Boston Boxing & Fitness Club of Allston in the past. They usually don't stick around. ``They don't last long,'' he admitted. ``They do it a couple of times and they say it's fine. Then that's it. They don't come back.'' But Duquette keeps coming back. Just like he keeps going back to the boxing gym where he has his own key and is its most celebrated competitor. Nearly a decade after he first laced up the gloves, the Waltham resident is still at it. He had his first sparring match at age 16. He had his big breakthrough in a tournament in Kansas City when he was 20. Now, at age 23, he is the New England amateur junior welterweight champion after winning the open 141-pound weight class in Portland, Me. two weeks ago. Next month, he will travel to Lake Placid, N.Y. for the regionals, then perhaps on to Colorado Springs, Colo. for the national championships. The ultimate destination is London in 2012. ``The Olympics have always been kind of a dream,'' he allowed. ``But you could only whisper it before. You don't really want to talk about it out loud. He had his boxing, sure, but how long would that last? To support himself, he was washing windows on three- and four-story houses in Weston. ``You know, all the mansions,'' he dismissed. He was doing it one very cold day shortly before the company he worked for closed up shop for the season when he looked around, and looked deep within himself. ``I remember the day,'' he recalled. ``It was freezing cold, and I'm out there in the winter, with this vision of all my friends I went to high school with sitting at a nice warm desk.''

How to save your skin from winter damage: While North Texas typically isn't subjected to subzero temperatures and biting winter winds, the cold months can wreak havoc on skin. From a little itch to cracked skin that hurts and bleeds, cool weather can magnify many dermatological conditions. Fortunately, a number of techniques can help keep skin supple and healthy. "For face or for body, ointments deliver the most moisture, followed by creams, then lotions, which have the highest water content of moisturizers and therefore are not as rich or effective," says Dr. Mary Hurley, a dermatologist at North Dallas Dermatology at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. "The ones that smell good aren't necessarily the best moisturizers. And anything with a strong fragrance can be irritating."
Healthy skin on your face and body is more than a cosmetic issue. "Severely dry skin can decrease the natural skin barrier, which is our defense against infection," says Dr. Max Adler of Park Cities Dermatology. Dr. Hurley recommends waiting no more than three minutes after a bath or shower to moisturize. "This is one of the best ways to seal in moisture," she says. Skin cancer doesn't take a winter break Hands often dry out fastest because there are fewer oil glands on the hands and feet than elsewhere on the body. Plus, with hands, whatever oil is there can be stripped by repeated washing.
Eczema, characterized by extreme dry patches, can split the skin on fingers and palms. Dr. Adler tells patients who have eczema on their hands "to skip antibacterial soaps and sanitizers." If you'll be travelling on a plane, carry a travel-size tube of hand and facial moisturizer. Humidity levels on jets are notoriously low. "And the soap in the plane bathrooms is always so harsh," says Curran Dandurand, co-founder of Jack Black, a men's skin-care company in Carrollton. "Reapply whenever you think about it." In the car, Dr. Adler recommends using the floorboard setting on the heater rather than having hot air blow directly onto your face. And don't forget sunscreen. "It's a little-known fact that 90 percent of the sun we get is through the car window, so wear sunscreen every day year-round," he says. Hydrate your skin from the inside out by drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. "Drinking plenty of water is just a good practice regardless," Dr. Hurley says.
SOURCE: National Institutes of Health
PROTECTING YOUR SKIN
The American Academy of Dermatology offers these tips for making skin feel comfortable during winter or when the air is dry: Use a humidifier. With the heat on and windows closed, the air indoors can become very dry in winter, worsening the dryness and itching of eczema. A humidifier adds moisture to the air. Switch to an oil-based moisturizer and use it frequently. The more oil a moisturizer contains, the more effectively it protects against moisture loss. Ointment moisturizers have a high oil content because, by definition, an ointment consists of 80 percent oil and 20 percent water. This water-in-oil emulsion forms a protective layer on the skin and is more “moisturizing” than creams and lotions. Apply a heavy layer of moisturizing, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Use on the face, hands and other exposed skin. This acts as a barrier against the elements and is especially important if you will be outdoors. Dress in layers. The most common triggers of the scratch-itch cycle are sweating and overheating. Layering allows you to remove clothing as needed to prevent overheating. Wear loose-fitting cotton fabrics next to your skin. Shed wet clothes and shoes immediately. These can irritate the skin.
SOURCE: American Academy of Dermatology

THE SIN BIN: -

Fake window cleaner conned woman, 89: A FAKE window cleaner who stole money from an 89-year-old woman has been jailed for four years. A judge told Ian Cornell (43), of Chesterfield Road, Mansfield, that he was 'disgusted' by his behaviour in targeting an elderly woman. The victim was asleep in a chair in her living room in the afternoon on 15th October when she was woken by Cornell, Nottingham Crown Court was told on Friday. Prosecutor Paul Stimson said Cornell told the woman he had come to clean the windows on behalf of her regular cleaner, giving the other man's correct first name. "He then asked if he could come in for a cup of tea because he was cold," said Mr Stimson. Without being invited he followed her in and stole £20 from her purse while she made the tea. It was his 10th conviction for house burglary and although most were derelict properties, the last two, for which he received 28 months in prison, were lived in.Cornell, who admitted the offence, had never had help with his drugs problem and was sorry for what he had done, according to his barrister Sarah Munro. Judge Dudley Bennett told him: "You are a persistent criminal, you conned your way in with your lying pretence that you were a window cleaner."

Window cleaning yob handed CRASBO: A teenager from St Helens who carried out a window cleaning scam has been hit with a criminal ASBO. Lee James Stuart appeared at St Helens Magistrates Court last week where he was given the order after pleading guilty to criminal damage. The 19-year-old was sentenced earlier this year for fraud after taking money from a number of homeowners, promising to clean their windows but then failing to do so. Many of the targets in the unsophisticated scam lived just a few hundreds yards from Stuart's home address. He was given a 12 months conditional discharge, ordered to pay £65 court cost and pay £3 compensation. Stuart, of Brookland Lane, St Helens, admitted the criminal damage charge, which police and council chiefs to apply for the CRASBO, in August. Under the terms of the two-year CRASBO, Stuart is banned from:* Entering the front or rear paths/gardens of any residential property unless he has the authority of the tenant or owner of the property anywhere within the borough of St. Helens* Causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person.Chief Inspector Mike Constantine said: "The court recognised that Mr Stuart had been causing a great deal of distress to vulnerable residents within St Helens by demanding money for the services of cleaning windows and gutters which he had not provided."