Window Cleaning News

Working with the aid of a bucket-truck lift, Rich Neustadter, a facilities repair worker with Campus Services, washes exterior windows at the Education Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Click to enlarge.

Window washers bring a shine back to campus buildings: From the inside of each campus building, most people probably see out of a few windows each day. The condition of those windows makes a huge difference in the way they see the world. Bascom Hall, for example, boasts a stately multistory façade dating back from the mid-19th century. The shape and molding of the windows enhance the building’s historic character; some of its windows have up to 12 panes apiece. That charming façade features over 450 windows – and someone has to clean them all.

Campus Services is the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s go-to crew for odd jobs. The same people who manage interdepartmental mail delivery and move furniture also clean nearly every window across campus. How many windows is that, exactly? Thousands, says Dave Grueneberg, supervisor of Campus Services. Cleanings take place in all types of weather.  Five guys take window-washing duty on each side of campus, fitting in cleanings around duties such as changing lightbulbs and hauling supplies for tradesmen.

On this day, the east side crew arrives fresh off of work at the Extension Building, on Lake St. Given their other responsibilities, they estimate that the job will take them about a month. Budget cuts over the last decade have extended the cleaning schedule to a seven-year rotation; however, departments hoping to decrease the gap can pay for more frequent touchups. The variety of building on campus poses multiple challenges. Individual panes on hundred-year-old windows take more time than the wide expanses of glass on more modern buildings. Five-piece storm windows with ancient clamps can drop on workers without warning. Air conditioners, metal grates, concrete window wells and flaking paint can complicate each job even more.

In the past, many taller buildings, such as Van Hise Hall and Educational Sciences, had spinnable windows that allowed the cleaners to work from the inside.  But deteriorating mechanisms and permanent –screwed-in – storm windows mean that now the cleaners must use a bosun’s chair or suspended stage. Regardless of height, the basic tools are a wand, water and squeegee. Extended handles and scrubbing pads are necessary on tough spots, covered in bug residue and cobwebs. “We’re all pretty set on the tools we like to use. I like the wand,” says Rick Neustadter, who also professes a love for the drivable lift. “Don’t lie!” laughs Stan Gudgel, whom Neustadter calls Gudgel the “master of the electric chair.” (Ben Olson, one of the crew’s senior members, likes ladder work.)

Other buildings aren’t quite as tall, but offer unexpected obstacles thanks to architectural whims. The newest tower of the Chemistry Building has a stage setup for cleaning its glass face, but varied rooflines prevent it from moving to another side. Helen C. White’s overhangs prevent top-down access. Helen C. White, among other campus buildings, also suffers from heavy etching. Water runs off of the concrete block, depositing lime residue on the glass. It won’t come off without an acid, which is caustic for the workers and damages the frame, so they typically do their best with normal tools.

Given construction, safety upgrades and a seven-year cycle between cleanings, every job is new. The men give great credit to Grueneberg, their supervisor, for keeping safety first, inspecting the equipment regularly and not sending the crews to do anything he wouldn’t do himself. “They’ve probably done some windows three or four ways,” says Olson. “Birge had these old hooks; people used to climb out the window onto a little parapet, hook a belt around them and lean back." Figuring out the logistics can take more time than the cleaning itself. When it happens, though, the difference is clear. The people on the inside get more light and a new perspective on the world outside.

Over two weeks last fall, Terri Wipperfurth and her colleagues got to know the men who made her building sparkle again. Alternating window washing with the never-ending cycle of other campus responsibilities, the crew returned day after day until the job was done. “They came in with such a good attitude and did the job to the best of their ability,” says Wipperfurth, department administrator for Agricultural and Applied Economics. “The folks at Taylor Hall were better able to enjoy the beautiful fall color thanks to Jerry Meise and his crew of window washers – Dan Reed, Melroy Schlueter, Rob Keiser, and Mark Walker. We really appreciated them.” The window washers have developed their techniques to a T, leaving even their own bathroom mirrors pristine. They don’t hesitate to share their knowledge. “Tell everybody, ‘Don’t use Windex,’” says Neustadter. “Leaves a film on the windows.” “People always say, ‘If I try to do the windows, why are they all smudgy?’” says Olson. “You have to use a squeegee, or else it’ll be smudged – that’s just the way it is.”

California Is First In The Nation To Add Window Film Into Its Building Code - Inclusion Into the Code Recognizes Window Film For Its Proven Energy Savings: The International Window Film Association (IWFA), a nonprofit group, announced a landmark vote by the California Building Standards Commission placing Window Film, a polymer material offering energy efficiency advantages, into the state building code for the first time in the United States. Cost-effective energy savings is the driving rationale for including window film in the building code. While California is a leader in energy saving initiatives, it is also a major importer of energy. The change to the building code voted on May 31st and effective January 2014, means window film is recognized across California as a building product just like glass or roofing materials, but primarily for retrofit applications. It can significantly reduce energy consumption and reduce the effects of glass breakage, glare, harmful UV exposure to the skin and interior fading of furnishings.

"This addition to the code is a major step forward for energy efficiency in California, especially when considering the amount of untreated glass in the state in the majority of buildings," said Darrell Smith, executive director of the IWFA. "The wide application of window film is a simple way to immediately cut utility demand generation and the resulting reduction of peak demand on utilities and greenhouse gases will further the state's reputation as an environmental leader," he added. Among the items the new building code for window film requires is a National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) certification label, manufacturer's name, a 10-year warranty certificate, and compliance with the IWFA's Visual Quality Standards. Although window films are normally used on existing windows, remodelers and contractors can also use the new building code for additional guidance.

Housing group pledges to repay fees for lost window cleaning: Sentinel Housing Association has vowed to repay residents after charging for a window cleaning service which ceased 18 months ago. More than 30 properties at Winklebury Centre, in Winklebury, Basingstoke, were charged for communal window cleaning up until last month, even though the service ceased in 2010. Winklebury ward borough councillor Robert Donnell (pictured) has now asked for an immediate apology to be sent to those residents left out of pocket, calling the error “a disgrace”. Until December 2010, residents living in the block had their communal windows cleaned by a contractor. But once the service stopped, Sentinel staff continued to charge 32 households. Cllr Donnell told The Gazette: “This is appalling and Sentinel need to apologise and repay the residents immediately – with interest. “They have told me that it is complex but I don’t see it that way. The residents deserve to have their money back and I will make sure it happens.” Lionel Haynes, finance director for Sentinel, said a communal window cleaning service had been in effect at the centre. He added: “Further investigation shows that this service ended in 2010 but the charge continued to be levied. “We have identified 32 households who overpaid an average of £61 and we will be crediting their rent accounts. We will investigate any concerns our residents have about their rent or service charges and encourage them to contact us if they have any queries.”

Laid-Off Banker Becomes Window Cleaner: John Bryant from Hilliard, Ohio, used to work as a retail banker at The Huntington National Bank until he lost his job in 2008. One day while mulling over what to do next with his life, he remembered how poorly window cleaners cleaned his store windows at his previous job as a convenience store manager. "They left muddy streaks," he remembers. In the wake of his job loss, Bryant decided to start his own window-cleaning business rather than find a job. He founded Performance Cleaners LLC, where he is president. He currently has three employees. "I found that almost every banker is a good businessman," he says.

How to make your day better 4: Cuddle someone - With the soaring popularity of the ‘cuddle party’ phenomenon, more and more people are discovering the benefits of a good snuggle. A warm embrace boosts the natural feel-good hormones released by the body, reduces stress, and creates a feeling of mutual trust. Beware though, whilst cuddling is a great mood-enhancer, we do recommend that you be selective over whom you choose to embrace; your boss or the window cleaner may not appreciate a cuddle as much as your spouse or your pet. If you prefer something a little less intimate, there’s nothing to stop you from expressing your feelings through a man hug (yes, this can be done by the ladies too), or maybe even a high-five to release those happy hormones.

Hosepipe bans could go due to recent rainfall: Weeks of grey skies and torrential downpours could mean water companies lifting their hosepipe bans for thousands of customers around Brentwood. Water suppliers including Thames Water and Veolia Water Central are already lifting bans for some businesses which rely on using hoses, such as car washing firms and window cleaners. The ban was introduced in April by several firms, and expected to last until at least Christmas, after months of dry weather meant water supplies in reservoirs plummeted and stocks of groundwater began drying up. A campaign to stop people wasting water was set up by the Environment Agency, and people caught using their hoses were threatened with fines. But now, after two wet months with little sign of a let-up, the bans may be lifted this summer. One company, Essex & Suffolk Water, has managed to escape introducing a ban.

Veolia Water Central said groundwater supplies had been replenished enough to allow businesses to use hoses again. Mike Pocock, water resources manager at Veolia, said: "We are keen to help businesses where we can." Richard Aylard, sustainability director for Thames Water, said: "When we imposed the hosepipe ban in April after the two driest years ever in our region, and without knowing how long it would stay dry, we were preparing for the worst while of course hoping for the best. "Since then the heavens have opened and stayed open. But while the topsy-turvy British weather – record downpours after a record dry spell – has been working in our favour lately, we need to see how much water gets deep underground where we need it for what could still be a hot and dry summer. "We will lift the ban completely as soon as we can." Thames Water, along with other water suppliers, is expected to provide a further update at the end of the month.

Police appeal for help in funeral home roof theft: Fife Constabulary is appealing for witnesses following the theft of lead flashing from the roof of Crosbie Matthew Funeral Directors in Glenrothes town centre, reports Kevin Quinn. Last week the Gazette reported how window cleaners alerted staff at the Church Street funeral home to the robbery of 50 metres of the material on 2 June.  It was unclear however, exactly when thieves stole the lead, because, as Funeral Director Mark Daly said last week of the “callous” theft from their roof: “You don’t look up there.” The window cleaners only attend Crosbie Matthew once a month so police are working on the probability that the lead could have been taken anytime between 1 May and 2 June.

WindowCleaning.com Revolutionizes the Window Cleaning Industry: In just 2 years since opening its doors, WindowCleaning.com has grown to service 1000 cities across the U.S. and Canada. In an industry plagued by an unusually high level of uninsured "fly-by-night" companies, WindowCleaning.com finally provides consumers a guaranteed way of hiring insured, high-quality window cleaning professionals. Lars Kristensen, CEO of WindowCleaning.com, explains the reason why consumers have flocked to WindowCleaning.com: "With some cities having over 500 independent window cleaning companies, the quality levels in the industry have plummeted. Our focus on quality of service and accountability has created a real contrast to the industry norms. Consumers love our approach, recommending the service to their neighbors. A recent customer from Maryland wrote: 'I applaud your professionalism, courtesy, friendliness, and helpfulness ... It has been a pleasure to have your services in my home. I will spread the word to my friends.'" WindowCleaning.com has plans to expand their network across the U.S. and Canada in the coming months. Mark Palmer, National Service Manager, explains: "The biggest current obstacle to expansion is finding local contractors that meet our requirements. We only approve one window cleaning contractor in each city, therefore we have to be extremely vigilant to make sure we choose the best." WindowCleaning.com is a network of the best window cleaners in North America. WindowCleaning.com contractors must undergo an extensive approval process before being selected:

• Verification of liability insurance.
• An audit of all the contractors' previous reviews. A 4-star or higher rating must be maintained.
• Photos of current projects and customer references.
• A one-on-one interview process with the WindowCleaning.com team.
• To maintain the highest standards within the WindowCleaning.com network, only ONE contractor is approved in each city.

I can’t believe my ears: For instance, what might you have thought on hearing “We’re socialising the proposal”? You couldn’t make this stuff up but someone clearly has. ‘Socialising the proposal’ doesn’t mean taking a bunch of ideas out for a beer, it means telling people about the plan. It’s up there with things you only expect to see in satirical cartoons, stuff which people wouldn’t believe in real life. Like ‘transparent wall maintenance engineer’ (a window cleaner), ‘director of first impressions’ (a receptionist) – and heaven help us, ‘her indoors’ (a wife). You’d think there wouldn’t be many of these buzz-words and phrases around, right? People are too clever for that, yes? Wrong. It’s at epidemic levels.

A photo of a Riverside woman blowing a kiss at the camera on her wedding day is vying in a national online contest. Riverside resident Kimberly Carroll snapped the photo of her daughter, Cameo Smith, when she married Aaron Smith on Nov. 7, 2009. Carroll entered the snapshot in The Skintimate Studios Ready for Everything Photo Contest & Sweepstakes, in the “I Dream” category.  Her entry was called “My Beautiful Bride Daughter.” The Riverside couple runs Blue Sky Window Cleaning in Riverside. The photo was chosen as a top entry, and online voting lasts until July 24. Individuals can vote up to 25 times a day and are eligible for prizes. The grand prize winner from each category will receive a trip with a friend to New York City to appear in a photo shoot by celebrity photographer Eva Mueller and be featured in a national magazine advertorial spread. The other 18 finalists will receive a digital camera and other prizes.

Janiszewski said, “I don’t want to say people are lazy, but if you drive around town and see all the grass cutters, all the snow [blowers], and all the window washers, you can kind of tell people don’t like to do a whole lot anymore. I don’t think there would be an interest.” Janiszewski said Toledoans seem more inclined to dispose of an item than to repair it. “Today, they throw everything away,” Janiszewski said. “Take food, for example. I like leftovers. My kids, they don’t. They’ll throw it away instead of putting it in the refrigerator. … A lot of younger people … they waste massive amounts of stuff. … Growing up and doing this [job], it’s amazing the changes I’ve seen. People are becoming more wasteful. Very, very wasteful.”

Warren Gatland is back as Wales aim to right wrongs of Brisbane: The world's worst window cleaner arrived in Melbourne this week, hoping his mere presence would help put a shine on Wales's Australian tour. Warren Gatland linked with the national squad almost 10 weeks after suffering serious injuries while sprucing up the family beach house in New Zealand. Attempting to put a sparkle on the upper windows with a long-handled brush, he lost his balance and crashed three metres to the ground, taking the full impact on his heels and suffering multiple fractures. But after reconstructive surgery and recuperation he is back in business, flying across the Tasman Sea to join up with the players and his fellow coaches as they attempt to recover from last Saturday's first Test defeat in Brisbane.

Heinz cleaning vinegar: Vinegar isn't just for salads anymore. Lots of people use vinegar around the house for cleaning. Now Heinz plans to sell a more potent variety. "Heinz All Natural Cleaning Vinegar" is about 20 percent stronger than traditional white distilled vinegar. The ketchup and condiment giant has sold vinegar for more than 140 years. Heinz says the more powerful vinegar is ideal for cleaning windows, glasses and laundry stains. But you can still use it for cooking, too.

Results Round-up: Safety systems specialist Latchways unveiled record full year revenue and pre-tax profit after growth in all regions except North America. The maker of devices to stop roofers and window cleaners falling said revenues rose 5% to a record £41.4m for the year ended 31 March 2012. Pre-tax profit also rose to a record £9.9m during the year compared to £9.3m the year before. Analysts had predicted revenue of £42.9m and pre-tax profit of around £10.20m. Commenting on trading, chairman Paul Hearson said: ‘Following the very strong growth achieved in 2010/11, the past year has been a period of solid progress for Latchways, despite the increasingly difficult global economic environment. We have achieved good growth across the majority of geographies and product lines, with the exception of North America.’ ‘Given the current level of economic uncertainty, it is not surprising that the new year has started slowly. Despite this, with the level of prospects and opportunities at an all time high, and the resources now in place to service these, we are confident of achieving a strong performance for the year as a whole,’ he added.

TEK Electrical (Suzhou) Co Ltd now has its new products showcased on overseas websites about consumer gadgets. But in 1998, when it just started, it was a simple manufacturer of household cleaning appliances for overseas brands.

Hard times call for innovative entrepreneurship: There's nothing extraordinary about that, as original equipment manufacturing was the game at that time in China, when coastal cities were competing for opportunities to make products or components for international companies under the latter's brand names. But TEK Chairman Qian Dongqi did not believe in fate. He wanted to chase a lofty goal, even if it meant, he said, that he had to travel on a rocky path. He dreamed about creating his own brand, and he wanted to do so through innovation. After "many failures", Qian began to market his intelligent cleaning robots in 2006. Ecovacs is said to be a "well-established" brand of cleaning robots in the US and European markets. From the company's showroom, the 47-year-old entrepreneur could explain lines of cleaning robots like his own children.

Winbot, for example, is a recently developed window-cleaning gadget that sells for $399 and is beginning to get good feedback from the market. Right now, although OEM still accounts for 70 percent of TEK's annual sales, sales of branded products already accounts for more than 50 percent of the company's profit, showing a visibly higher markup than the former. In the first quarter of this year, TEK's overseas trade reached $354.6 million, showing growth of 27.1 percent year-on-year. TEK has been diverting around 50 million yuan ($7.87 million), or more than 5 percent of its annual sales to R&D. But that doesn't lend much sense of security to Qian. "In China, you get crushed if you don't innovate; but you may also get crushed if you do," he said. Innovation requires taking a lot more risks than OEM, in that companies have to manage their own business strategies and cope with all market caprices. While OEM, especially in times of no change, tends to generate steady and timely returns.

Window washer probe could take longer than expected: It could take six months to get to the bottom of what caused the platform holding two window-washers to fail Monday morning. Occupational Health and Safety will begin speaking to witnesses of the accident as well as the company who employs the men who were left dangling in harnesses from a downtown building. The Calgary Fire Department's high angle rescue team freed both men who were taken to hospital and suffered no injuries.

A California man accidentally killed himself Friday night as he tried to enter his home through a window. The body of Kyle Fortunato (pictured) was found halfway through the kitchen window of his Sacramento apartment, according to CBS 13. Police say the 28-year-old was locked out, and had been attempting to climb through the window when he was impaled by broken glass. Stuck in the window frame, Fortunato bled to death.

A motorised skyscraper window cleaner's basket will be used to lower members of the public into the chamber.

Stunning photos of volcano show why Thrihnukagigur is tourist hotspot: The Thrihnukagigur volcano in Iceland is set to become a major hub for tourists - and these pictures prove it isn't difficult to see why: It's as deep as the London Eye is tall and it could fit the whole of St Paul’s Cathedral into its cavernous underground chamber. And from tomorrow it will be the first place on Earth where people can journey into the heart of a volcano – on a contraption created from a window cleaner’s lift. The colourful magma chamber of Thrihnukagigur volcano sits on an unstable island in Iceland – just 100km (60miles) from Eyjafjallajökull, which erupted in 2010.

The Windows That Couldn't Be Washed Are Getting A Clean

The curved bank of windows on the front of the Dane County Courthouse has not been cleaned since the building opened in 2006. The county has decided they will be cleaned by a Milwaukee contractor.

Remember this? The Windows That Can't Be Washed.

After five years, filthy courthouse windows to get a wash: More than five years after they were installed, the curved bank of windows on the front of the Dane County Courthouse will get their first cleaning. And it couldn’t come a moment too soon. The windows, now opaque due to dust, grime, bird droppings, cobwebs and other filth, have proven difficult to clean in lean budget times but will finally be washed by a Milwaukee window cleaning contractor, said Dane County Director of Administration Travis Myren.

Because of the design of the courthouse, the windows can’t be reached using a standard window cleaner’s platform. Myren said he doesn’t know when the cleaning will happen, but it will probably be on a Sunday because a boom truck will likely have to be parked in front of the courthouse on South Hamilton Street, blocking some traffic. The contractor, Al’s Window Cleaning, will be paid $3,600 to clean the windows. Myren said the money comes from putting off cleaning other county windows.

District Court Administrator Gail Richardson contained her delight about the upcoming cleaning. “Yes, I’m very pleased to know that the Department of Administration has found a contractor who can and will clean the front windows,” Richardson said. But as to whether the next cleaning will take another five years, Myren wouldn’t make predictions. “Unfortunately I don’t know what the budgets are going to look like next year or the following year,” Myren said. “We’re limited to providing cleaning projects with the funds we have available.”

Two years a go when they needed cleaning then. Spot the difference.

Picture of the Day + Window Cleaning News

WINDOW WASHING: A cleaner washed windows on a building in Brasilia Tuesday. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) Click to enlarge.

EU Commission report calls for VOC limits in paints to be extended to other products: The limits on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) set out in the EU paints Directive should be extended to a range of other products, according to a report for the European Commission by German research institute Okopol. Products that should be made subject to VOC restrictions include hairsprays, deoderants/antiperspirants, solvent-based adhesives, window cleaning products and wood coatings. In line with its provisions, the Directive is being reviewed. This is likely to be completed by mid-2011. Also here.

Fulton firm battles state agency, MU over prevailing wage: The Shepherd's Co. of Fulton is locked in legal battles with the Missouri Division of Labor Standards and the University of Missouri over claims the Fulton firm is not complying with prevailing wage laws. The Shepherd's Co. of Fulton is unusual because it is not set up with owners and employees. Instead, it does business in Missouri as a general partnership of 64 current owners. Workers at the Shepherd's Co. are members of a Christian faith-based group who attend the Shepherdsfield Community Church. They live in a communal society in which all members relinquish personal property to the group. The firm provides a variety of services, including window cleaning for retailers and offices.
Their attorney, Mark Comley of Jefferson City, says the earnings of the group are shared with each other and the Shepherd's Co. is organized under Missouri law as a general partnership with 64 current partners. The unions are miffed because the Shepherd's Co. has been the low bidder on some prized public projects, especially those at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Under Missouri and federal law, whenever work is performed for a government agency the prevailing wage for the area must be paid to all workers. The prevailing wage is set each year by the state for various areas of the state. That rate almost always is set at a high level because it generally is determined by union wages in the area.
The department has been aggressive in ferreting out violations of prevailing wage laws. For fiscal year 2009, the department found 126 prevailing wage violations on Missouri's public works projects, affecting 995 workers throughout the state. The department assessed a total of more than $1,127,070 in owed wages as a result of these violations. Comley said the company complies with prevailing wage laws and always has in the more than 20 years it has been operating.
About three months ago, the university's facilities planning and development office sent a letter to Shepherd's Co. saying the university will reject any bids from the firm because it "balked at requests to release record relating to prevailing wage compliance." Comley denies Shepherd's Co. balked at releasing records. That prompted Shepherd's Co. to file suit against the curators on Oct. 30, asking that the Fulton-based company be taken off the university's bid rejection list.
That's not all of the embattled Fulton firm's problems. Buschjost's Division of Labor Standards sent a letter to Columbia Public Schools saying there were allegations the company did not pay the prevailing wage. The school was about to award the firm a contract to work at the Columbia Area Career Center but decided against it after receiving the letter from the state agency. The city of Columbia a few days ago decided to send Shepherd's Co. payroll documents relating to a building it operates to the State Division of Labor Standards. The city asked the state agency to determine if Shepherd's wage records comply with prevailing wage laws. Comley said the Fulton-based firm always has complied with the prevailing wage law.

'Window cleaners' in £1,000 burglary: Two brazen burglars swiped over £1,000 of luxury goods from an Islington home after tricking their way through the front door by posing as window cleaners. Police this week released e-fit images of the two men after they made off with a laptop, a digital camera, a laser printer and several Xbox 360 games from a house in Fairmead Road, Upper Holloway. Pretending to have just finished a job in nearby Wedmore Street, they duped a woman in her 50s into letting them in by wearing blue v-neck jumpers emblazoned with the logo "Ocean Cleaning". The two men negotiated a price with the victim as she showed them round her home before filling their buckets in the kitchen. After around 15 minutes, they left with another two men who were waiting outside the house.

They left a note with the names "Peter" and "John" and a contact telephone number written on it. The victim, who did not ask for ID, later realised her windows had not been cleaned and her property was missing. Suspect one is described as a white man, aged 20 to 25, of slim build, about 5ft 9ins tall, with blue eyes and gelled spiky brown hair. Suspect two is a white man, aged about 30, between 5ft 6ins and 5ft 9ins tall, with blue eyes and short blonde hair. He walked with a limp. Both were polite and spoke with local accents. The Ocean Cleaning logo was written in white capital letters in a white circle on the front with the same motif enlarged on the rear of the jumper. Any witnesses or anyone with information should call Detective Constable Debbie Keyser on 020 7421 0220 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to stay anonymous.

Window cleaner v roofing inspector in John Smith's People's Darts final: The John Smith's People's Darts final 2010 will be a perfect showcase for the sport's talented amateurs - a window cleaner is taking on a roofing inspector. At the end of a trail which began four months ago, with thousands of hopefuls entering Britain's best amateur sporting contest in their local pubs and clubs, Mark Petchey and Duncan Hastings will contest a £14,000 charity jackpot on Sunday. Window cleaner Petchey, from the Royal Oak in Basingstoke, Hants, and roofing inspector Hastings, representing Pennies Bar Falkirk, Stirlingshire, made it through the last eight and semi-finals to book their live TV date at the Lakeside Country Club. Now "Petch" and "Big D"will take to the worldfamous stage in Frimley Green, in front of 2,000 fans and millions of BBC TV viewers, just before the Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship final in a classic Auld Enemy showdown. Final: Hastings v Petchey on Sunday (Jan 10).

Farewell to Sidmouth window cleaner Harry: One of Sidmouth's familiar faces about town was that of Harry Badcock, who died last Monday (December 28) aged 84. A real local character, Harry was a true born and bred Sidmothian and lived and worked in the town all of his life. Many knew him as the local window cleaner and for 32 years he pushed his barrow, with its flashing lights, up and down the streets. But he did many jobs before this, such as working for Pinney's building firm for 15 years. For a decade, between 1952 and 1962, Harry was a retained fireman and paid £5 a year.
But most folk will just remember Harry as a familiar face around the town who loved a natter; his knowledge was second to none, whether it was Sidmouth and its history or about its local people and their news. "He was Mr Sidmouth Herald, in his latter years after retirement he would sit at the front window to watch and wave to folk as well as going around on his mobility scooter along town and the seafront," said Roy. Harry lived in the same house for 74 years and was married to Maria; who came from Italy, for 48 years. He was a loving father to Roy and Antonio and a special grandad to Elliot Joel, Thomas Christopher and Daniel.

Holyrood is bottomless pit says MSP: Maintaining the Scottish Parliament building is costing five times as much as expected. Official figures show that the biggest maintenance contract – which includes heating, lighting and electrical installations, as well as replacing bamboo-style poles and other repairs – cost taxpayers almost £6 million over five years compared with a £1.1m forecast. And today MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament) said the escalating cost of maintaining the building was almost on a par with the soaring price for construction of the Holyrood building. It also showed annual costs, excluding VAT, had soared from £427,176 in the first year to £2,625,994 in 2008-09. "It confirms the criticisms people made right from the start. It's such a crazy design. The window cleaning is almost impossible, the quality of the materials used means to replace anything – the wood, the granite and everything – is very expensive. I want the parliament's public audit committee to look at why the costs have gone over by so much and why the estimates were so badly out." The Holyrood building was dogged by soaring costs throughout its construction. The original price quoted was £10-40m, but the final bill was £414m. Also see here.

Census Bureau looking for workers: Over the next three months, the U.S. Census Bureau will recruit more than 3.8 million people across the country, including more than 48,000 in Wisconsin. The recruitment goal for Madison is about 4,200, said Lydia Ortiz, a Census spokeswoman. It's the flexibility of the part-time job that appeals to Murray, who is nine months pregnant with her first child and due Thursday. "And it's always neat to look into other people's houses. Does that seem creepy?" said Murray, who got a perfect score on the exam, which was graded on the spot. Porter's son, Thad Johnson, 37, a Madison window washer, also took the test. He was hoping the job would start sooner. "It's a slow time of year for my work," said Porter, who scored 93 percent. "It would be doing something different than I've ever done before. I think I'd be really good at it."

JUNEAU ARTISTS GALLERY, 175 S. FRANKLIN ST. Jeweler Rowan Law is the featured artist for the first Art Walk of the new year at the Juneau Artists Gallery. Rowan will be in the gallery from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on January 8 with his work. His new creations are matching sets consisting of earrings and coordinating pendants. Rowan has never offered sets before, and is excited about these one-of-a-kind combinations. Rowan is well known in Juneau for his handcrafted jewelry, which is mostly made with sterling silver. He usually oxidizes the silver, which gives it an antique or rustic looking dark patina. Many of the pieces also contain yellow gold, copper, and brass. Stones including opal, labradorite, and turquoise are set into some pieces. Rowan cuts and shapes many of the stones himself, using an electrically powered grinding wheel. By holding each stone against the wheel, he creates unique shapes from the original rough stones, and then finishes by polishing the stone, also against the wheel.
Rowan and a friend once owned a window washing business in Maui, and one of their customers was a high-end jewelry store. Rowan washed the windows inside the shop, and he thought the studio area in the back of the shop, where the jewelry was created, was very interesting. It wasn't until about three years later, after he moved to the mainland, that he started reading about jewelry making and eventually took a few classes, including from Michael Hunter who used to teach at UAS. For the most part Rowan is self taught, and his style has evolved as he developed his skills.

Window Cleaner Jumps to Safety as Cherry-Picker Catches Fire

Man jumps to safety after cherry picker starts on fire: (MADISON) - It was a close call for a window washer on Madison's west side Saturday. James Heisig says he was washing windows at Bankers Bank near Mineral Point and High Point Roads, when the cab of his cherry picker caught fire. Other workers couldn't get the life to go down, so Heisig says his only option was to jump to the roof of the bank. 27 News asked Heisig what was going through his mind at the time, "A ladder, someone get me a ladder," he replied. "I really didn't want to jump to the roof, but everyone was shouting jump, and I did." Heisig was not hurt. The truck, though, is considered a complete loss. No word from officials on what caused the fire.

You may also remember Madison Window Cleaning from a previous story on the blog - Window Cleaning Wars when a man was charged with shooting out a window in Madisons window cleaning business.

Window Washer Survives 6-story Fall

Window washer survives 6-story fall from Eau Claire bank/MILWAUKEE: A window washer survived a six-story fall from an Eau Claire bank building with one thought in mind - when was his safety rope going to catch? It never did. "I kept falling," 21-year-old Alex Clay said in a phone interview from Luther Hospital in Eau Claire Tuesday night. "It all happened so fast. I kept waiting. When's it going to catch? "There's a little roof over the entryway. I bounced off of that and then hit the pavement."

Authorities in Eau Claire, located in west central Wisconsin about 70 miles east of Minneapolis, St. Paul, said equipment apparently helped break the man's fall from the U.S. Bank building just after 3 p.m. Tuesday. But Clay said it didn't slow him down much. Still, he said doctors determined his main injury was a shattered bone on the arch side of his left foot. He said he also had six staples in his leg because he cut it on something as he fell. "I remember the entire fall all the way down," he said. He said the problem developed when he noticed a clip on his gear for rappelling wasn't fastened. "But I was trying not to panic because I had my safety line connected on the back of my harness," he said. A maintenance man and his co-worker tried to pull him back up, but he was too sweaty and tired to make it, he said. "I was hanging on for dear life at that time, even though I had the safety line on." That's when he let go.
Clay said police took the equipment he was using to inspect it. He said he had worked for Bob Smith Window Cleaning about four months. He doesn't plan on working on high buildings again, at least not for a long time. His mother, Susan Frederick, said she'll object if he tries. "It's just so amazing - and then to find out that he's going to be OK is just so fantastic," she said from the hospital. She said they wouldn't know until Wednesday when he will be released.

Name of window washer who fell six stories released: A 21-year-old window washer fell six stories Tuesday afternoon while working at U.S. Bank at 131 Barstow St., landing on the sidewalk. Authorities were notified of the fall at 3:13 p.m. Alexander Clay was transported to Luther Hospital. His equipment apparently helped break his fall, and his injuries were not believed to be life threatening, authorities said. Clay works for Bob Smith Window Cleaning. The Eau Claire Police Department is investigating the incident.

The Windows That Can't Be Washed

County can't clean upper windows of $44 million courthouse: Once you get past the dirt and dung spattered against the outside of the windows, the view from high above downtown Madison in the three-year-old Dane County Courthouse is still tremendous. But in the three years and four months the building has been open, the curved windows, which are the architectural centerpiece of the $44 million triangle-shaped building, have not been washed -- at least not the upper three floors.
The county is hoping the third time is the charm and is planning on having the windows cleaned sometime this summer, said Travis Myren, recently appointed head of the county Department of Administration. They have tried before. Window washing firms have managed to wash the fourth and fifth floor windows. But the sixth through eighth floors remain dirty, to say the least.
An inspection of those windows from inside the building shows that at the top of the eighth floor, where the windows meet the roof line, cobwebs predominate, and some still have the remains of various bugs trapped within them. If last year is any indication, as soon as the weather gets hot, spiders will begin constructing webs near the various joints between metal bars that cross the windows and the glass they support.
The windows themselves are coated with a splotches of dirt and streaked with the droppings of birds that live under the canopy of the roof. While those streaks are most plentiful on the eighth floor, they also heavily stain the windows on the seventh and sixth, and some are even visible on the fifth and fourth floors, although not as plentiful as those on the upper, unwashed, windows.
Along with the streaks are blotches of dirt spread across the windows, and the combination often elicits an "ewww" from citizens present for court proceedings.
In each of the past two years, the county has contracted with a local window washing firm to have the windows in the building cleaned, and in those years the windows on the flat sides of the three-sided building have been washed. But no one in those firms has figured out a way to wash the 6th, 7th, and 8th floor windows that face Hamilton Street. Although they have not washed those windows, contractors have been paid the full amount of the contract, $9,380, in each of the last two years.

Dane County Board Supervisor Dennis O'Loughlin could only shake his head at the thought of the dirty windows on the $44 million courthouse building. "I am struck by the fact that such smart people work for Dane County and they have trouble washing windows," he said. "It's crazy." It wasn't supposed to be an issue.
Dane County Judges Michael Nowakowski and Sarah O'Brien, both of whom were instrumental in creating the specifications for the new building, recall that when the issue of washing the concave windows was raised in the planning stages, they were told by architects from the Durrant Group that it would not be a problem. At one point, the plan called for one of the large, floor-to-ceiling windows on the eighth floor to be accessible to the outside, and workers would then use a track attached to the building to move around the windows and down to lower floors.
But Rob Nebel, the county's point man on the building project, said the plan was abandoned for a simple reason: "It wouldn't have worked, that was the problem," he said. "We contacted three or four window washing firms and they said they wouldn't use it." Removing the track saved the county about $39,000 in construction costs, but nothing was put in its place. As the building now stands, the roof covers the concave area housing the windows, and there is no way workers can access the windows from the roof.
Miron builders, the contractor for the building, used a large lift to reach the upper floors to wash the windows in the waning days of construction before the building was opened for use in 2006. Nebel said that system could be used again, but it would force closure on one lane of Hamilton Street, a major downtown link for eastbound traffic. Or there is a possibility, Nebel said, that a company with automated equipment that crawls up the side of the building as it washes the windows could be hired to do the job. On the fourth floor there are two exits to a patio garden, and workers using that garden have been able to clean the fourth and fifth floor curved windows. That area could provide a launching spot for the automated crawler, Nebel said.

Although not as noticeable as the filthy upper floor windows or severe temperature swings in the hallways, the garden is another feature of the courthouse that has not lived up to expectations. A committee headed by soon-to-be-retired Circuit Court Judge Steven Ebert is reconsidering its use.
The garden, initially referred to as the rooftop garden, even though it is on the fourth floor, was designed as an area for courthouse weddings and for people to be able to wait outside for court proceedings. It is seldom used for either, and the "garden" consists of several large planters with flora that generally die quickly. Hoses for watering the various planters are strewn about the patio area, giving rise to the courthouse bailiffs to refer to the area as Dane County's "Hose Garden."
In winter, county personnel have taken to duct-taping around the ill-fitting doors leading to the garden, especially after a bailiff put a thermometer in the hallway-lobby area frequented by the public and attorneys to access courtrooms, and recorded a temperature of 47 degrees. Another bailiff held his Zippo lighter about three feet from the door and discovered that wind whipping between the door and its frame was enough to blow out the lighter's flame.

Squeegee Trade Just Scraping By?

Clean windows are 1st sacrifice in recession, washers report: Yet another axiom of the recession: Economy down, window smudges up. Just ask Erwin Mielke. "Ugly," the owner of Clear-Vu Window Cleaning Inc. said when asked to describe the state of his commercial accounts. "I've probably lost a third of my business already. That's just one of the first things they cut is (they decide) they can look through dirty windows." Some window cleaning firms say their business has been affected only slightly, or not at all. "I'm actually hiring," said Ben Boswell, operations manager for one of the area's larger companies, Al's Window Cleaning & Building Services. But others, like Clear-Vu, have seen at least a downtick.
"Everything's down," said Jason Vance, owner of Window Brothers Inc., New Berlin. "Our accounts are either cutting back or cutting off." In the last few weeks Vance has seen revenue drop 10% to 20%. Clear-Vu, of West Allis, is off more than one-fourth from last year. Tony Dawkins, owner of a one-man Milwaukee operation called Squeegee Wonders, said some regular customers are now waiting until their windows are "super dirty" before they call. "I have to charge them more because I have to work harder," he said.
What seems to have been hit hardest are jobs at first-story shops and offices, and other low-elevation work. Some businesses are picking up buckets and squeegees, or even paper towels and Windex, and tackling the job themselves. "In the summer they're probably going to be able to muddle through, but in winter it's not going to happen," Mielke said. He said restaurants in particular have cut back on professional window cleaning. "They're saying they don't have any business," Mielke said.
Clear-Vu has reduced its staff from 18 to 16, cut benefits and frozen pay. Until last fall the firm had cleaners working seven days a week. "Now we don't even work very many Saturdays," Mielke said. Commercial customers, meanwhile, are pushing for lower rates. And in a business that has, as economists say, low barriers to entry, some cleaners are willing to accommodate them. "I've got competitors who are really hungry out there and just doing the job for nothing," Mielke said. "So that hurts." Vance, who described his own pricing as "kind of more competitive than I'd like to be," has been stung, too.
"I just got off the phone with a customer (who) told me they just had a competitor come by and undercut me with the price," he said. In another pattern characteristic of uncertain economic times, prospective customers seem to be husbanding cash and waiting until the last minute to decide to have work done, Vance said. Still, the constantly replenished supply of grimy glass offers hope. "There are always dirty windows," Vance said.

Pictured: Jerry Kritz, an employee of Clear-Vu Window Cleaning, wipes down a window at a business on W. Boden St. Clear-Vu owner Erwin Mielke says the window-washing business has suffered as the recession has deepened, inducing business operators to put up with grimy glass.