So heres my question,Have or do any of you do high rise window cleaning as a service in your area,iwas curious because you know weve got all the gear and ropes and even some have man lifts or bucket trucks.if so then what are some of the things ,pros<cons that youve encountered??
Window cleaning?
- Thread starter kajudude
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Depends on high your talking about. Ive cleaned some around 40 feet tall using a truck but if your wanting to hang off the side of a 100'+ tall buildings well....no. Did clean a steeple for a church around 80' to 90' though using an extension wand in the bucket and thought my arms were going to fall off before it was done.
thepheniox
ArboristSite Operative
Highrise window washers are highly regulated and we do not have all the gear. Years ago I did a job for a guy that had a window washing business and he could not believe that we get away with using the equipment we use. It might be different where you are from but I would check into all the regulations before getting into this.
sgreanbeans
Treeaculterologist
I dont do windows
Well, it sure aint as easy as you might think! Alot of windows in the 20' to 40' range can be done without ever leaving the ground but a lift sure does help. :laughn:
Where we are the city or county could care less how I did them and coming from Ill. thats a big shock, you cant fart there without a permit and inspections :sweat: So, first step as thepheniox said would be to check out code/reg's in your area and then grab a squeegee and mop to see if you can do your own windows without leaving streaks and a nice film behind. I have a recipe thats pretty cheap to use on windows in nice weather but you have to work fast and thats not easy on a 20' pane of glass 40' up in a bucket.
I have done lots of windows and a good set of professional extension poles are good to have, bucket truck or not.
Where we are the city or county could care less how I did them and coming from Ill. thats a big shock, you cant fart there without a permit and inspections :sweat: So, first step as thepheniox said would be to check out code/reg's in your area and then grab a squeegee and mop to see if you can do your own windows without leaving streaks and a nice film behind. I have a recipe thats pretty cheap to use on windows in nice weather but you have to work fast and thats not easy on a 20' pane of glass 40' up in a bucket.
I have done lots of windows and a good set of professional extension poles are good to have, bucket truck or not.
PinnaclePete
Addicted to ArboristSite
Check out this site for window washers.
Welcome to IWCA: The International Window Cleaning Association | Find a Window Cleaner
The regs aren't any harder to deal with than what we do. The window washers, and cell guys, I deal with are just as crazy as tree trimmers. Using a bucket generally won't work because of access.
Throw a rope over the side, have a pail of soap, brush and squeegee and your in. One main difference is you have to have a secondary "lifline" and rope grab besides your work line. It's a niche market with annual contracts. Go for it and good luck.
Welcome to IWCA: The International Window Cleaning Association | Find a Window Cleaner
The regs aren't any harder to deal with than what we do. The window washers, and cell guys, I deal with are just as crazy as tree trimmers. Using a bucket generally won't work because of access.
Throw a rope over the side, have a pail of soap, brush and squeegee and your in. One main difference is you have to have a secondary "lifline" and rope grab besides your work line. It's a niche market with annual contracts. Go for it and good luck.
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
Untill your IPM guy douses the monster picture window with hort. oil
It is an add-on service on residential and some commercial, just like cleaning gutters. "While your here, could you..."
I never offer a bid on windows, but will frequently throw out a number to "clear gutters of major debris" The first time you sell a cheap "clean gutters" and have them call you back because you did not flush them out and wash out all the sand....
Last edited:
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
I've worked a bit in both of these industries as well as industrial access, mountain rescue and rock climbing. What I say probably wont apply to you guys in the states because I'm living in aus.
I started my roped career about 15 years ago and it was all high ropes instructing (outward bound type stuff), rescue work and teaching climbing and abseiling. We started with the real basics like body belay abseiling, building belay breaks out of karabiners etc. It's pretty much unheard of to use friction hitches in climbing and abseiling and not ever done in rescue or industrial access.
I'd lump window cleaning firmly into industrial access. In aus, that's a pretty heavily regulated industry in terms of insurance, accreditation and standards on what can be used and how. The short of it is that you dont have the gear, the long of it is that it may not really matter. It's all done on devices (gri gris, or racks with a shunt mainly) and jumars. 13mm is the standard rope size. Anchoring standards are pretty tough. Less and less of this sort of work is being done on rope. There's been a move over here towards pre-made pre-certified anchors at $300/go. To get contracts you generally need insurance, the get insurance you generally need certification. You may also need this to get the council permits required for diverting pedestrians off footpaths.
This doesnt mean that you cant just do it. Plenty of guys do. Lots have no insurance, or just general public liability that doesn't cover them for this type of work (but looks official enough to get work). If you don't have insurance coverage, then you dont really need certification, and then it's up to you what gear you want to use and how you use it. The consequences if any will also be all yours.
If you go down this path, have a few goes at simply descending the building sans bucket before attempting the job. There's nothing to hold onto on the side of a building, and only limited scope for moving side to side unless you start getting clever with rigging. You will want clever rigging otherwise you will only be able to clean one or possibly 2 windows wide on each descent. That could be a lot of descents. I've often used a barber hauler type arrangement as used on the jib sheet of a yacht for sideways pull.
You may find that you will want a bosuns chair (almost all window cleaners use them) and tie all your tools to yourself so you cant drop them. You will drop them. You dont really need ascenders, just a good locking descender and a seat.
The business of actually getting the windows clean isn't exactly trivial either.... have a few goes at ground level before attempting it on rope. Best of luck!
Shaun
I started my roped career about 15 years ago and it was all high ropes instructing (outward bound type stuff), rescue work and teaching climbing and abseiling. We started with the real basics like body belay abseiling, building belay breaks out of karabiners etc. It's pretty much unheard of to use friction hitches in climbing and abseiling and not ever done in rescue or industrial access.
I'd lump window cleaning firmly into industrial access. In aus, that's a pretty heavily regulated industry in terms of insurance, accreditation and standards on what can be used and how. The short of it is that you dont have the gear, the long of it is that it may not really matter. It's all done on devices (gri gris, or racks with a shunt mainly) and jumars. 13mm is the standard rope size. Anchoring standards are pretty tough. Less and less of this sort of work is being done on rope. There's been a move over here towards pre-made pre-certified anchors at $300/go. To get contracts you generally need insurance, the get insurance you generally need certification. You may also need this to get the council permits required for diverting pedestrians off footpaths.
This doesnt mean that you cant just do it. Plenty of guys do. Lots have no insurance, or just general public liability that doesn't cover them for this type of work (but looks official enough to get work). If you don't have insurance coverage, then you dont really need certification, and then it's up to you what gear you want to use and how you use it. The consequences if any will also be all yours.
If you go down this path, have a few goes at simply descending the building sans bucket before attempting the job. There's nothing to hold onto on the side of a building, and only limited scope for moving side to side unless you start getting clever with rigging. You will want clever rigging otherwise you will only be able to clean one or possibly 2 windows wide on each descent. That could be a lot of descents. I've often used a barber hauler type arrangement as used on the jib sheet of a yacht for sideways pull.
You may find that you will want a bosuns chair (almost all window cleaners use them) and tie all your tools to yourself so you cant drop them. You will drop them. You dont really need ascenders, just a good locking descender and a seat.
The business of actually getting the windows clean isn't exactly trivial either.... have a few goes at ground level before attempting it on rope. Best of luck!
Shaun
Last edited:
