Create holiday sparkle at your home with crystal clear windows
By Mimi Vanderhaven
The fall rush is in full swing. Northeast Ohio homeowners are in a mad dash to take care of essential, last-minute home improvement tasks before the snow flies.
“Our phone is ringing off the hook,” says Rick Winrod, the founder of Rolling Thunder Window Cleaning & Pressure Washing. “People know it’s important to have their windows, siding and concrete cleaned before the snow flies—and there is already a nip in the air. Plus, gutters are beginning to fill with leaves.”
Rick’s been doing professional home maintenance since 1993, including house washing, driveway cleaning and sealing, window cleaning, gutter cleaning and—for a select few clients—installing holiday lights.
Sparkling Clean Windows
You know those stunning photos of gorgeous holiday interiors in home magazines and on Pinterest? One of the secrets is the reflection of holiday lights in crystal clear windows. It’s a “prism effect” you just can’t achieve with dirty windows. And when it comes to cleaning windows, Rick has one goal: he wants your window to look like it has no glass in it.
“I look at a dirty window in the moments before I clean it and imagine what it’s going to look like clean,” he says. “I also imagine how the client is going to feel when they see it. When you clean windows on a house that haven’t been cleaned in months or years, it can be a profound experience. It changes everything.”
And right now, crystal clear windows mean you get a better view of fall colors and upcoming holiday lights.
Power Washing
Rick uses professional-grade, top-of-the-line power washing equipment that is both effective and safe for your siding, roof and concrete surfaces. Although Rolling Thunder pressure washes all kinds of homes, Rick specializes in the popular vinyl-sided homes found throughout Westlake, Avon, Avon Lake and surrounding communities.
And unlike large firms, you’ll actually see a key representative of the company. Rick or lead supervisor Mike Waleri is either on every job or inspects every job to make sure it’s done right.
“We’re a small, family-owned company and we have a 25-year reputation to protect,” he says. “We don’t take chances with quality or safety. This is difficult and dangerous work we do. I’m not going to send anybody on a job who’s not going to do it as properly and as safely as I would do it myself. And we’re fully insured, which—unfortunately—not every company is.”
Gutter Cleaning
“Gutter cleaning is essential,” Rick says.
“Overflowing gutters can cause very expensive problems to your foundation and your basement. That’s why we get in the nooks and crannies; we even clean the downspouts. I’ve been cleaning gutters for years and I know there is a true science behind it. If we clean your gutters, they’re going to be free flowing when we leave. Water will be diverted where it’s supposed to be, not into your basement, and you won’t have mulch washing onto your driveway.”
Holiday Lighting
It’s not too early to start thinking about holiday lights, and Rolling Thunder offers full installation. They climb on the roof so you don’t have to. But, Rick says, he is almost booked for the upcoming season, so get on his schedule now.
“We could handle a few more homes, especially if they’re in the Westlake, Avon and Avon Lake areas. But what we’re focused on right now is cleaning and sealing driveways. That’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity.”
The Rolling Thunder Window Cleaning offices are located at 33480 Liberty Parkway in North Ridgeville, but the company services homes throughout Northeast Ohio. For more information or to receive a free estimate, call 440-897-6317. The website is RollingThunderWC.com.