Here’s how Rolling Thunder Window Cleaning & Pressure Washing can make your home sparkle for less
By Mimi Vanderhaven
After the long and gloomy winter, the arrival of sunny days can create interesting effects. For example, when we once again see that long-lost, glowing orb in the sky, it can literally slow down traffic as surprised drivers contend with “sun glare”—bright rays reflecting off of dirty windshields.
And this happens not just in our cars, which is why each year at this time, Rick Winrod’s phone starts ringing off the hook.
“The minute the sun shines through the windows of their homes, people see just how dirty the glass really is—and we get extremely busy,” says Rick, who founded Rolling Thunder Window Cleaning & Pressure Washing back in 1997. And for him, it’s almost Zen-like.
“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 the difference. When you clean windows on a house that haven’t been cleaned in months or years, it can be an emotionally uplifting experience. It changes everything.”
And here’s a tip: If you’re selling your home, have Rolling Thunder clean your windows. It makes the whole house so much lighter and brighter that it can increase the selling price by an amount many times the cost of the cleaning.
It’s a no-brainer.
That said, be careful. “I’ve had clients who no longer wanted to sell their homes after we cleaned their windows,” laughs Rick, who, in his mid-fifties, plans on working for another 15 to 20 years.
“I love my job. I get to meet great people. I get to make them happy, and they compliment me. Plus, it keeps me in shape. I burn a lot of calories in this job and it provides a good living for me.”
Affordable Pressure Washing
When Rick first founded Rolling Thunder, he thought he would be doing painting, so his original company name referred to paint rollers.
“It wasn’t long before I discovered that I was much better at cleaning windows than I was at painting,” he smiles. “I gave up painting, but kept the name.”
Today, 22 years later, Rick has leveraged his love of cleaning and his natural business acumen to expand into other home cleaning services, including power washing, which is essential in protecting your valuable siding, roof and concrete surfaces.
“Like window cleaning, power washing is both an art and a science. I take pride in my work and so do the people who work for me. They do it the way I want it done. Properly cleaning anything—a window, siding, a roof, or a concrete driveway—comes from years of experience. You have to be good, but you also have to be efficient. And you have to invest in high-quality, high-tech tools.”
Rolling Thunder is off to a busy start this spring because the early winter meant that homeowners were caught off guard and didn’t get around to cleaning the dirt and grime we all know is still there waiting for us. (This also means you should call early to get on Rick’s schedule.)
And Rolling Thunder is affordable. “We’re a smaller company with lower overhead, so we’re typically less expensive than the big guys,” he advises.
Safe and Experienced
Rick’s team has over 50 years of combined experience in window cleaning, power washing and gutter cleaning, each of which includes ladder work.
“Experience is important,” he says. “We work with ladders and fragile glass, and we know how to be safe. We know how to protect ourselves and your property. We treat you and your home with respect.”
Rick—or his lead supervisor, Patricia— are on every job to ensure that clients are completely satisfied. His team is OSHA-safety trained and his company is fully insured.
“This is difficult and dangerous work we do,” he says. “I can’t stress enough how critical it is for a homeowner to be absolutely certain that the company they hire carries all of the proper insurance.” Rick suggests that you insist on seeing copies of a contractor’s Liability and Workers Comp insurance.
“It may seem awkward to ask for those documents, but it’s well worth the trouble for the peace of mind that you are fully protected,” he says.
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.