Velux Advice thanks

[Kat13]

Hi there joined the forum even though I am not a window cleaner because I am finding it hard to find anything on a search re cleaning veluxes that talks about cleaning the frames and finding it hard to find a window cleaner willing to clean a velux AND the frame.
I have 13 veluxes! 6 of them I can just about do myself but 7 of them are challenging. We have only just moved to this property. I am a pensioner. Last week I stood on the top of tall steps and managed to clean the glass and some of the frame but I can feel mud/moss/leaves all down the channel between the roof tile and the frame which obviously isn't going to do the window any good at all and I can't reach from the top of the steps . The property is so close to the barn behind that it would be hard to get a ladder up from outside and we have brazilian tiles which we have been told are fragile. A guy came to do some work on the roof a few weeks back and he had to do it with a ladder up through the velux ! So what do people do? Is this more a roofers job than a window cleaners? And how often should I get this done? I assume this is going to be expensive and I am on a state pension. If I was to get a pole to try to at least do the glass regularly what would you advise for a little old lady? I bought an Igor pole but it's pretty rubbish or I am pretty rubbish at using it one or the other which is why I went up the ladder . Any advice. We live in the Crediton area.

 

[Mattlekim]

Hello. Is this a bungalow or a house?
I would not want to let anyone on the roof. They should be able to do them with a pole. We do quite a few veluxs. Price varys greatly depending on difficulty and size.

Also I would think that by the sound of them they need a good first clean to get them up to standard.

 

[Kat13]

Hello. Is this a bungalow or a house?
I would not want to let anyone on the roof. They should be able to do them with a pole. We do quite a few veluxs. Price varys greatly depending on difficulty and size.

Also I would think that by the sound of them they need a good first clean to get them up to standard.

Hi thanks for your reply. Its a conversion of an old forge so slanty roof upstairs . .As you can see from the pics there is very limited room at the back of the property which is where we need someone else to do the windows as the ones at the back are the ones that need the ladder to reach from inside as they can't be reached from the upstairs bedrooms .I have attached a pic of the utility couldn't attach more than 5 but the kitchen 3 are like the utility 2 and they are the ones out the back which you can see in the pic of the slanty roof taken from upstairs. Could someone get in that narrow gap with a pole and if they could then how would they get up to the roof to clean all the mud and leaves out between frame and slates? I am expecting to pay a bit to start with and then how often do you think I will need the gap between the slates and the frame cleaning? Twice a year ? (The property has been built 6 years and I doubt has ever been done) So this would be a window cleaning job would it rather than a roofing job? The ones out the front we can deal with from upstairs and most of them have a frame covering the gap with the slate. When I cleaned what I could reach last week the dirtiest part of the frame was on the outside at the bottom of the window where it closes they were all thick with algae and grime more than a swoosh with a pole I would imagine . I am happy with the property but the windows are a bit of a challenge as was the wood at the back which took some cleaning and sanding before two coats of Osmo and then a pile of thrips decided to commit mass suicide in it not a great look! As I say I have contacted 3 companies so far locally and they haven't even seen the pics just all said they don't do veluxes or inside.

 

[Pjj]

It depends on the property some can easily be done from the ground others cannot , for us as window cleaners the awkward ones aren’t worth doing as there is loads of easier work out there , expect to pay £3-5 per unit .

 

[Kat13]

It depends on the property some can easily be done from the ground others cannot , for us as window cleaners the awkward ones aren’t worth doing as there is loads of easier work out there , expect to pay £3-5 per unit .

Hi - yes that is what I thought why bother with windows like these when there is a load of easier work to be had.

 

[Part Timer]

If they have moss on them, and you want that removing you're starting to look at a big expensive job. By the sounds of it you have an access issue as well.
Basically if we, the window cleaner, can't, within reason, see the window we can't clean it.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Usually the velux is surrounded by metal flashing which goes under the tiles or slates. You can get a build up of stuff that will block the rainwater channel. It would be good for a roofer to take a look at them.

 

[Bart90]

Hi there joined the forum even though I am not a window cleaner because I am finding it hard to find anything on a search re cleaning veluxes that talks about cleaning the frames and finding it hard to find a window cleaner willing to clean a velux AND the frame.
I have 13 veluxes! 6 of them I can just about do myself but 7 of them are challenging. We have only just moved to this property. I am a pensioner. Last week I stood on the top of tall steps and managed to clean the glass and some of the frame but I can feel mud/moss/leaves all down the channel between the roof tile and the frame which obviously isn't going to do the window any good at all and I can't reach from the top of the steps . The property is so close to the barn behind that it would be hard to get a ladder up from outside and we have brazilian tiles which we have been told are fragile. A guy came to do some work on the roof a few weeks back and he had to do it with a ladder up through the velux ! So what do people do? Is this more a roofers job than a window cleaners? And how often should I get this done? I assume this is going to be expensive and I am on a state pension. If I was to get a pole to try to at least do the glass regularly what would you advise for a little old lady? I bought an Igor pole but it's pretty rubbish or I am pretty rubbish at using it one or the other which is why I went up the ladder . Any advice. We live in the Crediton area.

Where in the country are you?

 

[Daftoldgit]

I think they're in Devon

 

[Part Timer]

Where in the country are you?

Just north of Exeter, don't know of anyone on here that is in that area

 

[Pjj]

Sorry to have to say this but we wouldn’t touch that job for any amount of money , it’s just not worth it from the window cleaners point of view , the ones on the front are easy enough to do from the ground but the rest are a nightmare , also with a slate roof you would not be able to get on it at all without the risk of causing damage , sorry not to be more helpful.

 

[Kat13]

Sorry to have to say this but we wouldn’t touch that job for any amount of money , it’s just not worth it from the window cleaners point of view , the ones on the front are easy enough to do from the ground but the rest are a nightmare , also with a slate roof you would not be able to get on it at all without the risk of causing damage , sorry not to be more helpful.

Oh dear that sounds positive. I don't get why people when they are building properties don't think about how the people who will live there will be able to carry out basic maintenance.

 

[Pjj]

Oh dear that sounds positive. I don't get why people when they are building properties don't think about how the people who will live there will be able to carry out basic maintenance.

I quite agree there are a lot of commercial buildings with sunshades built into the side in front of the windows making it virtually impossible to clean architects need to think about on going maintenance

 

[damian.collings]

id have gone up the ladder with a pole with brother standing on the bottom to stop ladder skip, a soft brush end to get the frames and traps then do the window on a extension pole

 

[Part Timer]

id have gone up the ladder with a pole with brother standing on the bottom to stop ladder skip, a soft brush end to get the frames and traps then do the window on a extension pole

You do realise that when you fall off the fact you haven't had 3 points of contact there is a chance that if you aren't seriously injured you'll get prosecuted by the HSE.