Learn how Rolling Thunder Window Cleaning is different from the rest
By Mimi Vanderhaven
Uh, oh. It’s already the middle of August and there is still so much to get done, including pressure washing the house and driveway, and sealing the concrete. You’ve read a lot in the pages of Mimi about the importance of protecting your concrete from corrosive road salt in winter, but you may not have heard of one local contractor who specializes in it.
Rick Winrod, the founder of Rolling Thunder Window Cleaning, has been doing professional home maintenance since 1993. And while “window cleaning” is in the company name, Rick also offers other home services, including house washing, driveway cleaning and sealing, gutter cleaning and—for a select few clients—installing holiday lights.
Power Washing
Rick uses professional-grade, top-of-the line power washing equipment that is both effective and safe, but that, he says, is just the beginning.
“One of the most important aspects of proper driveway maintenance is using the right sealer after it’s been cleaned,” Rick explains.
“It’s absolutely critical. We use a professional-grade, non-toxic silicone water repellent made of a special hybrid of silane and siloxane. It features a mixture of different-size particles—some larger, some smaller—to fill different size voids in your concrete. This ensures good penetration, which results in better coverage and more durable water repellency.”
Although Rolling Thunder pressure washes all kinds of homes, Rick specializes in the popular vinyl-sided homes found throughout Westlake and surrounding communities.
And unlike large firms, you’ll actually see the owner of the company—Rick.
He is either on every job or inspects every job himself.
“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, but—unfortunately—not every company is,” Rick explains.
“It’s crucial for a homeowner to verify that any contractor working on your property is properly insured. You should require proof of liability and worker’s comp insurance, otherwise, if there is an accident, you can be held personally liable for an injury or property damage.”
Window Cleaning
When it comes to cleaning windows, Rick has one goal: he wants your window to look like it has no glass in it.
Now, that’s a clean window.
“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 an emotional experience. It changes everything.”
Rick started cleaning windows at a Lakewood high-rise back in 1993.
“I really do see it as my calling,” he says. “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 on the job.”
Gutter Cleaning
Rick has leveraged his love of cleaning and his natural business acumen to expand into other home cleaning services, including gutter cleaning.
“Gutter cleaning is absolutely essential,” he 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 20 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 in your basement, and you won’t have mulch washing onto your driveway.”
Holiday Lighting
Rolling Thunder also offers the installation of holiday lights, but, Rick says, he is pretty much booked for the upcoming season.
“We could handle maybe one or two more homes, especially if they’re in the Westlake area. 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 office is 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.