One of the things being a fairly new single proprietor is learning what jobs to say no to. On those big century old homes nearby, the upper sash on the double hung windows some have 9, some as many as 15 squares of glass in them. It’s the high ones I have trouble with. Higher than my ladder reaches [which is high as I want to climb anyway] so I need to use a pole. They’ve been neglected, drops of paint, overspray. Trying to get the right angle for the scraper and putting enough pressure on it so it does some good at the end of a 20 foot pole gives spotty results. Plus it misses the bottom inch of glass. How do you handle those windows? Is there a way to scrub them with something like Brillo? Or do you tell the owner: can’t do it, and recommend a window cleaner who can get face to glass and do a proper job of it. Many thanks for your input.
Using extension poles for french panes should definitely be a last resort (like if you can get to every window except for one that you have to poll). If you aren’t willing to go up to 20 feet up on a ladder, you’ll run into a lot of issues on residential houses. I personally would not take a french pane job if I was not willing to get on a ladder to get them. I don’t use a waterfed pole much, i prefer to squeegee, but french panes are one thing that they are really nice for if you can’t get to them from the ground. You may want to consider that, but it won’t solve the overspray problem.
As previous poster mentioned, if you want to get overspray off high frenchies, nose to glass is the only way to go. The upside is that once you’ve got them the way you want them, next time around they will be super easy with a wfp. Cha-ching.
- ∞
I had one job last year that I had to pole a 6 over 6 window because it just was completely inaccessible. I took as much time on that one window as it would have taken me to clean 3 of them nose to glass.
Wow. How did that come out??
Passable. Thankfully it was a seldom used guest bedroom, so not a big deal.
Ya , but it folded In… Ha. “imagine”. 
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[MENTION=10872]Christopher[/MENTION], how long is your ladder? Could you borrow or rent one to reach the inaccessible window(s)?
Dan, my ladder is 20 foot extension–it got me about 5-6 feet away from those windows. Yes, renting a longer ladder is an option. Those jobs will in all likelihood be ones I need to say no to. Many thanks for the suggestion.
Christopher Eason
Over the Hill Window Cleaning
Here you go: used ladders/step ladder. Much better than renting, imho.
Is 20’ your max for a reason? I’m finding that having a 20, 24 and 28 is a great set…had a 32, but it’s a backbreaker! You could also go with a sectional, but that’s a whole other topic, LOL
Jesse
Atlas Services - Exterior Cleaning Specialists
North Carolina
20 foot is what I thought I could handle. Tried both fiberglass [way too heavy] and aluminum. Hadn’t thought about a set of different heights. I’ve got the 6’ step ladder, the sectional [16’] and the 20 footer. And for most of my jobs it has been ok. But occasionally my overconfidence gets the best of me and I say yes to cleaning windows on one of those big craftsman homes that have everything from high french windows to outside stained glass ones. A real challenge. Someone suggested renting a larger extension ladder. Good idea to see if I can handle it. Many thanks for your input.
How tall are you, Christopher?
I’m between 5’9.5" and 5’10" and I don’t have any trouble handling a 28’. Admittedly, I labor a little more with the weight now, but that’s because I don’t use it nearly as often as I used to (more wfp’ing) and I’m not getting any younger and don’t work out.
Even at my height, I can set up and take down a 32’ without footing it. So it’s not a stretch for a normal wc to work fairly easily with those sizes.
I would by angled scrapers and a waterfed pole and use a 20 ft pole to scrape and a waterfed to clean
Hmm… I kind of don’t know what to say. 
Except, I wish you were MY competitor.
Shit. If anything, you just ‘upped’ the price for the guy you refer.
Sometimes THIS is the easiest way to sell “value!”[B]= Ability To Get The Job Done.
[/B]Yes. Sometimes it’s as easy as that…
knowing how/doing what you were hired to DO.
Hey [MENTION=1335]Christopher [/MENTION] this video may help you learn to handle a larger ladder with ease, so you dont have to walk away from work. It takes some practice!
Just pretend he’s got five or six sections set up. This guy is rocking a set of wooden sectionals.
Did you ever see the spoof of that video? It’s hilarious…the guys on another crew used an attic ladder for it…worth watching (but I can’t find the link 
)
Jesse
Atlas Services - Exterior Cleaning Specialists
North Carolina
www.CallAtlas.com
