The windows looked dirty. Three years of Pacific Northwest grime — pollen, moss spores, mineral deposits from rain runoff, and oxidation from the aluminum frames. The homeowner had been putting off the cleaning for two seasons, and honestly, it was overdue.
What was underneath them was more interesting than dirt.
The Cleaning Process
Professional window cleaning isn't just squeegee and go. The process starts with screen removal and inspection, then frame cleaning to remove oxidation and debris from the tracks, then glass cleaning with a proper squeegee technique that eliminates streaking, then track cleaning, and finally re-screening. On a house this size — 22 windows — the full process takes about four hours.
What the Tech Found
Two windows on the north-facing wall showed fogging between the panes — a clear sign of seal failure. When a double-pane window seal fails, the inert gas between the panes (typically argon) escapes and is replaced by humid air. The result is condensation that forms inside the glass, which you can't wipe off. Beyond the visual problem, failed seals reduce the window's insulating value significantly, increasing heating and cooling costs. [1]
The tech also found oxidized frames on four windows — the aluminum had developed a chalky white coating that was trapping dirt and beginning to pit. This is a surface condition, not structural, but left untreated it accelerates frame deterioration. We treated the frames with an aluminum oxidation remover and a protective coating.
Finally: a cracked sill on the south side of the house. The crack ran the full width of the sill and had been channeling water toward the wall below. The homeowner had no idea it was there — it's not visible from inside the house.
What the Homeowner Thought They Were Booking
The homeowner thought they were booking a cleaning. They got a cleaning — and a full exterior health check that identified two failed window seals, four oxidized frames, and a cracked sill that was letting moisture into the wall. The cleaning cost $280. The repairs we identified, addressed proactively, cost $420. The alternative — discovering the failed seals and sill damage during a home inspection before a sale — would have cost significantly more in negotiated price reductions.
Book your spring window cleaning — and we'll flag anything that needs attention while we're there.