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Transparency of Opinions, “Open Space”, May 2008

The office building is a “face” for each company, which should be neat and shiny. The look of the office, which belongs to the certain company, a fa?ade of building (it’s often all-glass fa?ade) are the business card of it, which should be admired by partners and competitors, by management and employees.

Windows as Mirrors

This is a fact, that a clean office center is one of the image parts of any organization, enterprise etc. The cleaning companies make it easier for these enterprises to do the cleaning. They don’t need to search for the cleaners and train them, to buy expensive equipment and chemicals.

The look of the building also depends on its construction, materials and skills of builders. But the fa?ade cleaning needs a regular care. The windows and external walls are pretty steady to different influences and have an ability to stay clean. But the natural phenomena, such as snow, wind, seasonal and daily temperature drops, humidity, car exhausts are able to destroy the firm coverings. That’s why it’s really important to do the washing of windows and facades. As most of business-centers are multi-stored, you should get a service of professional industrial climbers with a special permission to do the high-rise works. As a rule, the industrial climbers work at the height of more than 2.5m from the ground. Besides, the special technique is used in some cases. The technique depends on the floor, type of the building, architectural difficulties, etc.

The industrial climbing is mobile and not expensive. The washers of fa?ade use brushes and special equipment with T-type griffin and muff on the point. It’s also possible to process the facades with the high-pressure machines. The technique depends on the type of fa?ade, for example, they use brushes when work with the painted and glass surfaces. While cleaning the facades, they often use neutral detergents. In winter, because of the low temperatures, the non-frozen liquid is used.

“In our company we have the high-rise washing of facades and windows, and also the regular one. The price of high-rise washing is usually from 8 grivnas for sq. m., the price of regular washing is from 2 grivnas for sq. m.”, Vitalij Opanasiuk, the general manager of Impel Griffin Group, informs.

“The law about labor provides the getting of permission to work on the high of more than 2.5m, with or without using of electrical equipment. It’s not difficult and not expensive to get such permission, but you should have the labor protection specialists in the staff, the trained and educated team of high-rise workers, legal certificated equipment and tools, full information about safety, and also big number of important documents. Moreover, for getting the permission it’s necessary to go through the set of procedures.

The industrial climbing implies the work of the specialist on the height. The person should be fixed by halyard and special insurance. The high-rise worker not only has to virtuously move on the walls, but also should have knowledge about chemicals. Some types of facades are very expensive, their washing should be discussed with constructors and owners.

The set of cases needs the combination of self-propelled stairs, industrial climbers and traditional cleaners”, Vitalij Opanasiuk says.

Besides, a window washing is not only removing of difficult stains, but also a careful processing of window frames and window-sills with special remedies, wiping of window frames and window-sills with soft fabric.

The procedure includes the following stages:

• Preparing and cleaning of glass surfaces. If the windows were strongly polluted with firm hard-to-remove substances, so the scrapes, pads and chemicals should be used for their cleaning

• Washing of the glass. By means of wax scraper, the chemical is applied on the window. The detergent removes the soot from the window, which mechanically mix with water and foam on the window surface

• Drying. The detergent is removed by means of rubber scraper from the windows surface. The rest of water is removed with the wiping material

As Iryna Kladko, the marketing specialist of Shaden Group says, the universal method for providing of long safety of facades is their hydrophobization. The walls have to be cleaned with proper chemical by means of special equipment and tools. The facades should be carefully rinsed with water, dried; afterward the hydrophobic solution is applied on them. This procession solves two problems. First of all, it saves the fa?ade from the further penetration of water. Second of all, it closes the ways of growing the salt crystals in the material, filling the pores and empty places with hydrophobic silicon organics. For today it’s the most expedient way to save the facades, after the hydrophobization the house “breathes” well. The socles of city buildings, especially on the central streets, get salt deposit. In order to remove the salts, the fa?ade should be processed with acid cleaners.

Cleaning and Bad Weather

The service of cleaning windows and facades is really essential during the cleaning after construction, when it’s necessary to do the washing of the external part of the building, remove the cement stains, pollutions, which are connected with construction works etc. Afterwards the season washings should be done, which are supposed to be done at least twice a year.

The peak of orders is in spring, when there’s a preparation for summer, and in fall, because the high-rise works are contra-indicated during the frosts. But Andrey Isachenko, the manager of high-rise department of DEN, claims, that the periodicity of services depends on the level of pollution of windows and facades. The thing is, that lots of buildings are located close to the constructions, near the roads, correspondently the dust leaves their quickly. The objects should be washed at least twice a month in order to keep the windows clean. If the necessary washing is not provided, the windows become unfit for use. For example, the standard terms of glass life is about 10 years and more, but it reduces twice, if the necessary care is not provided.

“Except for everything else”, Nikolay Magnik, the manager of Allon Ltd. says, “The facades can be of some kinds. But if you talk about their washing, you should mention about the cleaning of glass parts of building. The high-rise workers may reach the come-at-able parts of the building by ropes, but when cleaning the hard-to-reach areas it’s necessary to use the special equipment. There’re the buildings with the protuberances (the objects of complicated architectural building). They have to be cleaned with building timber, towers, etc.”

Vitaliy Opanasiuk distinguish some kinds of services on cleaning the vertical surfaces. The windows, showcases, facades washing may be of those kinds:

• High-rise (more than 2.5m) or regular

• Manual cleaning or with the apparatus of high pressure

• With using of special chemicals or without those

• With using of timber, mechanical stares and the method of industrial climbing

• Besides, there’s a specificity, when working at the architectural monuments (it needs a special agreement of technologies), works during the below zero temperature and other specificities.

The Explorers of Heights

The washing may be regular and by using the industrial climbing, when the building is high. Sometimes the industrial climbers may not reach the certain windows. It may be when there’re arches, bars and slopes. In these cases the elevators are used. Bur more often the showcases are washed without using of any equipment – by means of different stairs and telescopic extenders. The high showcases are washed by means of autotowers.

The advantages of windows and facades cleaning by means of industrial climbing are the quick organization – all jobs are done with ropes, usually fixed to the stationary elements on the roof or on the fa?ade of the building. The preparation to the jobs fulfillment last for about an hour, after the cleaning the same time is needed. Almost any part of the fa?ade can by cleaned by industrial climber.

Before starting the work, the companies should estimate the object”, Nikolay Magnik says, “Lately the tendency appeared, when all disadvantages of construction (for example, cracks) are the job of cleaners. Beginning the jobs, the cleaning specialists should totally disinfect the building in order to protect themselves.”

Starting to wash windows, the professionals define the type of the glass by some factors: light absorbing, sound absorbing, heat absorbing, firmness, safety of the glass and frames material, possibility of chemicals and water solutions using etc. According to the words of Andrey Isachenko, the industrial climbing includes not only the facades and windows cleaning, but also the painting of facades in one or more colors, with patterns or without, washing of the buildings with flat or relief surface, repair jobs (braces, puttying etc.).

It’s necessary to notice, that industrial climbing includes a wide spectrum of high-rise works:

• Painting and repair of facades of any complexity

• High-rise washing of windows, showcases and facades

• Sand-blast cleaning of facades and metal construction above 3 m

• Painting and repair of facades of any complexity

• Painting and anticorrosion processing of metal construction

• Assembling and dismantling, repair of: outdoor commercials (of any type), building decorations, outdoor wire, lightning appliances, video cameras, antennas, air conditioners, artificial airways and other hanging appliances

• Damp course and repair of roof

• Damp course of the seams between panels

• Cleaning of roof and facades from snow and ice, removing of icicles

• Removing and cutting of dangerous trees

Price of Cleanliness

Each leaseholder of office or the owner of the whole business-center periodically deals with the problem of fa?ade and windows cleanliness. If the customer pays their attention on the certain cleaning company, it should have a license, a resume, positive references, partners etc. It should also show its portfolio.

“While choosing the cleaning company, you should find out, if it has industrial climbers with all necessary permissions and skills of cleaning windows and facades, the license for high-rise works, specialized technique and professional chemicals, which effectively removes the different pollutions”, Iryna Kladkl advises.

According to the Andrey Isachenko opinion, the quality of chemicals depends on the professionalism and reliability of the cleaning company. Anyway you should chose the company, which is already trusted.

The form of the collaboration of the customer with the company could both single or regular – on the contract base

According to Vitaliy Opanasiuk, the company is chosen by references of tender.

“But I would recommend to work with legal companies only”, the specialist says, “While choosing the cleaning company for washing of vertical surfaces, it’s enough just to do a regular choice.”

As to the price policy in this sphere of cleaning industry, the price is defined by complexity of pollution and the area of object. But the company also take into consideration the possibilities and requirements of the other part (a customer). As the price is contract, it can vary.

“The bigger is the area of fa?ade, the chipper is the price”, Nikolaj Magnik explains, “The price vary from 8 to 30 grivnas for sq. m. But if you need the cleaning of 100m in hard-to-reach areas of fa?ade (from 1 thousand sq. m of the whole area), the price will be the highest. It’s explained of complexities of preparing, estimation and bringing of materials, lending of equipment, technique etc. It means the job will cost more, that the cleaning of the whole building. Except for this, the towers of different sizes (from 12 to 22 m), tools and special chemicals are used.

The price also depends on the pollution and location of office building. For example, the buildings located close to the railway are strongly polluted by trains, diesel locomotives, oils, soot. These pollutions can’t be removed by the regular chemicals only, so the price and expenses increase. As a result, the main components of the price may be the cost of equipment, chemicals and industrial climbers’ services.”

The prices are different in the capital and in the other cities, Andrej Isachenko emphasizes. The cost of services in the regions would be more expensive, if the company from capital works. It’s caused by expenses on business-trips, places for leaving etc. The competence between the main companies is a main link, which affect on the whole chain. Also, compared to the last year, the price on the high-rise jobs has risen within 20%, which is connected with the rise in price of chemicals and support consumables. It also concerns the equipment.

Summarizing the aspects of cost, Vitalij Opanasiuk emphasizes the main factors, which affect on the prices. These are: the complexity of curtain, complexity of moving between the vertical surfaces, weather conditions, urgency, type of the fa?ade, level of pollution, indoor and outdoor cleaning.

Of course, cleaning of facades and glass in the offices is as important as brushing teeth in the morning. Dirty windows and facades make the building look slovenly and damage the esthetic structure of the city look. Besides, you should remember, that harmful admixtures, which the city air contain, accumulate on the glasses and windows, balconies and facades. They even get inside through the ventilation system and during the airing. The named reasons create a direct threat to the health of people, which live of work in the building. They get sick more often, which leads to unjustified losing their working time.

Information

If the wind is of certain level (5 m/sec of more), the high-rise works are forbidden. Same is in winter, when the temperatures are below 5oC, because the chemicals can’t be used and it’s cold to work for employees. In winter the industrial climbing is used for damp coarse, sound isolation of premises and in other cases, when the assembling of separate construction of work with materials needed.

According to the Shaden Group information, the cost of washing of standard multiple glass unit from the both sides with window-sills and frames cost from 75 grivnas for windows (within the general cleaning).

The cost of same job within the cleaning after construction is 100 grivnas for window.

The cost of windows washing is formed by three main factors:

1. Accessibility of windows: if the service employee may reach the whole window from inside and outside or it’s necessary to use the industrial climbing

2. The level of window pollution: there’s a difference between the regular washing of the window after the winter to refresh it and the washing the window after repair with removing of dirt, concrete and scotch tape

3. The windows size: the windows, showcases and stained-glass windows may be of different sizes, that’s why the cost of their washing is formed after the estimation by the specialist.

You shouldn’t be glad because of the very low price – it probably means, that the staff will be unqualified, the detergents and support consumables will be cheap and of low-quality.

The industrial climbers’ services are mostly essential in the early spring, when it’s necessary to get rid from the salt deposits after the windows.

The more difficult is to reach to the fa?ade, the more dirty it is, the more expensive its cleaning is.

As a rule, the specials teams consist of the professional sportsmen, rock-climbers, which have made a job out of their hobbies.

Sources: “Open space”

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