Do a criminal records check. State that you work with vulnerable adults (elderly) and children, then all information should be available to you.

Martin Warman
Sunlite Cleaning Services - Dorset, England

A criminal background check will often flag someone with a record and the cost is in the range of $10 to $25. City, county, state and federal records all have different degrees of information--your background providers should advise you on which to get. Also, check past job references. Some employers will talk and some won't. Ask on your application for name and telephone of their immediate supervisor and contact that person first, rather than trying to get information from HR people.

Look with suspicion at employment gaps. Someone once told me that unexplained gaps often represent jail time and, in a couple of cases, I found that to be true.

Ed Samson
Ameri-Clean Commercial Inc. Northbrook, IL

You can go to the clerk of courts office and request records checks, and your state's DMV for drivers checks. If you deal with them directly, (either in person or online), I don’t think there is a charge. There are a few websites that charge you as much as $29.95, but they are not official copies, and may contain errors.

Kim Little
Clear Carolina Window Cleaning - Candor, NC

My insurance agent can and will do a background check for next to nothing. They actually offer it with their insurance services. Also - I utilize a PEO and they can do the same thing. Theirs are more extensive checks and cost a little more.

Geof White
Valley Window Cleaning, Inc. - Appleton, WI

I have a customer who has metal strips on his roof to keep moss off. He says it is the zinc in the metal that keeps moss from forming. I have never seen any moss at all on his roof, and this is an area where moss is very common. I called a hardware store here and they told me that any moss that is already on the roof would eventually go away after these are put on.

Bob Dooley
I Can See Clearly Now - Sixes, OR

I've seen this system installed on a roof covered in moss. It took a couple of months because it works by rainfall. If it rains quite a bit then more zinc can be released.

If you use a fungicide first it will speed up the process.

Tony Evans
A New View Window Cleaning - Wellman, IA

Once moss is on the roof it should come off before adding zinc strips or spraying with zinc sulfate. The fastest way is with a pressure washer but at very, very little pressure It can be a bit touch and go if you've never removed moss with it before. Try using the old elbow grease. I use a barbeque brush and also use the scraper part for the edges of shingles. Blow with a leaf blower, then spray with zinc sulfate using a pump sprayer. Don't forget to use warm water or the zinc sulfate powder won't dissolve.

David J Meredith
Canada Cleaning Services - Victoria BC

I took a lot of moss off a roof just yesterday. I just used a 12 inch plastic gutter cleaning tool that ends in a blunt point. This was quite effective.

Stuart Sugden
A-1 Window Cleaning - Berkeley CA

The IWCA was founded on January 27th 1989, during Jim and Jacinda Willingham's 2nd annual Southwest Window Cleaners Seminars in Lubbock, Texas. The 1st IWCA convention was in Orlando about a year later. Which makes 2009 in Atlanta the IWCA's 20th anniversary.

I've only missed two of these;

1st anniversary convention, Orlando, FL - 1990
2nd anniversary convention, San Diego, CA - 1991
3rd anniversary convention, San Antonio, TX - 1992
4th anniversary convention, West Palm Beach, FL - 1993
5th anniversary convention, Reno, NV - 1994
6th anniversary convention, New Orleans, LA - 1995
7th anniversary convention, Orlando, FL - 1996
8th anniversary convention, Las Vegas, NV - 1997
9th anniversary convention, San Antonio, TX - 1998
10th anniversary convention, Nashville, TN - 1999
11th anniversary convention, Anaheim, CA - 2000
12th anniversary convention, Washington, DC- 2001
13th anniversary convention, Reno, NV - 2002
14th anniversary convention, Atlanta, GA - 2003
15th anniversary convention, Dallas, TX - 2004
16th anniversary convention, Orlando, FL - 2005
17th anniversary convention, Mesa, AZ - 2006
18th anniversary convention, Nashville, TN - 2007
19th anniversary convention, San Diego, CA - 2008
20th anniversary convention, Atlanta, GA - 2008

Gary Mauer
Window Cleaning Network - Oconomowoc, WI

One time I used a section of hose to extend my waste water hose. (My waste water typically maxes out my TDS meter at 999.) A few days later I used that same section to extend out the pure water hose and I spotted the next 30 windows or so. I couldn't figure out what the deal was for the life of me. When I finally did, it made perfect sense. It took much longer than you would think to get the hose clean again.

Curt Kempton
5 Star Window Care - Queen Creek, AZ

How long has this been happening?

If I was convinced something was happening inside the hose, I think I would obtain a new fitting for each end of the hose. Cut the fitting off one end of the hose. Then check the inside of the hose. Maybe insert a cotton swab and examine that. I'm not sure what to look for, but if you find anything inside the hose, you may be able to flush it out.

If the hose and one fitting look fine, but you still have the problem, try changing the other fitting.

Gary Mauer
Window Cleaning Network - Oconomowoc, WI

Mystery solved. I found rust on the inside of the fitting that connects to the cart.

Kim Little
Clear Carolina Window Cleaning - Candor, NC

We've done that both ways; guess an average per store, or go visit every store. It has always been the better call to visit every store.

Paul Gaston
Leo's Window Cleaning - North Texas

I would also reiterate pricing each store individually. My findings are that chain accounts promise more work to get a better average price, but never deliver. They cut back smaller stores because employees can clean the windows. If you’ve given an average price you’re left with the difficult stores.

Lynn Walter
Clear Advantage Services Inc - Ormond Beach, FL

I was told many years ago not to let any one customer be more than 10% of my business. Seems like good advice when it comes to chain accounts. I would price each store individually. Visit each store so there are no surprises. Then add up the estimated time for each store plus driving time between stores.

Carlos Samojluk
Wine Country Window Cleaning - Napa, CA

I have decided to visit as many stores as possible, and to scale back on the number of stores that I will base my proposal on.

I understand why not being over exposed with any one client is important. But isn't fair to say that as a growing concern, at times one or more of my customer's would be more than 10% of my client base? The adjustment would be to continue to grow where possible to minimize their impact. I am right?

Greg Walton
Walton Window Washing Service, LLC - Indianapolis, IN

If one of your existing or new accounts suddenly becomes more than 10% of your business, by all means take the work, but then grow your business as quickly as possible so this new business is only 10% of your business or less.

Carlos Samojluk
Wine Country Window Cleaning - Napa, CA

Those of us who have dealt with these national service companies know that their contracts come and go, so please do get to where you do not have to depend on those contracts and agreements for your continued existence. It's not always a bad thing to have them, but as soon as you get to where you really depend on them, they can be gone.

Paul Gaston
Leo's Window Cleaning - North Texas