Case Study:Comprehensive Window and Gutter Cleaning Services at Kingston School

Introduction

Spectrum has been servicing this beautiful school in Kingston for many years, providing annual window cleaning and gutter clearing maintenance, among other maintenance tasks as required. The school has multiple blocks across the campus, ranging in height between two to three storeys, each block having its own unique access needs. Some areas of the school are newer than others, with the original house dating back to the early 1900s. We liaise directly with the school and its caretaker, with whom we have developed an excellent relationship over the years.

Challenges

This school has had many buildings added, renovated, and refurbished over the years. Some areas of the property are particularly difficult to access. Certain design choices have meant some of the guttering is recessed or hidden, making them especially challenging to reach without specialist equipment like ours. There are also several skylights and conservatories throughout the property, which needed bird waste and algae removal—a tricky job that we can complete in no time! Our 3D-printed Spectrum poles are perfect for oddly angled cleaning jobs, as we have specially designed a range of attachments that can bend and adjust to any angle needed.

Due to the location of the property and its proximity to neighbouring trees, a lot of leaves, twigs, and other debris fall into the gutters and become trapped. The debris becomes extremely heavy once wet, causing many of the brackets and connection points of the guttering to become dislodged and disconnected. This, unfortunately, meant that the property was experiencing leaks.

Logistics

We incorporated the window cleaning and gutter cleaning services into the same visit, with the same multi-talented team completing both tasks. This allowed us to save the client both money and time, which was essential due to the tight timeframe we were working to. The start of the new school year was drawing closer, and the school had several contractors working on the property simultaneously. Additionally, due to the client's requirement to escort all contractors around the premises, having a smaller team complete both tasks meant we only had to be escorted once. We also had our Operations Manager visit the property and meet with the caretaker to finalise any requirements the client had. We took this opportunity to formally review the RAMS and health and safety documentation to ensure we knew exactly what to do when we arrived on the day.

Our Solution

We were able to complete this job without needing to erect scaffolding or bring in any heavy machinery like MEWPs, thanks to the unique equipment that we designed in-house using 3D printers.

To clean the guttering around the property, we used our gutter vac system, which reaches up and over the edge of the building, fitting perfectly into the PVC gutters and sucking out the debris. Our gutter cleaning vac can reach heights of up to eight floors without losing suction. There is no mess as it vacuums the gutters clean using powerful wet and dry vacuum technology. It is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, making it possible to access hard-to-reach areas at both domestic and commercial properties. It is even complete with a camera, allowing us to see the guttering in full while we work, target stubborn blockages, and supply photos and videos as part of our final report.

To clean the windows externally, we used our modular pole system, which supplies a constant stream of de-ionised water to clean the windows and surrounding soffits. Windows are wetted with de-ionised water and agitated with a brush at the end of our carbon fibre poles, which have a selection of 3D-printed attachments we designed specifically for areas like conservatories and balconies. These attachments allow us to reach a range of positions and types of windows, providing excellent cleaning coverage.

Internal window cleaning was done by hand, though our modular pole system came in handy again to reach windows at height. This was the best access option for this site as access in some areas was quite limited. There were also other contractors on-site carrying out renovations, and we had to be mindful of this. Our team here at Spectrum is renowned for our creative access solutions, and we can reach, clean, and restore your gutters with no scaffolding needed.

The Result

The property now has beautifully clean windows both inside and out and a gutter system ready to handle the upcoming winter.

Typically, our clients have their gutters cleaned before and after winter, with our busiest months being April and November. Ensuring your gutters are clear and in the best condition possible before winter will prevent any emergency repairs or unforeseen leaks.

In summary, the services we provided at this school included:

• Internal and external cleaning of all windows
• Gutter cleaning on all PVC and original cast iron gutters using a gutter vacuum
• Logged before and after photos of all work for the client
• The condition of the roof was also recorded and passed on to the client

As we have such a long history with the caretaker and management team of this school, we are always happy to quote future works they may be considering. During this visit, it was requested that we quote for the installation of edge protection safety handrails on some of the buildings on site. As they are aware of our safety testing services and working at height experience, they felt confident we would be able to handle this job. Combined with our professional knowledge of the school and its many buildings on campus, the client noted they are always pleased with our communication and our understanding of health and safety practices.

To find out more about our gutter cleaning services in London and nearby, or our gutter maintenance service, please get in touch.

Call us directly on 020 3551 6206, visit our contact page, or email info@spectrumss.co.uk.

We operate all over the UK, so our teams are available nationwide.v