Verdun Window Cleaning, From Riverside Plexes to Nuns' Island

Most houses and plexes in Verdun can be cleaned from the ground with a water-fed pole, so the exterior flat rate applies to them. What needs a closer look is access at the back of older buildings and anything taller than three storeys, which is common on Nuns' Island. With the exterior season closing this month, book soon if you want clean glass before winter, or plan for spring.

This guide covers the borough's three main housing types, the local conditions that dirty the glass, and what to settle before you book.

Three kinds of homes, three access questions

Verdun is a small borough, yet a window visit can look quite different from one street to the next.

• Plexes around Wellington and de l'Église. Brick duplexes and triplexes make up much of the mainland side. The front glass is usually easy to reach from the sidewalk. The back is another story, with galleries, spiral stairs, sheds and fences between the lane and the windows.
• Houses and low-rises near the river. Along boulevard LaSalle and the streets behind it, large windows often face the water. Mature trees and open exposure mean this glass tends to get dirty sooner, even when it is cleaned regularly.
• Nuns' Island (L'Île-des-Sœurs). Townhouses and low-rise buildings sit alongside condo towers. Townhouses are usually simple pole work. The towers are not, and in most cases the outside of that glass falls to the syndicate.

Why riverside glass gets dirty faster

Nothing about the St. Lawrence damages a window, but open water and the greenery along it change what lands on the glass. West and south-facing panes tend to take the most weather, since little stands between them and the wind. Spring brings pollen and seed fluff from the shoreline trees, summer leaves bird droppings and insect marks, and fall adds a film of dust and leaf residue.

Streets carry their share too. Salt and fine grit from winter road clearing get thrown up onto ground-floor windows, and those panes are often the worst on the house by April. Most of this rinses off with a regular clean. Rain spots and light dust are ordinary work for pure water, while heavy mineral staining needs separate treatment and is quoted separately.

What the flat rate covers in Verdun

You pick a tier by window count on the pricing page. That rate is for the outside of the house: glass, frames and sills, washed with pure deionized water on a water-fed pole, with screens rinsed in place. Our residential window cleaning page sets out the full scope.

Several things sit outside that rate:

• Paid add-ons: interior glass, screen removal and washing, and track cleaning.
• Quoted separately: skylights, solariums, heavy mineral stains and post-construction cleanup. An enclosed gallery with a lot of glass may fall here, so include a photo with your request.
• Not offered: screen repair. The crew points out tears so that you can get them fixed elsewhere.

Sorting out the back of a plex

The pole reaches up to three storeys from the ground, which covers a standard Verdun triplex on the front. The rear depends on where a person can actually stand. Before the visit, take a look from the lane and from the yard, then deal with whatever you find.

• Gates and sheds. Leave the gate unlocked, or tell us how to reach the yard. If a shared yard is locked on the day, the back of the building can't be done.
• Galleries and stairs. Move planters, bikes and stored items away from the windows on lower levels, and clear the area under the stairs if you can.
• Overhead wires. Many Verdun lanes have lines running close to the back of the building. Mention them in your request, along with any tree limbs against the glass.
• Tenants. If upper floors are rented, let them know the date. Interior glass needs someone home, and exterior work is easier when windows are closed and balconies are clear.

Owners who rent out units often ask who pays for what. Our guide to window cleaning in a rental plex covers that split. If the rear of your building can't be reached from the ground, a site visit settles how the work can be done.

Nuns' Island condos and townhouses

If you own a townhouse with its own entrance, treat it like any other house: count the windows, pick a tier and book. Check first whether your association has rules on outside service crews or on the exterior, since some do.

Buildings are different. Read your declaration of co-ownership to see who is responsible for exterior glass, and ask the syndicate about scheduling and access. Our article on condo window cleaning rules in Québec walks through the usual questions. In a tower, you can still have your interior glass done as a stand-alone request all year. Anything above the pole's reach gets a site visit before any quote.

When to book in Verdun

Exterior work runs from about March to November, and the last usable days depend on the glass staying above freezing until it dries. By now those days are getting scarce, so a request sent this week has a better chance than one sent in two weeks.

If the season closes first, your options are simple. Interior glass can be done at any time of year, which helps during the darker months when you notice smudges in low sun. Then book the exterior for spring, once the salt and winter grit have stopped flying.

For frequency, most Verdun homes do well with a spring and fall clean. The bi-annual program sends automated reminders so you don't have to keep track, and an annual program works if your windows stay fairly clean. Riverfront and ground-floor glass may justify more visits. Quarterly service comes with 10% off, bi-monthly with 15% and monthly with 20%. Bi-annual and annual programs have no discount.

Frequently asked questions

Can a water-fed pole reach the upper floor of a Verdun triplex?

Yes, in most cases. The pole reaches up to three storeys from the ground, which covers a typical triplex on the street side. The rear can be harder if galleries, sheds or wires get in the way. Tell us about those details in your request, and a site visit will sort out anything that can't be judged from photos.

Who cleans the outside of condo windows on Nuns' Island?

It depends on the building, so start with your declaration of co-ownership and the syndicate. In many towers, exterior glass is handled for the whole building as a common matter. Townhouse owners are more often responsible for their own windows. Interior glass is generally yours to arrange.

Are window screens washed as part of the regular visit?

Screens are rinsed in place as part of the exterior flat rate. Taking them out and washing them properly is a paid add-on. Altara does not repair screens, but the crew will point out any tears it sees.

What if there are streaks after the visit?

Report a streak within 24 hours and the crew returns free of charge. Look over the glass in daylight soon after the visit, especially on the river-facing side where low sun shows everything.

Book your Verdun visit

Altara has cleaned more than 7,800 homes across Greater Montréal, and Verdun is part of our regular service area. Choose your tier on the pricing page, or send a request with photos if your rear access, gallery or building needs a closer look first.