My description isnt matching. Whats wrong?

[sunup]

This is the html from my site.

<meta name="Description" content="Serving Fine Homes Since 1996 - Family Owned and Operated - Window Cleaning estimates are always free - Call Now 503-309-9937 - Your Satisfaction is Our Guarantee - Portland Window Cleaning - Where Quality and Integrity Meet."></meta>

This is what google is picking up.

Portland window cleaning can create quite a chore when it comes to keeping your windows clean. The rain, winter storms and those pesky East winds can leave ...

http://www.totalwindowcleaning.com/gutters.html

[flnazrael]

Meta tags don't need to be closed. Remove the </meta> and see what happens. Also, if the doctype is strict XHTML, add a / to the end of the <meta> declaration.

Either way, Google doesn't always take the meta description, if it feels an excerpt is more useful to the particular search.

[sunup]

I understand to remove the </meta>
But what does add a / to the end of the <meta> declaration mean?
THXs Michael
TWC, Inc.

[flnazrael]

In XHTML, meta tags have to have a closing /. Just remove the </meta> and wait for Google to recrawl. That should fix it.

[sunup]

Flnazrael, Thank You. The problem was there before it ( / ) was there. Im using an SEO program that says its better to use the closing. Im not saying you are wrong, Im saying the issue was there before. I didnt make the web site, Im a window cleaner.
Total Window Cleaning - Where Quality and Integrity Meet - Portland Window Cleaning

[flnazrael]

OK. As I said, Google doesn't always use the meta description tag. Check your site out in Yahoo and see if it's being used there.

<meta> declarations at no time are supposed to have a closing statement (</meta>).

HTML Meta Element

W3C is the authoritative answer on that.

In XHTML, meta tags must be closed by a /, but it's in the same declaration, ie.,

<meta name="description" content="Example description." />