These are older single French panes. Is there anything we should know about older glass before we do this job? Is it true older glass is harder?
(I tried searching on WCR forum but kept coming up blank on what to search besides ‘old glass’
)
These are older single French panes. Is there anything we should know about older glass before we do this job? Is it true older glass is harder?
(I tried searching on WCR forum but kept coming up blank on what to search besides ‘old glass’
)
Yes it could be made differently but these dont look ancient.
Any special way you clean them that could damage or scratch it?
No, just the typical squeegee, razor, steel wool. It’s just that we have heard of some other window cleaners that newer windows are softer glass and easier to scratch and that glass becomes harder overtime. So if that true these should be very hard and scratch resistant. But maybe this is just an old wives tale? What do you know?
Hey @CleanSlate.
I deal with plenty of them here in Aus and they do vary in quality and thickness.
Often if they haven’t been cleaned for years then you will likely uncover a few nicks and burs but if you do just notify the homeowner as soon as you notice anything and you will be fine.
Some damage to look for that is NOT caused by window cleaning:
- Burs along the edges from sandpapering the frames.
- Crosshair scratches caused by green scourers. Often caused by painters/cleaners trying to remove excess paint/varnish.
- Chips caused by lawnmower/ marbles etc
If they are old then sometimes there is even some scratching caused by a blade from a previous window cleaner or the homeowner/previous owner.
Just clean a set, assess and then open a dialogue with the customer about how good a condition they appear to be SO FAR for their age or if damaged explaining it is to be expected over the years if not professionally maintained reiterating the need for them to use you in the future to keep them in top condition.
Always quote them a little higher if the frames are in poor condition as well as they destroy your rubber and break down while you are trying to clean and detail.
If they are thin plate glass (3mm) then don’t press to hard and rely on a brand new blade or steel wool (0000) or a white scuff pad to remove debris.
If they are in good condition then water fed pole the outsides as it brings the frames up better and after the first few cleans will speed up the external clean to a higher standard.
If in bad condition and/or thin glass then hose off thouroughly and then clean by hand starting inside while the water drains out of the frames otherwise you have to keep touching up as they will bleed dirty water trapped in the frames.
Hope that helps…
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