Everyone likes windows with a nice shiny finish of the glass. But this is achieved by a regular window maintenance of both commercial and residential buildings. Sometimes the glass of our windows get scratched or damaged in some way and this spoils the whole look of the window.
No home or high-rise windows are 100% insured against glass damage of some sort. A window can be damaged in a variety of ways. Fortunately glass restoration service is offered by most window cleaning companies which offers us the opportunity to get our window glass repaired to an almost new state.
Glass restoration for windows is also called scratch removal. Window glass restoration provides us with the opportunity to get our window glass as good as new in an easy and quick way.
After the completion of the service the window glass looks sleek and shining. To preserve our windows in a good condition we need to maintain them properly. And the proper maintenance includes glass restoration when it’s necessary.
Glass restoration is cheaper than glass replacement and for this reason is the most preferred repairmen method. Window replacement is an expensive service and it takes time. Why we should replace all of our window glass, when we can get it repaired quickly, easily and also affordably.
What the service of glass restoration includes?
Glass restoration is a process that involves lowering the surface of a glass to repair the damages on its surface such as different types of scratches, stains, construction materials, hazing, different kinds of chemicals, graffiti artwork.
This service can be performed to all types of window glass: annealed,tempered, heat-strengthened, laminated, mirror glass. Window glass can be damaged by a variety of stuff. Glass restoration service removes scratches, acid etching, graffiti art, paint, construction materials from window glass. The process it utilizes is similar to sanding.
A key goal of the process is not to remove too much of the glass substrate otherwise the result will be glass distortion which means failure of the project. The key is to remove completely the damage and blend the damaged glass area out in such a way so that unnecessary distortion is not caused.
Besides restoration of the windows of buildings, cleaning companies perform also glass restoration of car windows or windows of other motor vehicles. When it’s done in a proper way the window restoration service will lead to desirable results. Our window glass will look as if it’s brand new.
In most cases the service is successful. But sometimes glass distortion can happen. It depends on the type of the damage and its depth. Glass distortion can happen when the glass is seriously damaged. The chance of glass distortion appearance depends on the level of surface damage of the glass. Heat-treated glass for example that is of low quality is very likely to get scratches.
The technicians from the good cleaning companies usually do inspection of the window glass before the start of their project to determine extent of the glass damage and then decide which glass restoration equipment and technology to use. That is because each damage is specific and it may require special approach.
Some window glass restoration systems include the application of dry abrasive disc. A by-product of the work with this disc is a glass dust which can be harmful to the technician and the environment of the work site. So the use of protective work gear such as dust masks and respirators by the workers is recommended.
With the help of glass restoration we can get our window glass fully repaired without spending much money on replacing it with a new one.
Glass restoration service involves the removal of glass scratches, paint, graffiti off different types of window and glass surfaces. The process includes window glass repairment to almost-new condition.
When compared with glass replacement the process of glass restoration is the less-costly option. It has many advantages and one of them is the fact that this process saves us both time and money.
What are the main causes of glass damage?
Window glass damage falls into two categories: scratches and acid etching. Most cases of window glass damage happen to be on store fronts. It’s a fact that most cases of window glass damage happen in the construction industry.
Stains on window glass are the result of lack of regular cleaning with the proper cleaning products. When the chemical cleaning products used on the window glass aren’t fully removed from the windows, the left amount of the substances builds over time and the result is cleaning product build ups that doesn’t look good.
Different things like pollutants, build-up of mineral or cleaning detergents, rust, calking or coating work and even badly done waterproofing service can cause some serious glass damage.
The existence of glass stains for example not only makes the glass look bad, but it also decreases the life of the glass itself and makes it vulnerable to more damage. And the more time these stains are left uncleaned, the harder it is afterwards their cleaning process. Consequently the cost of their removal increases too.
Another common reason for glass damage is when builders and texture teams are placing their work tools on windows, plasterers, or it happens when plaster is being wiped off. Brick layers and welders are also common causes of most cases of glass damage. The procedure of dry scraping can also damage the window glass surface.
Window glass can be also damaged when unqualified cleaning workers attempt to remove construction debris. This is one reason why we should always do research of the cleaning companies before getting a window cleaning service. Scratched glass can also be caused by the existence of defective tempered glass and abrasive materials which include sand and fabricating debris that is produced by the tempering process.
When these materials are captured by a metal razor or scraper blade, the chance of having a scratched window glass is high.
To what level window glass restoration is effective?
Glass restoration is suitable for all types of window glass except defective tempered/toughened glass. Most types of scratch and acid damage is successfully repaired by using this method. The success of a glass restoration project also depends on factors like the extent of the window glass damage, the total length of the service, what is the budget of the client, how much they can spend on this service to be successfully finished.
For example, scratches are difficult for removing from the entire surface of defective tempered glass. But if it’s not defected , then the scratches can be successfully removed from the glass. This type of glass is stronger than annealed and laminated glass and it can endure much stress during the glass restoration service.
If we try to perform window glass restoration on defective tempered glass, glass distortion can occur. The successful removal of a glass scratch depends on its depth. If we can put our finger nail in the scratch and it fits, then it can be removed . But if the scratch is deeper than this, then the glass restoration process may lead to glass distortion.
Another factor that plays a role here is whether there is coating on the damaged area of the glass. In the case of removing chips, this repair process has some disadvantages. During the removal of chips from glass surface considerable amount of glass is removed as well and it can also lead to glass distortion.
The window glass restoration service includes also a polishing process which should be performed with caution especially when chips or deep scratches are being removed. Because during this stage of the service significant amount of glass is removed from the substrate, this increases the chance of distortion.
Whether or not distortion will appear depends on what type of restoration system is used in the service, the amount of experience the technician owns and also on the severity of the damage.
For instance, if we want to repair a small window, and the affected area on it is large and deep, you should better replace the glass. But the success of this task is determined by how easy will be to get the glass out of the window frame and if there are any signs on the glass.
If there are deep chips on the glass, then you should consider replacing it,as glass restoration service, no matter how properly will be executed, it may not successful in such cases.
What we should do if we have a damaged window glass?
Professional cleaning companies can save us much effort and valuable time as well in this process by offering us glass restoration.If you have a damaged window glass you should contact a reputable company specialized in window cleaning services. Always look for companies that have rich experience in glass restoration services and have highly trained technicians.
The best way to protect the glass surface of our windows and lengthen its life is to get professional glass restoration service from a certified company.
