Exposing the Evil Genius of Glass Smart

Now I certainly do not claim to be a genius and am definitely not evil.  But I have been following a different path.  One that has led me to many very interesting discoveries that hopefully will promote some very positive changes in the window cleaning world.  I have been working on "alternate technologies" since 1980.  But only recently have I become very involved in writing for the WCR Forum, writing my own blog, with the help of Jeff Brimble and Kevin Cogan started the Glass Smart FB Group, written several articles for the AWC, and now very recently I have created the Glass Smart Product Development YouTube Channel.  This latest development will accomplish many things that were not possible with only the printed word.  So let me first introduce myself;....

This video will show if you go to the Glass Smart Blog

Everyone else has been talking out of their cars so I decided to do the same.  However.  That is only the beginning.  I promise you.  I will also be doing some things for you that you will find very interesting.  I will be demonstrating some brand new products that are not being sold by any manufacturer/distributor in our industry.  An example is the J Seal product.  It will be discussed further in my Webinars.  This is one product I discovered when looking at the chemistry of hydrophobic sealants.  

This video will show if you go to the Glass Smart Blog

I will also be developing videos that you will be able to show to prospective customers which will help to secure that contract.  Also I will be doing video interviews with some very interesting people in our industry.  Some of whom have been very much involved in the business of product development.  What they have to say will be very enlightening to many.  We also have people in our community who are what I call window cleaning savants.  These people make up my personal mastermind.  Most if not all are on the Glass Smart FB Group.  I want to video interview all of these.  So get ready for some very engaging interviews.  

If you have anything that you would like to contribute please just send me a quick email.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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The Practical Use of Cerium Oxide

The Practical Use of Cerium Oxide

Cerium Oxide is a superabrasive powder used for polishing glass.  It works by physical abrasion.  It also chemically reacts with the elements in the glass.  So it is a chemo-mechano polishing powder.  Which is different from many other polishing powders such as silicon carbide, microcrystaline silica, or diamond.  It has been used as a glass polish for many years.  Especially in polishing plate glass (before float glass was developed), crystal glass, mirrors, and optics.  Even though our application is similar in that we are also polishing flat glass, there is one major difference that few in the window cleaning industry have recognized.  That is we are usually removing hard water deposits or mineral stains.  Such mineral deposits interfere with the typical physics of the polishing process.  Marc Tanner my polishing guru first brought this to my attention.  Which means quite simply that the end results absolutely cannot be predicted.  Every restoration job is different.  It is also undeniable that the surface type will determine how easy it will be to remove the stain with a cerium oxide or any other polishing product.  Dark tinted glass is the most difficult surface to clear/repair.  Transparent glass is much easier.  The low e coats are the most easy to clear.  

What is the difference between suspended cerium and regular cerium?  The short answer is nothing.  Cerium oxide comes in either a plastic bag or a plastic bottle or pail.  It comes as a totally dry powder.  Suspended cerium is this same powder mixed in water with a special thickening chemical added.  It is called a suspending agent and keeps the microscopic particles of the cerium powder evenly suspended in the water.  If a suspending agent/thickener were not added to the water the cerium oxide would settle to the bottom of the water forming a thick mud that is very difficult to bring back into a homogeneous suspension.  You wouldn't be able to just shake it.  There are many different suspending agents but only two different types of suspensions.  The first is permanent.  The cerium will stay suspended for over a year.  The second might only work for a half hour.  Although in this case it is very easy just by shaking the container to bring the cerium back into suspension.  It will not form a thick mud on the bottom.  Then there is everything in between these two.  If you need a suspension to last for the entire day or several hours instead of thirty minutes you will have to add more of the thickener.  Again remember that the performance of the cerium does not depend on the suspension.  Suspensions are mostly for convenience of use.

Now it is also true that the cerium to water ratio will also determine how much of the thickener you must add to attain the suspension you want.  You can add 5 part cerium to 1 part water, or 1 part cerium to 5 parts water;...and everything in between.  This would be the first step you should take.  You will want a suspension/slurry with the least amount of cerium, but still one that will clear the glass effectively in the least amount of time.  Only trial and error will reveal this to you. The chemist I consult with explained that he likes a ratio of 1 to 1. Kind of middle of the road.  Once you have determined what ratio works best, you will need to add enough of your suspending agent to keep the cerium oxide suspended for the exact amount of time you will be using it.  There are specialty chemists who can help you with this.  It also is a good thing to keep a handheld battery operated pH meter around to check the pH of the solution. You will want a pH of 7 to 8.  So a little on the alkaline side.  Which can be attained by adding a little baking soda then checking with your meter.  This also serves to minimize the problem of electrostatic agglomeration.  This happens when the particles get electrically stuck together forming much larger particles that can easily scratch.

What is the best cerium oxide to use?   You will want a cerium with  an average particle size of 2 to 3 microns.  I say average because no cerium powder has a precise particle size.  All cerium powders have what is called a Particle Size Distribution curve or a PSD.  To explain.  A cerium that is rated as a two micron will have some particles that are only a half micron.  It will also have particles that are one micron as we approach the two micron average.  If your product has a very tight PSD then 98% or higher will be 2 microns.  It will also have a very small percent of the particles up to 8 or 10 microns.  This is called the tail end of the PSD curve.  The tail is most important because it is always the larger particles that scratch.  Yes it is true that all scratches begin with a PIF or Point Indent Fracture.  Whether the particle that scratches is very small or very large.  But the larger the particle the easier it is to see the scratch.  So by choosing a somewhat smaller average particle size we minimize these larger particles in the tail and hence reduce the odds of leaving more scratches in the finished surface.  By the way the tail is much more of a concern than electrostatic agglomeration which is generated more by the pH of the suspension.  It is also true that the contamination of the cerium powder by other minerals is not as much of a problem as the tail.  So people will talk about the pure white ceriums being the best while the yellows or orange ceriums are of a lesser quality.  This is therefore not necessarily true.  Once again the proof is in the tail which is defined by the PSD.  Which you should be able to ask for in a tech sheet of the product.  The tech sheet should also give you the percentage of the individual minerals in the product.  Such as how much iron oxide or magnesium carbonate is in the cerium product.  Iron oxide is the ingredient that gives the product its yellow or orange color.  The bottom line here is to go with a 2 to 3 micron cerium and a very high purity such as a 99.9%.  Then ask for the tech data sheet and look at the tail of the PSD along with the percentages of the minerals and metal oxides.

Not to be underestimated is the ability of certain acids to give you the cutting edge at removing mineral deposits that are based not so much on silicate chemistry.  Organic acids such as citric or sulfamic do have the ability to chemically change the non-silicate minerals such as calcium and magnesium into soluble deposits.  Once they have been converted they become much easier to remove by polishing with a cerium slurry.

There is another product that works with just water.  The pad is loaded with a fine cerium and a touch of diamond.  It works with pure soapy water.  First you apply the water to a dirt free surface (but not stain free).  Then you start polishing.  The polishing particles are slowly released into the soapy water creating a slurry as you polish.  There are variations of this type of product which have been created by other companies.  They can be purchased and used with most commercial stain removal equipment available.

Another way to go is to first make up a rather thick glycerin compound (not a water slurry).  This can be made at a four to one ration.  Four parts cerium to one part glycerin by volume.  You can use a motorized egg beater to slowly make your compound.  Then use a felt polishing pad on a rotary polisher.  Wet a clean window with soapy water.  Apply around six to eight drops of compound to the felt pad.  Then just go to the glass and polish.  This process will help to control how much cerium you use by counting the drops you put on the pad.  Since cerium is a very expensive product (although the price has come down in recent years) it is all about control.  No matter whether you are using a slurry, compound, or a slow release pad.

Specific names of cerium products will be given in the Glass Smart Webinars.  Samples will be available at the Fishkill Seminars.  And videos of what I have explained here will shortly be available on my new YouTube Channel.  Discussions will follow I am sure on the Glass Smart FB Group and other groups.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Defusing The Three Lies of Water Fed Pole Work!

This short article is only a taste of what will be discussed at the very first Glass Smart Webinar.  The focus of this Webinar will be how to effectively and efficiently convert hydrophobic glass surfaces to hydrophylic (water loving) EVERY TIME!  There will be demonstrations and all the products mentioned will be identified and sourced so you will be able to obtain them.  The cost of the Webinar is ten dollars USD by PayPal.  To attend just send an email to henrygroverjr@gmail.com


There are several lies that surround WFP window cleaning.  The very first one that I would like to defuse here is that a TDS meter will tell you the "total" dissolved solids (TDS) of any water source.  Actually it will only tell you about the dissolved minerals which conduct an electrical current.  Water must have minerals or salts to conduct electricity.  Silica is a mineral that does not conduct electricity.  So a TDS meter that works by measuring the conductivity of water will not give an accurate measurement of the silica content.  This is why water that has a TDS reading of zero can leave spots.  


The second lie that has been going around is that glass can be hydrophobic or hydrophylic.  The plain truth is that all glass is very hydrophylic.  Window surfaces that "bead water" and hence appear to be hydrophobic, do this only because of hydrocarbon pollution.  Once this has been effectively and completely removed from the glass its true hydrophylic nature is revealed.  Every time.  There are different ways to get this effect.  Bronze wool will do it.  Cerium oxide will do it.  Diamond compounds will do it.  Even microcrystalline silica compounds will do it.  What I am looking for however is a technology that will "deep clean" glass surfaces most effectively and in the least amount of time.  Compounds will do it as I have mentioned, but they take at least a half minute per square foot.  They also make a bit of a mess.  It would be much better to have something like bronze wool that would work with just water and a pole.


A third lie is that it is not possible to clean windows with a WFP and high TDS water without getting spots.  The idea is that Di or RO pure water is needed to attain a spot free window.  But this is simply not true.  I know this because I have done it!  There have been many others who have done it too.  The key involves attaining what I call the hydrophylic effect.  This is accomplished by adding a superwetting surfactant to the rinse water, or converting the surface to a water loving surface.  The latter can be done by either deep cleaning or using a chemical that leaves a hydrophylic coating.  Hydrophylic windows "drain" the rinse water so there are no drops left behind which evaporate leaving spots.  Simply put "no drops no spots".


I will be working with Jordie Palanzi of The Window Cleanse to help expose these lies.  Our goal is to revolutionize the technology of Water Fed Pole window cleaning.  


Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygroverjr@gmail.com 


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Functional Additives and Non-Routine Window Cleaning

Hydrophobic, oleophobic, and hydrophylic surface properties can all be attained with specific chemical additives for your cleaning solution.  All of these go easily into water and will blend with most of the window cleaning soaps out there.  They are functional in that they will react directly with the free oxygen atoms of the glass surface.  Testing is required for application techniques and longevity however.  Certain additives will only last for a very short time.  They must also be applied to an "activated" surface.  In other words the surface must be either physically polished and or chemically cleaned to expose as many of the reaction sites as possible.  If not the additive/chemical will not bond to the glass and comes off very quickly.  Most times it will not bond at all.

      


    


This is a technology.  Not just a product.  It is like the tools that we use.  You can hand anyone a squeegee,  but will they be able to use it?  That is why as I continue to develop these tools/chemical additives to change the water loving/hating properties of glass surfaces, I need to produce a series of hands on seminars for training purposes.  These seminars will become available first on the east coast and then move out.  They will focus on non-routine window cleaning.  But this will include changing surfaces with functional additives.  For example can defective surfaces which are very scratch sensitive be altered?  Can they be made scratch resistant?  The answer is absolutely.  Both Mark Tanner and myself have done just this.  WE HAVE ALREADY DONE IT.  Now we just have to market it.  This is also something that the seminars will reveal.  How to do it and how to market it.  Here is a little bit of the science behind it.

http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/FIELD/Cairo/images/Self_Assembly_Lab.pdf

Jordie of  "The Window Cleanse" will be helping me to create videos demonstrating this technology.  They will be very educational and entertaining.  I know you will enjoy watching!

If you want to have the edge over other cleaning companies you absolutely MUST step into the future.  This is NOT the same industry that we had 20 to 40 years ago.  It is very different.  We are engineering precision surfaces because glass is coming out defective.  I do know the glass industry does not see it this way.  Simply because they do not have to clean it.  But when the cleaning becomes non-routine we must go to alternative cleaning techniques which can be exceptionally special if the surfaces are defective.  I do have to applaud GANA however because they have recognized this and have been working with the IWCA by helping to write at least two bulletins.  Which essentially state that when general contractors or anyone else allows debris to get on windows which cannot be removed with a squeegee and an applicator, then the glass is destroyed.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Products For Non-Routine Window Cleaning

Whenever an applicator and a squeegee are not enough to do the job, it becomes non-routine window cleaning.  It will require a waiver for protection.  Concrete, concrete sealant, paint, wood stain, stucco, silicone caulk, mineral deposits, and aluminum screen stain do not come off with a brush and soapy water.  So what will take them off?  But do it safely without doing harm to the glass, yourself, or the environment?  This problem is compounded when the glass surface is defective.  Meaning when you lightly drag a metal razor across a soapy window you can hear that familiar sound of hissing and popping.  So what might have been an effective answer to the problem before is not now.  A razor for example just cannot be used.  Possibly even steel or bronze wool.  I have even used plastic razors and ended up with scratches!

So if we eliminate razors and metal wool what do we have left?  Simply put chemicals and abrasive powders.  The chemicals include organic solvents, acids, and alkalies.  

 



Regarding solvents we need to find those which are not extremely dangerous to your health or the environment.  We don't want those which are explosive.  Nor do we want those which have a rather high evaporation rate such as acetone.  Smell is important too.  We can't use a product that smells really bad inside.  The purpose of a solvent of course is to either dissolve what we are trying to remove or soften it so that it can be more easily "chewed off" with the correct abrasive powder.  Regarding acids we need one that is effective but will not attack the glass, or the aluminum framework of the window.  It would be good too not to choose one that is harmful to our health.  Next when choosing an alkalie the same thing applies.  Some alkalies will harm glass surfaces, especially if the window has a coating.  Next we come to abrasive powders.  This is very complicated.  First off we need to look at the hardness of the particles.  Anything with a hardness approaching, equal to, or in excess of glass can scratch.  It is best when choosing particles larger than three microns to find those that are softer than glass.  Especially if they are very much in excess of this size.  The shape of the particles will also make a difference.  Round particles have very little effect on what you are trying to remove.  Those with a sharp angular shape are much more effective.  The material makeup is important too if we intend to mix them with a liquid such as water or an organic solvent.  If the material is a type of wood or other organic compositional,  the particle might absorb the liquid and become soft.  If too soft it will not dig into what we are trying to remove.

There are literally hundreds of different combinations of abrasive and superabrasive powders along with organic solvents, acids, and alkalies.  I will be showing you some of these combinations at the Glass Smart Seminar in Fishkill.  The products can usually be purchased from chemical suppliers.  As for the abrasives they also have specialty suppliers.  For example optical grade microcrystalline silicas with an average particle size of three to four carry a rather heavy liability because they can be easily breathed in when working with them.  They are known to cause cancer in dry powder form.  For this reason they are usually sold by only a few different manufacturers.  It is also suggested that the powders be mixed with water or some other liquid.  Which is why I have chosen glycerin.  Recently it has dropped substantially in price.  From fifty bux a gallon down to as little as thirteen.

The purpose of this first seminar is to explain exactly what non-routine window cleaning is, and to reveal some different products for this type of work.  In a perfect world I am sure we could prevent these problems.  While we might have some success in doing this we will still end up having to deal with them.  So for that reason this matter must be addressed.  Of course there is nothing wrong with just walking away from certain jobs that are just too problematic and loaded with liabilities.  That might be the most wise course!

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Glass Smart New Product Educational Seminars

Today in the window cleaning industry we are facing a rather unique problem.  The quality of the surface of window glass has been seriously challenged.  Anyone that has come into the business here in the northeastern part of the United States knows this problem intimately.  Simply because we know what the old glass was like.  It is still that way and we clean it every day.  On occasion we even have to perform non-routine cleaning of the old glass.  Which carries virtually no dangers.  The surface is super smooth (unless we are working on the exterior of some storm windows which have been weathered by many years).  But when we are faced with brand new glass straight from the manufacturing plant;...we have to use extreme caution.  If we are performing routine window cleaning we can consider ourselves fairly safe.  Just a soft applicator, soapy water, and a squeegee will do no harm.  Even if the quality of the surface is defective.  I know that is a bad word.  But it does fit from our perspective.  Glass must be cleaned.  When it is covered with concrete, wood stain, hard water deposits, paint, stucco, or who knows what;...such debris must be removed.  Non-routine practices used to remove such from glass when the surface is of excelling quality (not defective) are usually safe.  But when the surface is indeed scratch sensitive for different reasons, then non-routine window cleaning moves to an entirely different level.  What makes this  even more complicated is the fact that most of the time you cannot know the difference between defective and not defective when the windows are covered by paint, wood stain, hard water spots, or concrete.  So every non-routine window cleaning job MUST be approached as if it had defective/scratch sensitive surfaces.

This is the primary focus of this new series of educational seminars that I am beginning.  They will begin in Fishkill, New York and will focus on both the tools and the technology to deal with non-routine window cleaning.  The tools will include specialty abrasives, chemical products, and mechanical equipment both motorized and hand held.  Each seminar will include a discourse with Q & A following.  The seminar will be spiced with different video presentations.  Then following will be demonstrations of the new tools.  I am going to see about getting as many free samples to you as possible from the manufacturers.  Also I will have on hand all chemical and abrasive products mentioned in the seminar for you to see.  Further all information on the tools will be available for you to have.  Such will explain what these products are, with an SDS, who is selling or manufacturing all products, and the best way to get them.  All of this information will be available at every Seminar.

I am planning the first Glass Smart Seminar for June 21st, of 2019 at the Quality Inn (directly behind the 84 Diner on route 52) in Fishkill, New York.  The cost will be 59 USD per person.  We are going to try to limit the number to 40 because the room has a maximum limit of 50 unless there are tables.  Because of this we are asking for an advance confirmation.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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84 Diner GS Meet in Fishkill NY

This is the very first meet.  We had a very nice little group of seven.  Talked about old times, old tools, new technology, and the changes that have happened with the industry.  We also talked a lot about the extreme dangers of using the wrong acid based products for stain removal.  Certain acid based products have even been used for WFP work to change glass from hydrophobic to hydrophylic on contact.  It was brought to my attention that this is a very "unsafe" thing to do because the damage such acids can do can happen instantly.  Focusing on new products I introduced three new ones which are not available for window cleaners yet. That being a special soap for trad work, a hard water stain remover, and a versatile soft abrasive very fine powder for working on nonroutine problems. Many things were discussed.  There were demonstrations too.

The next GS Meet will be a professional seminar including a two part discourse, Q & A, video presentations, and demonstrations.  It will last four hours.  The location being the Quality Inn in Fishkill NY.  Directly behind the I84 Diner.  The focus of this Meet will be "New Products for Non-Routine Window Cleaning".  There will be free give away products from manufacturers also.  The attendance limit is 40 so you must let me know in advance.  I am planning for June 21st the first day of summer from 2 to 6.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

The Superior Design of Nanovations NG1010

You can easily see from the illustration above that Nanovations NG1010 is designed to react directly with the surface chemistry of glass.  The chemical reaction this product uses forms what is called a Self Assembled Monolayer. That last word means only one molecule thick.  There are several very obvious advantages to this kind of chemistry and the NG1010.

Here are several videos of Mark Tanner of Skys the Limit Window Cleaning applying and explaining the very obvious benefits of Nanovations NG1010.  Please copy/paste these into your Facebook Groups.  Lets put an end to hard water spotting problems for all time!

This next video is a demonstration of a six month side by side test of Nanovations Product on a car windshield.  Very impressive!

First of all dirt has much less surface area to react with.  The monolayer is designed to form a barrier also by not sticking to the dirt.

Second there is very little product needed to treat the window.  This minimizes the cost per square foot which comes to less than three cents per square foot.

Third less time is needed to apply since the product does not create an obvious film that must be removed to get full clarity.  NG1010 goes on very fast and very clear.  It is one of the most clear hydrophobic products I have yet to test.

Fourth I have had several window cleaners around the country test it to see how well it stands up to hard water spots.  It has shown excellent results.  When applied correctly any new spots wipe off with great ease.

Fifth it does a great job at repelling water.  So it is has exceptional hydrophobic properties.

Sixth it lasts a long time on the glass standing up to UVC radiation from the Sun.  So you don't have to reapply frequently.  You will have to test to see exactly how long it will last for you on your building.

Seventh I have tested it for scratch resistance and it worked very well.  Whenever any window is polished so that water sheets over the entire surface showing no drops at all, it becomes very sensitive to scratching.  But when such a surface is treated with NG1010 that surface becomes scratch resistant.  So much so that I was actually able to drag a sharp glass point across the NG1010 monolayer without any sign of scratch.  This is not to say that it can't be scratched.  But that it will convert a scratch sensitive surface to a scratch resistant one. Which is rather impressive and VERY necessary when a window has been restored by polishing.  Restored windows are also very easy to stain.  Newly formed hard water spots will stick to a newly polished surface.  NG1010 stops this from happening.

The following pictures belong to Nanovations USA.  I am showing them here because they contain information that will be helpful.  Not because I have any agreement with this company for sales.  

I will be demonstrating this product at all of the Glass Smart  Meets beginning with the 84 Diner in Fishkill NY on March 8th between 10 to 2.

Written by Henry Grover Jr

henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Route 84 Diner Meet in Fishkill New York

We will be having a Meet at the 84 Diner in Fishkill New York on March 8th, 2019 from 10am to 2pm.  Ricky Coshigano of Critics Choice Window Cleaning and myself will be hosting a discussion on Non-Routine Window Cleaning.  Which will focus on restoration techniques, glass coatings, scratch sensitive glass, post construction work, and plastic glazing restoration and maintenance.  We will be presenting several demonstrations based on new products.  There will be small samples of these products available at a reasonable cost for anyone that wants to beta test.  The purpose is NOT to start selling these products but rather to help further Glass Surface Maintenance And Restoration Technology.

http://www.thei84diner.com/

You will be able to order off the menu at cost.  Also we will be meeting in the outside patio where we will have 6 to 8 large windows at ground level to work with.

Please let me know if you are planning on coming in.  My contact info is;...

henrygroverjr@gmail.com
phone 603-498-9474

  

Documenting NonRoutine Post Construction Window Cleaning Work

It takes several days for concrete to chemically bond to glass.  Although within the first day or two it can be pushed off with your finger.  Silicone caulk takes only several hours to cure depending on what type.  Paint will harden up in less time than that.  Mineral deposits can form and bond to glass or coated glass in less than an hour, sometimes only minutes.  And certain acids will etch glass in literally seconds!  Of course scratches happen instantly.

As the GANA Bulletin explains when something more than a mop and a squeegee are necessary to clean a window this is Non-Routine window cleaning.  Which demands special techniques and products to safely accomplish.  Sometimes there is nothing that can be done and the windows will need to be replaced.  Unfortunately general contractors and sub laborers such as painters, and concrete workers have no knowledge of these facts.  Until it is too late.  Our job has become twofold.  It involves the actual work of window cleaning.  Whether that be routine or nonroutine.  But it also and especially has become one of education.  That is one of the biggest reasons I am writing this post.  Please use it in any way you chose to accomplish that end.

One of the most effective ways we can educate our existing and potential customers is by demonstrations either live or by means of short videos.  Which I will be working on and have been promising you for quite some time now.  Another way is by means of real life documentations of actual jobs.  This should include quality pictures and videos of actual cases.  The IWCA Glass Committee is right now in the process of compiling a list of actual quality pictures that can be used for educational purposes.  

Documenting a potential job should include an accurate description of the problem(s).  It should include a write up of the building.  How many windows and their dimensions.  What happened to the windows?  Were they covered with concrete, stained, splattered with paint, smeared with silicone caulk, etched with acid, scratched by a sub-laborer, or some other type of damage?  What would have prevented this problem and how much would that have cost including what would have been a routine window cleaning?  What remedy was now needed and what became the cost of what has become a non-routine window cleaning?  It would also be of interest to note what the total cost per window would be to replace.

Another unfortunate circumstance comes up when an inexperienced janitorial company or  window cleaning company is called in to find an answer.  In so doing the wrong abrasives or acids can be used that do further harm to the windows.  The glass can very easily be etched, or scratched.  Low e coatings can also be etched/stripped off, or scratched.  Plastic glazing can be chemically crazed or hazed.  Both of these conditions are usually permanent and cannot be repaired.  Which can bring on a lawsuit.  I suggest at this point reading my previous article on restoring windows and lawsuits.

If you would like some help in documenting any case reports just send me an email and we can discuss it.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Glass Restoration Lawsuits

Anyone that thinks all they have to do is buy an acid or a polishing compound or even a glass restoration system and they are just good to go;...has absolutely no idea how much of a risk they are really facing.  For one thing every job is different.  The stains can be different, along with the surfaces.  Further if you don't have the technique right you can do serious damage that can be invisible except under the right conditions.  Also there can very easily be damage hidden beneath the hard water spots.  Damage that you of course did not cause but will reveal once the new spots are removed.  Such damage could be anything from etched glass, to scratches left by another window cleaner.

Most people don't even consider the type of surface they are working on.  They might be working on an almost invisible low e first surface coating.  Which was scratched and even etched by the first "restoration guy" that came along.  But once the glass was covered again by a new layer of mineral deposits such damage was covered over, and in effect hidden from view until you came along to remove them.  My favorite situation is when every window is scratch hazed by a crude polish.  The scratches can only be seen in the direct sunlight.  But just barely.  Once the stains reform on top of these very light scratches another "restoration guy" is called in.  But he tells the owner he can take them off at a fantastic savings by using an acid based professional restoration product.  So he does.  But when the sun comes out the next day the scratches are now VERY noticeable!  The acid accented every scratch by fifty times over.  There is nothing the acid guy can say that will convince the owner that he did NOT leave any scratches.  Of course the window cleaner has no clue what happened.  Sometimes this happens a little different.  Someone might come through a do a test patch with a crude polish.  Then a day or two later someone else will come through with an acid.  The acid will accent the scratches that were there but were not very visible making them an unsightly defect.  When this happens on a first surface low e coating the damage can be very difficult to see from the outside but is very easy to see from the inside looking out.

Another problem can happen from the use of acids.  That is the acid can create a type of clear "orange peal" effect.  Or what I have termed "banding".  Both of these are examples of a stage two dynamic etch.  Usually it is hydrofluoric acid that causes this problem.  Only 1 percent HF is needed to do this type of harm.  Also dark glass is much more easily effected.  It can be more easily seen from the inside looking out at distant objects.  When you move your eyes from left to right the outline of treee trunks will move.  But when the surface is covered again with mineral deposits the effect becomes rather difficult to observe.  When the spots are removed with a quality polishing compound the effect of the etch is revealed.

There are actually many problems like this which can be so easily revealed.  Once they are the window cleaner is usually blamed.  Unfortunately many times that window cleaner only revealed the damage.  It is very unfortunate that he did not have the experience necessary to do the testing which would have exposed any problems before he priced and did the job.  This is what I would like to off you.  The chance to work with me on each restoration job even from afar.  I can help guide you through the initial stages so you will better know exactly what you are getting into.  And hopefully save yourself from a lawsuit.  There are no guarantees.  But knowledge is a safeguard.

Written by Henry Grover Jr
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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How I Made 500 Bux in One Hour and You Can Too!

There are buildings all over the world that have thousands of square feet of glass that have been damaged by hard water stains, etching from the inadvertent use of acids, scratch sensitive surfaces, chemically altered low e coatings, and so much more.  With the right knowledge and experience Window Cleaners can act as "Field Techs".  The people you will work for could even become your customers.  Or not.  But if a "surface repair" is possible, you will be the first one to be asked to do the job.  If you do this in reverse you end up giving away your time, knowledge, and experience.  Further you might not even get the job.

One of many consulting jobs I was referred to was a high rise building.  The owner had windows that were badly stained.  It was a window cleaner that referred me as is usually the case.  The owner did not know where the stains had come from.  Especially since the building was only four years old.  Another mystery was why only half the windows were stained.  Which is also usually the case.  The owner also needed to know how to safely remove the stains, and how to keep them from coming back.  When I arrived at the building I was there about fifteen minutes early so I had some time to look around.  In that amount of time I had all the answers.  I also was able to learn that the windows had a nearly invisible first surface low e coating.  This demonstrates how lacking in knowledge building owners, property maintenance managers, and yes even architects are.  Not to mention real estate agents and brokers, lawyers, janitorial companies, and even other window cleaners.

The concrete exterior facade and glass are both flush so that the rain leaches from the concrete over the glass

When the people arrived that I was scheduled to meet with I was able to explain everything to them.  Then I took about twenty minutes and did a quick demonstration showing how the stains could be easily and completely removed.  This had already been attempted with only 80% success.  I drove away feeling very happy.  When home I took another fifteen minutes to write up a report in an email and sent it off with a bill for five hundred bux.  A month later I got the check.  Usually I get paid the day of the job.  But this was somewhat more complicated because it was a very large company.

I have done many jobs similar to this one over the last twenty five years.  All of them were very profitable.  Never have I been able to make as much money in the same amount of time cleaning windows.  The people I have worked for have always been very appreciative.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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