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A Lesson In Choosing the Right Glaziers, Window Systems and Glazing

As many out there know, there are some scary facilities maintenance stories. This one is about window maintenance—or the lack of it—that ended up as a full building retrofit with a $4.5 million dollar price tag. Ouch!
And let’s preface the story with — This isn’t a story about an Alpen project or products — it’s about aluminum windows that didn’t use our IGUs.
Don’t want there to be any confusion with that!

 

Facilities.net provides this case study

The aluminum windows in a building went relatively unmaintained despite occasional complaints of leaks and drafts spanning several years. In time, gaskets between the glazing and frames completely failed.

The ensuing water damage (which had been corroding the frame) eventually loosened many of the window fasteners—an invisible weakness that the owner didn’t notice.

Then, one stormy night, high winds caused many of the fasteners to give out completely, and the windows began falling out of the building!

 

Results of poor maintenance

The lack of window maintenance coupled with installation issues eventually cost the owner over $4 million dollars (and quite a lot of tenant dissatisfaction). With proper installation and maintenance, those windows should have had twice the lifespan.

 

Alpen Suggests

Unfortunately, that horror story is what can happen with improper installation or questionable windows, so be extremely mindful of both the windows you choose and the company installing them. Hire an experienced and certified glazier. Use tested and certified components.

As far as maintenance goes, purchase windows with fantastic warranties and follow simple maintenance and cleaning regimens.

  • Avoid washing with high pressure sprays, guns, and hoses
  • Do not use aggressive or highly abrasive cleaners or solvents
  • Use a clean lint free cloth or squeegee to dry the glass
  • Use a solution of mild dish washing detergent and warm water
  • Follow these four steps
  • Regularly examine all seals, examine glass for signs of leakage (like excessive condensation or water pooling inside the glass unit) and check for air or water leaks near the windows.
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