Shared Liability for Scrached Glass

 The Glass Association of North America (GANA) has already made the statement that no one should ever use a metal razor on window glass.  Therefore the moment you touch glass with a blade you void the warranty.  In other words the moment you touch a window with a blade they are absolved of all legal liability.  Since they made it so.  But what if something else was used?  Such as a soft plastic blade?  Or a soft terry towel?  And scratches resulted.  Also what if a metal blade was used but did not scratch the window in question?  In fact it is true that other things such as plastic "blades" can cause scratches if the surface is very scratch sensitive.  It is also true that some glass is so smooth that metal razor blades just will not create scratches.  The burning question that comes up again based on this information is exactly who is responsible for the damage done when cleaning windows that are scratch sensitive?

The window cleaner is usually blamed because that person was the last person who was in contact with the window.  But what about the float glass manufacturer?  What about the tempering company?  What of the glass company who installed the defective glass?  What of the window manufacturer who built the window using defective glass?  Or what of the subcontractors who got paint, silicone, concrete, or something else all over the windows?  What of the general contractor who had the windows installed in the building?  There are SO many people who either directly handle or are involved with the glass from beginning to end.

Simply put this is a very complicated question to answer.  It is in fact a question that cannot be answered without a detailed forensic analysis and inspection of not just the damage done, but also the details surrounding the case.

I have been called out to several different situations with problems very similar to what I am describing here.  In one of these cases the insurance company had agreed to pay the price of glass replacement.  The question that was asked was what person was responsible for the damage done.  This had to be answered in order to determine whose insurance was going to pay.  It was answered before I arrived at the scene of the crime.  So I knew who was going to pay me.  I was able to discover a much more reasonable answer other than replacing the windows on the house.  Which made the insurance company very happy.  Me too since I got paid well.  It was a good day!

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygrover222@gmail.com

Who Is to Blame for Scratch Sensitive Glass

 Let me tell you a disturbing story of something that happened to me this morning.  I was going to one of my customers to pickup a check.  When I noticed a glass company installing brand new tinted windows for another customer.  They were rather large tall tempered windows.  I could easily see they were tempered because my polarized sunglasses showed up the compression pattern.  As I approached I made small talk with one of the workers.  The glass company they worked for is also one of my customers.  I clean storefront windows and am a glass consultant too.  Sometimes the two overlap.  Nonetheless I decided to very gently "feel" the surface with my car key to see if this tempered glass had the typical sandpaper sound of a scratch sensitive/defective surface.  One prone to scratches.  I know how to do this without causing any scratches myself.  But what I didn't realize is the installation men did not know what I know.  One of them was ok with me.  But the other became very angry.  I wasn't going to educate anyone on the spot so I just calmly walked away.  Hoping he got over it.  He did say I don't care what you do after we are gone, just don't touch the glass with anything metallic now.  The glass they were installing was very smooth by the way.  Quite unlike most tempered glass.

But it got me thinking.  Obviously he doesn't know that it is way easier to scratch glass with a shard from a broken glass bottle, or a piece of silicon, or a rock, rather than a piece of metal.  How could he?  I know because I have tested many materials to see what scratches easiest.  In my work as a consultant/inspector I will first create a scratch sensitive surface on a sample plate of new glass.  By polishing it with cerium oxide.  Then I drag different things over it to scratch.  Next I will take micrographs of the different scratches to characterize them.

Second he was really afraid that I was going to scratch their brand new glass and he would be responsible!  Once they had done their job installing the windows he would have no control hence no responsibility for what I or anyone else did.  But the big kicker and main point that I am getting at here is what if they were installing scratch sensitive glass?  Then if the owners of the restaurant used a razor blade to get ketchup or even holiday paint off the windows, and scratched every window in the process, who would be responsible then? Would it be the manufacturer at the float glass plant,?  How about the company that made the insulating glass units?  Or the glass company that installed the defective glass on the building?  Or what about the restaurant?  Or how about the window cleaning company hired to clean the windows and remove the paint or whatever else was on the glass?

The bottom line here it would probably the very last person who used the razor.  Which is usually the window cleaner.  Unless someone else scratched the glass and then it was allowed to get covered with dirt hiding the scratches from view.  You see NO ONE knows anything about scratch sensitive glass.  No one has even had to address it.  That includes most every glass company that is out there installing it and every insulating glass unit manufacturer and every window and door manufacturer.  But all of these people will continue to carry on in their ignorance UNLESS the public in general is made aware of it!  That is why I am writing.  That is why I have made videos of this animal.  So EVERYONE can watch and listen to them.

In my previous post I embedded a couple of these very short videos.  All you have to do is pull them up on your phone and play them for your customers or employees.  It will not solve this problem.  But it might save a few people from losing their businesses.  Because insurance companies do not pay for this kind of damage.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygrover222@gmail.com

Hidden Scratches

Scratches, Point Indent Fractures, and Blemishes are easily hidden by dirt, and hard water spots.  But once the window is cleaned they come into full view.  Especially in the direct sunlight.  Although depending on the lighting they are even more noticeable at night.  This is the reason why it usually is the window cleaner who is blamed.  No one even knew about the scratches until they were revealed.

I will tell you just one of my scratch stories.  I was called out to a new multilevel building by the general contractor who built it.  He had the windows cleaned professionally soon after they were installed.  Which windows had been stored at least six months at another site.  Once the windows were cleaned some rather heavy scratches were revealed.  Razor blades were used.  It was my job to save or sink the window cleaner.  The first thing I did was clean the window with the most scratches.  I did not use a metal razor at this time.  Next I inspected for what has been called glass fines for many years.  The simple truth is we all know some type of raised defect is present.  When the surface is scraped or even rubbed with something else, this defect can be removed and dragged causing scratches.  There is a rather basic grassroots test for identifying what I call the ghost particle.  Here are a couple of videos I made  demonstrating the test using a penny.

Another way to "feel" the glass surface is to flip your hand around so you can lightly run the flat of your fingernails across the glass.  You will be amazed what you can actually learn from this method.

To finish the story I was able to immediately learn the windows were loaded with some very large (although invisible to sight) defects.  In theory the scratches could have easily been caused by such defects.  But I didn't want to leave matters unknown.  At least not completely.

Upon closer examination I noticed that all of the scratches ran north to south.  So up and down.  They almost looked parallel.  So I asked the GC if he didn't mind if I created some more scratches.  He said no.  So I took a metal hand held razor.  The blade was steel.  With this I wet the window with soapy water and did my best with all my strength to scratch the window.  Running the blade at a ninety degree angle opposite the direction of the scratches already present.  Then I cleared the window with a squeegee to inspect for any scratches that ran in the opposing direction.  There were NO SCRATCHES!  

Obviously this completely clear the window cleaner who I assume was very happy when they heard my report.  Although I am also sure they probably are much more careful now.

I made mention to the GC that this problem could have been caused in storage when the plates were dragged across one another.  If they were stored horizontal on top of one another having not been set with interleaving materials to keep them separated, then there might have been sand particles in between that would have scratched.  (Glass plates are supposed to be stored vertical and separated so they don't rub or develop moisture.)  Sand is mostly silica the same as glass.  Glass is actually made from a very special type of silica.  I am sure for this reason it is very easy to scratch glass with a piece of broken glass.  And should also be as easy to scratch with sand particles.

Here is a picture of some very light scratches on a window once the dirt was removed.  It was in the direct sun when I took the picture.  I very much doubt these scratches would be easy to see on an overcast day.  But very easy to see on a bright sunny day and a clean window.  Further you can make out the scratch pattern that shows how wide the razor was.  But again this surface was scratch sensitive with defects that were the cause of the scratches.

Henry Grover Jr.

henrygrover222@gmail.com

Glass Smart Inspection Services

Insulating Glass Unit Seal Failure.

Let me tell you two short stories.  When I ordered my manufactured home I instructed the manufacturer that I absolutely did NOT want them to use IG units in the windows.  Simply because I knew they would cloud up in a short time.  I also knew that the typical warranty for new windows is only a single year.  I told them to install the old fashion double hungs with outer storm windows that could be removed and put back for cleaning.  They put in the IG units anyhow, told me they were sorry for the mistake, but that they would not charge me the extra six hundred dollars.  I should have demanded that they change them out.  Because within a year half of all the windows had "lost their seals" and fogged up.

Unfortunately this is a very common occurrence!  Almost every house has IG units that have lost their seals, and many more will lose them.  Over the years manufacturers have been increasing the space between the two plates of IG units.  The results have been that more units are failing quicker.  I can show you windows from the 1970s that have perfect IG units with a very small separation .  No fogging at all.  Better technology is not always better.  Despite what the manufacturers and window sales companies tell you!  What is also interesting about this problem is when a unit first loses its seal it cannot be detected without special testing equipment.  Likewise when it begins to become visible it still cannot be seen if the window is dirty.  Then when it starts to show in a dirty window the haze is made up of pure water vapor.  Which over more time will begin to etch the inside surface of the IG unit.  Showing a white haze whereas the water vapor (no etch) appears clear.

The picture below is an example of a window with a failed IG unit.  The inside of the two plates has been etched.  But the surface that has been etched by water vapor has a low e coating.  This is why it is not white but a slight yellow.  I have seen pink and other colors too.  It depends on the chemistry of the factory applied low e coating.  This damage also looks like many small spots.  Whereas a simple glass surface would be a more even white haze.  This example here is long past any "repair"!

A second story.  I remember a large window I came across that had a BB hole in the outside plate of the IG unit.  So obviously the seal had failed.  Water vapor could easily get in between.  But it never showed up.  The window stayed crystal clear for many years until it was replaced with all the other windows that were also replaced.  The reason is easy to understand.  Any water vapor that got in could easily get out.  The window was not tempered.  If it were then it would have diced out into hundreds of glass shards when it was shot.  There actually exists a "repair" service that involves drilling a hole in the outside plate, cleaning in between with an antifog solution, then sealing the hole or holes with a small breathable rain repellant plastic disk.  Whoever drills a hole in a window would absolutely need to know that it is annealed glass and not tempered.  To prevent it from breaking into hundreds of pieces.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

henrygrover222@gmail.com

6034989474