Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Frequently Asked Questions & Useful Resources => Topic started by: durashield on August 23, 2006, 03:44:59 pm
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I am looking for dealers to apply a self-cleaning treatment to windows. This new product has been developed to apply to existing glass/windows.
For more product details, please visit - www.dur-a-shield.co.uk - this is great opportunity to join our company early. Exclusive territory rights are available.
Why not contact us for further information?
Kind regards.
Martin Davies
Director
Dur-a-shield Ltd.
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Hello Martin have you ever been a window cleaner?,Gaz
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No, but this product has the potential of revolutionising the Window Cleaning industry. Pilkington Activ (which uses the same self-cleaning technology) is available for new window installations, but this product can be applied to existing glass. The market is huge. Dur-A-Shield Ltd has the sole rights to this product for the UK and Ireland. This technology is available now and will explode - window cleaners in the US accept this and are keen to get on board. They can either be part of it, or watch other people making a great living at their loss...
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So this stuff you have devloped will stop bird muck,egg,sick,grease,cobwebs,spit and i can go on,and will it keep the frames and sills clean and stop spiders from nesting in the corners of the glass/frames,believe me after 18 years of window cleaning there is nothing on the market or ever will be that can convince me that it will replace an actual person cleaning it,sorry my friend you are living in a dream world if you think it will "explode",Gaz
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Progress happens whether you like it or not.
Pilkington have invested millions in this technology - are they living in a dream too?
People willing to take commercial advantage of new technologies at an early stage will not spend 18 years up a ladder trying to make money.
Welcome to the future of Windows.
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:'( :'( :'( i dont no weather to laugh or cry
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Progress happens whether you like it or not.
Pilkington have invested millions in this technology - are they living in a dream too?
People willing to take commercial advantage of new technologies at an early stage will not spend 18 years up a ladder trying to make money.
Welcome to the future of Windows.
I don`t use a ladder and you haven`t answered my question properly,Gaz
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hi martin
i think you have come to the wrong forum as it is for window cleaners who make a living from this trade
if however there is such a thing as ever clean glass (which is highly unlikely) the last person who would want to promote it is a window cleaner as he/she would be out of work.
if you are looking for dealers to sell your wonderful product ;D then may i suggest trying the job centre.
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Progress happens whether you like it or not.
Pilkington have invested millions in this technology - are they living in a dream too?
People willing to take commercial advantage of new technologies at an early stage will not spend 18 years up a ladder trying to make money.
Welcome to the future of Windows.
Lets get this into perspective shall we!
I clean an industrial estate down South that every building was designed with this glass made by Pilkington.
So, here are some FACTS for you:
11 Units of which we clean the windows on 7
Now why would that be, oh yeah, I just remembered. The self cleaning glass had a fault with it. The magic hand stopped wiping the frames and sills and when the birds used it for target practice the glass wanted to keep the results so the birds could show their friends.
Believe me, I speak with experience, this glass may at very best perhaps reduce a frequency of a clean from monthly to 2 monthly (and that's debateable) but never in a million years will it replace or threaten the window cleaning industry.
Trev
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Trev - thanks for your observations. I am sure Pilkington would be interested to learn of thier flawed glass.
I have glass samples here which have been treated with EverClean MONTHS ago. The samples live outside in normal conditions. This product works and is fantastic.
As with all things new, there are sceptics - time is a great prover - but, at the end of the day, progress is made - revolutions occur - times and systems do change.
This may be a product that brings you no interest, that doesn't mean that there is not a place in the market for it.
There are many applications for this new technology - not just windows.
Have a look at www.evercleantech.com - this is the Company based in Florida who produce this product.
Have a look at www.durashield.com - this is owned by the same company as EverClean - they produce polymer coatings for buildings.
Again, these products are fantastic. This is not a product from some start up company - part of a multi-million dollar organisation.
Do I have faith in their products? You bet.
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Trev - thanks for your observations. I am sure Pilkington would be interested to learn of thier flawed glass.
I have glass samples here which have been treated with EverClean MONTHS ago. The samples live outside in normal conditions. This product works and is fantastic.
As with all things new, there are sceptics - time is a great prover - but, at the end of the day, progress is made - revolutions occur - times and systems do change.
This may be a product that brings you no interest, that doesn't mean that there is not a place in the market for it.
There are many applications for this new technology - not just windows.
Have a look at www.evercleantech.com - this is the Company based in Florida who produce this product.
Have a look at www.durashield.com - this is owned by the same company as EverClean - they produce polymer coatings for buildings.
Again, these products are fantastic. This is not a product from some start up company - part of a multi-million dollar organisation.
Do I have faith in their products? You bet.
Yaaaaawwwwwwnnnnnn!
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That bit about the US window cleaners which ones exactly as I know quite a few across the country , an djust a few questions how problematic is it to remove it if it doesnt give the desired result, if some paint or other foreign substance gets on the glass can the offending substance be scraped or steel wooled off without affecting the finish or does the DURASHIELD stop painters from over exuberance , Does the durashield ever wear out and if so does it wear off evenly or does it become patchy.If its placed on windows that are in the sun all day does it change to a milky grey color, and lastly if you put it on a window will the window manufacturer still guarentee his window or does durashield assume the warranty
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martin i think youve been brain washed...get some help.
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Dont really need to be hearing such things
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I have glass samples here which have been treated with EverClean MONTHS ago. The samples live outside in normal conditions. This product works and is fantastic.
These samples of glass that you have are they set at a 45 degree angle so they catch the rain nicely and allow it to rinse off the windows or are they set vertically with a 2' overhang as they would in situ, so unless we start getting upward falling rain the top half of that glass will never see any water.
Dont answer that because we already know the answer, these samples are set up to prove your point in the best way!!
And you've still have failed to answer the question of how these frames and sills are cleaned!!
At best your product will make our job a little easier, and for that I thank you and your company but dont tell me that these windows will never need cleaning again!
Alistair
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i tried a sample of something similar on a cement factory i cleaned firm said the dust etc wouldnt stick to the glass . guess what they still needed cleaning.
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This everclean glass should be on that tv programme dragon's den, they like wacky ideas.
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I have had so many inquiries for our EverClean product in the past few days. My website - www.dur-a-shield.co.uk - has had a tremendous increase in traffic.
This just shows that whilst there are a few "knockers", there are many window cleaners out there interested in this great new product.
The inquiries from people in the Window Cleaning industry are seeing this not as a threat, but as an opportunity to compliment their existing services.
In reference to some of the posts, I have not proclaimed that EverClean will replace or threaten the window cleaning industry - some of you have assumed that.
As I said in my opening post, I am looking to build a network of dealers/applicators throughout the UK. I have made arrangements to meet with a number of prospective dealers as early as next week - all of whom have expressed great interest in becoming dealers/applicators in the very near future.
Perhaps your business would benefit too - have a look at www.dur-a-shield.co.uk
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Have a read, it say's it all.
http://www.conservatoriesonline.com/activ_self_cleaning_glass.htm
If you look half way down the page it states quite clearly that you will need to clean the windows.
I wish you luck with your venture and admire your positive attitude with your product. However, on the grand scale of things and without being dis-respectful, I won't lose any sleep over it and will look forward to cleaning windows for many years to come.
Best wishes,
Trev
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I think this self cleaning glass is great!!
It doesnt "self clean" at all, but it sheets perfectly!! ;D ;D ;D
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Thanks Trev - re: Conservatories Online.
Here is an extract from that article:
The benefits of Pilkington Activ™ to you
· It is the world's first self-cleaning glass
· It works even on cloudy days and during the night
· It breaks down and loosens even heavy soiling
· It can be used in almost any domestic application
· It will not be worn or rubbed off
· It will last the lifetime of the glazing unit itself
· It carries its own authenticity logo on every unit
· It is easily cleaned during dry spells by simply hosing down with water
· It has been created and is manufactured by the world's leading glass producer-Pilkington
· It can by used in conjunction with Pilkington K Glass to provide increased energy efficiency and savings on heating bills
Bearing in mind, the technology is the same - these principles apply to EverClean also.
Hadn't come across that article before, but it does reinforce my view that EverClean is a great new product.
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So lets get this in perspective, how much does it cost to treat a window with this?
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It is easily cleaned during dry spells by simply hosing down with water
What happens if you live in a hardwater area.
Hosing down won't do it the windows will end up with spots everywhere.
I have a couple of customers with pilkingtons self cleaning glass and i must admit they do seem to stay a bit cleaner but they still need cleaning.
One thing the tops of the windows do not get cleaned by the rain because of the overhang of the roof.
Self cleaning glass has been around a long time now and people have not rushed out to buy it and i dare say in 30 years time there be as many window cleaners as there is now.
Paul
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Thanks Trev - re: Conservatories Online.
Here is an extract from that article:
The benefits of Pilkington Activ™ to you
· It is the world's first self-cleaning glass
· It works even on cloudy days and during the night
· It breaks down and loosens even heavy soiling
· It can be used in almost any domestic application
· It will not be worn or rubbed off
· It will last the lifetime of the glazing unit itself
· It carries its own authenticity logo on every unit
· It is easily cleaned during dry spells by simply hosing down with water
· It has been created and is manufactured by the world's leading glass producer-Pilkington
· It can by used in conjunction with Pilkington K Glass to provide increased energy efficiency and savings on heating bills
Bearing in mind, the technology is the same - these principles apply to EverClean also.
Hadn't come across that article before, but it does reinforce my view that EverClean is a great new product.
I suppose it cleans its own frames and sills aswell?
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worse if someone swills this stuff on a dirty frame will it stay dirty forever or ten years whichever comes first
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My initial reaction to durashield was one of incredulity - to ask a window cleaner to promote self cleaning glass is like asking a tree surgeon to saw off the branch he is sitting on!
But let's look at this more carefully.
For new replacement glass I think this will happen:-
I think this will work mainly in commercial settings such as shopping malls etc where the standard of roof and upper side cleaning is not so important to the customer.
Factories and other commercial customers may use it too to bring down significant cleaning bills and reduce frequency of window cleaning. (Monthly contracts will become quarterly etc.)
Domestic customers replacing their windows will do it if it's not too expensive compared with standard glass. And new conservatories will have it too.
As for an add-on to existing panes - well I'm not sure. Let's look at the possibilities.
Commercial - possibly if they don't wait a few years to replace existing windows.
Domestic - when they buy new windows - then probably - but add-ons? I would have thought it will cost hundreds of pounds to do a typical semi so that the windows look as good as they did originally.
As one poster above said - I think you've come to the wrong forum durashield.
(One final point - in America they typically clean their windows twice a year and often have screens done at the same time - so maybe glass staying clean longer when you know that every six months you are going to pay a hefty whack to have everything thoroughly done then - well it may work there but not here.)
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On your final point Malc, never heard of this being used over here,I have seen a few different coatings over the years and have my reservations but if Martin can come on here and post pictures of a few places where this has been applied with testimonials from a few American window cleaners then I will keep an open mind
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You would be better starting a window cleaning round because at least you will get repeat custom.
You may entice a few in the beginning but they will soon realise that it doesn,t always do what it says on the tin.
Good Luck.