[craig jwc]

Has anyone else seen the adverts for Pilkington Self-cleaning glass??

I can't see it been a worry for us w/c's.
I had a conversation about it with an other w/c's customer the other day who was convinced we would all be out of work.

It is just ordinary glass coated with something that needs daylight to break down the dirt etc.

It then needs it to rain to wash it off.

On their website they say you might have to hose it down now and then especially in dry spells. (But it's self-cleaning  )

The way i see it you must have to have pretty heavy rain that hits the window hard for this to work.

I'm not worried about it but wondered what others thought about it.

( The frames still need cleaning)

Craig

[geoffreyspecht]

you also need the wind to blow the rain againts the window to clean it

[Sir Squeaky]

Cheap wfp though.

Just blast a hose at it!

[geoffreyspecht]

but it only cleans half the windows the other half stay dirty

[P @ F]

What you have to think is how many people will have all their windows changed just to save the money on window cleaners ?
NOT MANY I BET ..

AND... How many house builders will spend the extra on this glass , they will still sell the house with normal glass , so why would they spend extra ?

 Rich P @ F

[jouk45]

I think they would be more for high rise buildings

[Marc's on the Glass, LLC]

There seems to be a few inventions popping up here and there that might threaten WC industry.  I really don't believe there is much of a threat.

By the time any of these automated systems or self-cleaning windows, etc... would be cheap and popular, the organizations working hard at edifying our trade and raising awareness and standards within the Property Management World will have everyone convinced that the tradesman is the best way to go.

I think it is important to be associated with some organizations/associations who are doing this and support them.  I believe we will continue to see good things come from their efforts.

[Sir Squeaky]

If they invented something magic it would be very expensive, and even if all new houses had it, how long would it take for every other house in the country to change their windows?

Some people may not want new windows for 20 years.

I think we're safe for our working lifetimes!

[Simply Clean Windows]

apparently it works when it rains and also something to do with uv rays,im cleaning some in a couple of weeks,its so great i still have to clean it,i dont think we have much to worry about.

[preston powerblast]

Quite a few new properties have this glass fitted and its a right pain.
Because when you try to wash it all the water beads off it and you cant get a full all the way down rinse like you can with normal glass.
But it does get get dirty to a degree.

[matt-b]

I have it fitted to my conservatory roof, it doesn't really work

[Lee.]

Staybrite windows already have clearshield that, so say, keeps the window clean. When I sold for staybrite we used to demonstrate it in a little plastic jar that was coated with clearshield inside. We would fill the jar with brown dyed water and in front of the customer we would shake it and show them how the dye just flows straight off the inside of the jar. What they didnt see is that every now and then we had to clean the jar out!  . Staybrite windows by the way are those windows that have no rubber gasket on the outside it's all plastic. I have loads of them on my round which can only prove one thing. They still need a window cleaner!
I asked one customer, why are you hiring me with self cleaning windows she said because my husband is to lazy to even hose them
I need to do that house now actually, better be off!

Lee

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Absolute load of B********

Not worth a thred space!!

[Spursboy1972]

Altjhough originally advertised as self cleaning glass they have since changed this and called it something different. I think it is K Glass. They haver said it will significantly reduce the amount of cleaning needed but it will still need to be cleaned. I think they were worried about potential law suits from people who had bought it and then realised it would still need cleaning every now and then.

I dont think we should worry too much about it.

[Richy L]

And I bet it doesnt "self clean" the birds muck off!

[Jeff Brimble]

K glass is for thermal applications with the coating in the glass. Just seen my first tv ad for the self clean. I have come across it twice, it doesnt work to customers standards
It was installed in the millenium stadium in Cardiff and the seagulls have won 

[Mike_G]

I do some and it certainly will not put any of us out of work. The conservatory roof I do, is always dirty and needs cleaning properly, the windows stay fairly well but still need a going over.

[rah]

Self cleaning......

I cleaned a window companys offices sometime ago, they had a panel of this wonderful glass...... never looked clean to me each time i visited the place, well not until i had cleaned it anyway.

It doesn't work, i also had a few house which had it fitted, they stopped me once they had, had it fitted...well for about 4 months, then very humbley came and asked me to start again....

Also one thing to bear in mind that it is i believe about 35% more exspensive than ordinary K glass...

Rob