[Paddy Woods]

Hi guys,had a customer complain that her leaded windows are being damage by wfp & to b honest I agree it seems that her front windows the lead seems to kink at side of windows also to add insult I took a strip off with pole this morn !! Can anyone please offer advice on leaded windows & do others have same problem

[Mike #1]

Basically if you are using a medium bristle brush and the brush feels as though it is dragging or bouncing across the lead you are pressing on to hard .

It is best not to clean leaded windows scrubbing up and down as you would with non leaded windows better of using a old brush as the bristles have become softer overtime or using a soft brush. Mike

[scottt24]

Soft flocked brush with little pressure
I try to move the brush diagonally on the glass if the leading is square or up and down the glass if the leading is diamond shaped
If find by doing this the brush seems to ride over the edges of the lead easier
If that makes any sense

[dazmond]

if your using a flocked or medium mixed brush and cleaning carefully you shouldnt lift the lead off the windows.if you do then its not your problem!!

the owner will just have to live with it or get the lead replaced.it doesnt last forever.dont be duped into paying for windows to be re leaded esp if they are a few years old.

sometimes customers will try and get you to foot the bill for all sorts of window problems when in fact its got nothing to do with you cleaning the windows once a month/every 2 months.

[Paddy Woods]

Cheers daz & Scott
I use gardiner standard brush head medium & 99% houses r fine just some lately I've been catching & odd house ...this house wants me to fit the bill (but its just the front if house is problem,if it was wfp ud think all the house ?..the sun is on the front in morn and this kincking only seems to have happened during the cold weather  )
Doing my head in as I try to be perfect at my quality of work....

[Paddy Woods]

Basically if you are using a medium bristle brush and the brush feels as though it is dragging or bouncing across the lead you are pressing on to hard .

It is best not to clean leaded windows scrubbing up and down as you would with non leaded windows better of using a old brush as the bristles have become softer overtime or using a soft brush. Mike

Thanks mike,I do press a little a hard so will try to b a little softer

[Mike #1]

The method Scott explained is exactly what i do i currently use a Gardiners Xtreme mixed bristle brush and have no problems with leaded windows . Mike

[scottt24]

The cold weather can affect the adhesive on leading, making it a little brittle
This will only happen over a long period of time and has probably been getting steadily worse for a few years
It sounds as if you were maybe the straw that broke the camels back
If it becomes an issue I would point this out to customer and MAYBE offer to cover half of repair bill , but only maybe and certainly not more than half

[Paddy Woods]

The cold weather can affect the adhesive on leading, making it a little brittle
This will only happen over a long period of time and has probably been getting steadily worse for a few years
It sounds as if you were maybe the straw that broke the camels back
If it becomes an issue I would point this out to customer and MAYBE offer to cover half of repair bill , but only maybe and certainly not more than half

Thanks Scott as for going half I don't think so as I would b admitting liability !! But u are right I am a contributing factor but windows are at least 5 yrs old ......I just need to be a little less heavy handed 

[richard jagger]

|I am horrified every time I read about scrubbing the glass in a window. For Gods sake we are cleaning a little dirt of a piece of glass surely washing is a better word and not scrubbing. We scrub floors not glass and nearly no pressure on the brush. Seeing the state of some brushes sown on here, just confirms the scrubbing myth.

[Ian Lancaster]

If someone asks you to clean their windows, they have to accept that there is a risk involved.  At the same time, you should have liability insurance to cover you in the eventuality of damage occurring.

Unless the leads are DIY, they should be capable of withstanding being cleaned, otherwise they are not fit for purpose.  Can you imagine buying a car, then being told you mustn't clean it in case that causes damage?

Before WFP the only practical way to clean leaded glass was the traditional leather and scrim - dragging a scrim across leads is far more likely to pull them off than swishing them with a soft brush, plus you used to have to rub very hard to polish off the leather marks.

My take on this is the same as the ever recurring "WFP scratched my windows".   If a customer accuses you of damaging their leaded windows, tell them you will report it to your insurance company.  If the insurance company denies liability that is the end of the matter.  That's why you have insurance.

If you're working without Public Liability then you deserve to be sued by your customer