[Collybolly]

Since our window cleaner came down off his ladder & started using a WFP every DG window in the house has 'blown'. Seems a coincidence, after years of traditional cleaning . Not happy-can't afford to get them fixed.

Was just wondering is this a common problem with WFP's?

[Pittmonkey]

All mine blew after 3-4 years........................ and I my old window cleaner was Trad. They all blew before WFP went anywhere near them.

Crap units!!!

I clean a few houses who have had their DG for 20 years and have no probs. It's all down to the quality of product and fitting.

[d s windowcleaning]

i nearly ended up with a private summons for blown seals , i managed to get a statement from a double glazing firm saying that seals can go at anytime and wfp wont cause a blown seal , theres times when rain hits the glass harder than wfp .
wfp if used on the property will allways be the first thing blamed .

[[GQC] Tim]

Double glazing is guaranteed for 5 years when they are wooden, 10 years for upvc. When they have been badly fitted, they can go so quickly it's not even funny anymore.

[chris@c.m.s]

I have one unit in my home that has blown, Its funny I never noticed it before I cleaned them WFP and inspected every window then wondered why it was the only one that didn't clean OK. Point is it was always blown I just didn't notice.
I do think that in a already blown window the difference in water temperature and inside temperature could temporarily make things look worse though, and customers always look when they know you've been.     

[williamx]

My windows have never been cleaned, either with wfp or trad, and my front window is blown.

The main cause for this, is the house moves all the time, when it gets cold the house contracts and when it warms up, it expands, and this movement causes the seals to break.

[sparklebright]

Might be worth pointing out that it is the purity of the water, and agitating with the bristles that does the cleaning, that it isn't a 'jetwash' system.
There isn't much water pressure to speak of when it comes out of your nozzles.

My pump is 75 psi but that's before the water goes thru all the hose and up the pole, there is a significant pressure drop thru that lot!

[Helen]

Since our window cleaner came down off his ladder & started using a WFP every DG window in the house has 'blown'. Seems a coincidence, after years of traditional cleaning . Not happy-can't afford to get them fixed.

Was just wondering is this a common problem with WFP's?

Why jump straight to the conclusion that it is because of WFP? There's no more of a reason for it to be WFP causing this than trad cleaning or bad weather or whatever. Nothing lasts forever, so why does there have to be a "blame" apportioned. Sounds like old fittings, want new. so blame the WC shame

[sparklebright]

That's true enough.

When I first set up I canvassed a road and got a house where the lead strips were in some places literally hanging off. They got me to do it then phoned me up and asked if I was insured!
When I made it plain that what he hoped for wasn't going to happen he gave up.

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Helen we have become a "blame state"
We have to find someone to blame for anything hence why we have claims direct and lawyers for u etc.
they have to blame someone instead of accepting they are clumsy sods!





Matt

[martinsadie]

All mine blew after 3-4 years........................ and I my old window cleaner was Trad. They all blew before WFP went anywhere near them.

Crap units!!!

I clean a few houses who have had their DG for 20 years and have no probs. It's all down to the quality of product and fitting.

you only get what you pay for

[macmac]

What about the water going into the vents? Natural rainfall will never get into the frame this way like wfp will. The little bags inside absorb moisture not water which has been forced through!

An already blown seal will sometimes look worse when wfp'd though. I do a very large bungalow & all the back windows steam up when wfp'd!

[kevinc]

pittmonkey got it right,its all down to the fiiting and quality,upvc windows have drainage in-built so the more water you put at them the more comes out.this will not afect the sealed units at all in fact what does is washing up liquid(most edge sealants to sealed units now adays are hot melt which is oil based and washing up liquid destroys this seal causing air/moisture to ingress)to be fair its most likely crap fitting whats caused it-see it most days(glazier during the week)wfp won't do this to sealed units guess its a case of right time/wrong place

[john tomkins]

An already blown seal will sometimes look worse when wfp'd though. I do a very large bungalow & all the back windows steam up when wfp'd!

Correct there Macmac, probably south facing as well (wide range of temperatures)?
If wfp causes excessive moisture to show on already blown windows, then possibly this could be causing  high moisture build up on every double glazed unit but obviously not showing due to the moisture absorbant in between the glass edges, but this would eventually give up at an increased rate. Wfp could be causing a speeding up of double glazing units failing. Hope not but it's a possibility I'm sure

[leapstallbuildings]

Double glazing is guaranteed for 5 years when they are wooden, 10 years for upvc. When they have been badly fitted, they can go so quickly it's not even funny anymore.

Just from my observations on my own round, thew seals wooden frames do seem to be more vulnerable to whatever causes them to "blow" than those on UPVC.

[Pittmonkey]

That's right Kevin. There are two ways to make the sealed unit "Hot Melt and "Cold Melt"
The Company who fitted mine bleated on about how the Hot Melt was the best way " Yeah Right" He made the sealed units himself and bought the frames from a Supplier.

Nothing wrong with the frames they still look good. But on inspection now, most of the drain holes on the frames were blocked by architrave or upvc bead/trim fitted around the frame. Hence, Bad fitting  & Crap Sealed Units. Without a lie every single unit has blown. I will get around to re-fitting the units but will also need to refit most if not all of trim around the frames.

The other factor in units blowing is the type of frame. Woodgrain are more suspect to blowing if they are exposed to the sun for long periods e.g "South Facing Windows". Some advice I was given was to go with white as obviously white disperse the heat better. Not sure if there is any substance to this but is does sound plausible.

I have a custy at the moment who has asked me to stop cleaning two of her windows as she wants them to dry out. I know she suspects WFP. All Woodgrain Frames, two at the front are South Facing. : These units had already gone before I started cleaning them but failed to mention it when I quoted.

I do point out now when quoting any units that have blown. I tell them they can go at anytime and tell them of my own experience. Hopefully to quell any potential claims 

It does sound like this is going to be an ongoing accusation against WFP and maybe one day some scientific proof might come to light and prove WFP to be a cause. If it does, them ebay will be full of S/H WFP systems for sale. Going very cheap

Wayne

[Collybolly]

Why jump straight to the conclusion that it is because of WFP?

Our property is well maintained. It is a statement of fact,  that 16 windows cleaned regularly by WFP have blown. The remainder cleaned by trad methods haven't.

Seems anyone with any modicum of brains would draw the same conclusion. 

so why does there have to be a "blame" apportioned. 

Sounds like old fittings, want new. so blame the WC shame

  Not old fittings, not cheap, didn't need new. Not "blaming" the Window Cleaner himself (see original post) ...just querying whether it's a common problem caused by the WFP, but I'm sure the pole can fight his own battles.

Thanks for the more helpful replies; so in the absence of scientific proof,  the upshot is that it could be caused by the pole or it has exacerbated an existing problem. Either way, we're looking at a hefty repair bill I suppose.

Cheers

[macmac]

Either way, we're looking at a hefty repair bill I suppose.   

I would buy them yourself & fit them, they're not that expensive just the glass units. It's a simple job too.

[[GQC] Tim]

Interesting stuff. Did a blown window today, second one I've seen so far do this, very hot south facing window, I cleaned them, with cold water, first job. And when I did the house, and returned, the misty window was much much worse, and you could actually see the drips. Before you could barely see it. It must have condensated because my water was cold, and the windows were baking hot.

Thought it was interesting to mention. Ofcourse wfp isn't the cause of a blown window, but it can momentarily make them look worse.

[williamx]

I have got hundreds of customers both domestic and commercial who I have been cleaning for years.

There are a few percent who have blown seals but the majority do not.

If wfp cleaning was causing this then by logic more of my customers would l start to have blown seals over the amount of years that I have been cleaning them.

I have also asked a friend of mine who works for Pilkingtons Glass, if this was possible, he did not think it was possible, also when the seal units are finshed they are cleaned with Pure Water, the same what we use to clean windows.

You do seem to have a lot of blown seals, I take it they all came from the same supplier and where fitted at the same time, if this is the case then maybe the quality issue of the glass units or fitting might be a factor to also look at.