Is it safe to run a scraper on the outside of tinted windows?

[Neil nowdownunder]

Hi all I have this house to do on Monday morning (see image attached).

It has some small mortar splatters left on the glass which the owner would like removed along with some sealant marks.

How do you know if its safe to scrape? I'm pretty sure the glass is smoke/tinted, rather than a tinted vinyl being applied to the inner. Would you touch this? Do you do jobs like removing stubborn objects from tinted glass? Also how do you tell the difference between Low-e and tinted glass? Many thanks in advance.

Also, would you ettore flip the first level curved windows, or would you walk the ledge and clean them by squeegee directly?

Thanks.

View attachment 5197

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Just look close at the edges. If vinyl you will find a gap somewhere.

Doubt a house like that is vinyl tint though.

Ask the owner. Remember loads of soapy water when scraping. Go gentle as hell till you're sure it's OK.

 

[norm]

maybe a paper contract to cover your ass in case the worst happens?

 

[TolishAPurd]

I'm pretty sure there is a 'scratch waiver' you can print off from somewhere on the forum. Sounds like a job you need to cover yourself on.

Just watch out for those Drop Bears!

 

[boarcity]

if it is LOW E itll say so , either on a small embossed stamp in 1 corner of the glass and/or printed on the glazing bars between the panes . if its low E the tint Should be applied on the inside surface so itll be safe to scrape -HOWEVER iv also seen it on the outside surface , surely wrongly assembled?if on the outside it feels like rubber to the squeegee , looks very dark tint as you walk to it , black tint not blue, and is very hard to squeegee cos the surface is rubbery .

if its not low E but still looks tinted likely it is self cleaning glass , this has a layer on the outside , beware of scraping its not as soft as low E and i have scraped and gotten away with it [bird poo] but if i was doing what youre planning on scraping [cement] id probably use a brand new midget scraper blade ,[which gives the best feel ] and take my time, take ages doing it with a helper dripping water on higher up at the same time to rinse granules of sand away immediately

 

[MrBump]

I did a glass atrium that was meant to be self-cleaning, basically when I got up close I saw it had a slight greenish tint to it, it wasn't until I gently scraped a corner that I saw that it was a thin layer or something on the outside. Obviously didn't keep it clean as these things never work 100%, but lets just say scraping it was off the cards. If i were you I would test on a hidden window, or ask for booklet or look up window logo and check manufacturer website what they do before scraping if there is any chance of it being some film stuck on it. Or tell the customer of the risk. Personally I would of thought it would be alot easier to control the consistency of transparency and final overall look if applied after the glass was made - but I know nothing of the process, its merely speculation. Like I said, I couldn't scrape the glass or it would of left scratches all over it, I told the customer that and they said its fine just leave it.

 

[Neil nowdownunder]

Thanks everyone, appreciate your advice. Now to see if I can find the 'scratch waiver'.

 

[Neil nowdownunder]

Job done! Went well except I'm physically knackered today(too many years spent sitting in front of a computer) and I had to crawl under decking with ladders at the back of the property. I under quoted (as I seem to frequently do) and they were so pleased with the job they paid me and extra $100 on top.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Deleted member 2617]

Best thing about Aussies will pay extra if we think the guy deserves it