Damage to window glass

When window glass has defects and scratches

Who is liable and who can you claim against?

In new builds, coated glass is very common (it is also known as double glazing), and it is a very significant item in the budget for building a home, since double glazing, with aluminium, PVC or timber frames, is very widely installed in façades and as external enclosure. In detached houses, whether for reasons of appearance, security, insulation, natural light or energy costs, large double-glazed windows are the favourite choice and the ones most often installed. Damage to glass is classified, from least to most serious, as hairline marks (“angel hair”), light scratches, medium scratches and deep scratches, and from there it jumps to abrasion Abrasions and deep scratches are unacceptable; and of course, internal scratches are a manufacturing defect in the glass. But never let anyone blame the scratches or abrasions on the owner’s cleaning, because that is unlikely and may be an invention of the glazier/installer to avoid blame. The scratches we find on glass usually run from top to bottom and from left to right. Those caused by cleaning would, if that were the case, be circular. Moreover, if a Scotch-Brite type scouring pad were used in a soapy solution as a brush and the glass were then dried with a squeegee, applying a load of 1 to 2 kg, no scratches at all could be made. Only by applying a load of around 4 kilos could scratches be made, and even then a magnifying glass would be needed to see them. No cleaner would be so heavy-handed as to do that. It is during the storage of the glass, before it is fitted in the home, which is usually not done properly, that linear scratches occur. Glass must have surface protection to prevent any scratches or knocks. Photo 1 – correct storage of glass Photo 2 – incorrect storage of glass With correct storage, as in photo 1, the panes do not rub against each other. In photo 2, the panes are tilted and leaning against one another, outdoors and next to building materials. In case 1 there will be no scuffing; in case 2 the glass has been damaged when stacked or during installation. Proving one thing or the other at trial is not complicated, because there are very thorough expert assessments involving tests, from which it can be concluded whether the origin or cause of the defects lies in cleaning or a scraper, or in poor or incorrect stacking or storage, or in a manufacturing defect attributable to the supplier, installer or glazier. CONCLUSION: Do not let others shift the blame, and do not accept glass with spots, scratches or any other impairment of its visual transparency. There is a European standard in force, EN1096, that protects you.