Okay guys, I’m really hoping some of you know something that will help me here. Somehow this isn’t something I’ve run across in 15 years of window cleaning, maybe it’s a construction clean up thing because I stay away from those jobs normally. Bear with me, I have trouble describing this a little.
I was hired to do a monthly cleaning of 4 new small storefront buildings. Plan was to Wfp it, seemed strait forward and looked like some easy money. As tenants move in they are modifying the place so there is ongoing construction on 2 of the buildings. Cleaned first time without much issue. After I left my guess is the seals began leaking a brown oily substance, tons of it. Made the glass greasy all over. There was no sign of it after I finished the first clean.
I showed up for second cleaning and water just falls off the glass, probably the most hydrophobic I’ve ever seen. A regular hose doesn’t leave spots on the glass it’s so coated. I tried quite a few degreasers and all I can do is spread the stuff around. More comes out of the seals and turns the frames brown even after as many as ten good cleanings. I figured I’d inspect the windows much better in hope of finding out why. The seals and windows are actually the worst install I’ve seen. Frames are sagging and the seal around the glass is soft, I could just push it down into the frame if I wanted. I also see now that there is an uneven thickness on the seal from one side of a pane to the other and quite a few appear to not have seals at all. The brown stuff I see now is on both sides of the glass and when I wet with a mop the water drips right on the inside of the glass. I found that out because I went to scrub a pane and it moved a lot and I almost fell into the windows from how far it gave. No seal in that one at all. I also was able to just pull on the frame and it came apart in my hand to where I could have removed the glass and accessed the interior. This is in a suite that already has tenants with an operating business.
Im thinking they didn’t know how to install the windows or sonething, and fearing liability of some kind I packed up. It’s weak to the point I wouldn’t want to put my weight on the structure at all. Is this anything you have come across? I’m thinking I should refuse to do anything until someone inspects the p Iroperty for safety reasons.
I also wonder how to remove this brown greasy stuff. I’ve never seen it before and nothing I have it can locally buy touches it at all. A friend said to try either titan oil Flo or titan green I think he said. Is that something that should work. Is anyone familiar with this oily crap and knows how to deal with it? This job has me a bit turned off for many reasons. I’ve never come across glass I couldn’t. I looking perfect.
Do you think it was the right thing to stop and email my concerns to the people who hired me or do windows ever get installed but you can push them in and out like this and it’s normal? Titan products are costly for me so I’d like to know if that is likely work. Should I walk away from this one if I can or what?
I’ll take b any advice, you guys have always known what to do and I’m hoping someone kno what I’m talking about. Thanks for whatever input you have. Ask me about anything that’s unclear. I know I don’t explain well when I’m under a lot of stress.
