Anything I need to know about cleaning this type of glass I know I can’t touch a scraper or steel wool to it
Low e should be on the inside. In between the panes. I guess when the low e is on the outside its an error by the manufacturer. You should be able to clean the window as normal. If it is on the outside you can’t use anything aggressive. You can’t use anything that contains dyes (like gg4 for instance is blue).
someone correct me if I’m wrong
Yes, low e should be on an untouchable side, but I think Pella has actually intentionally placed it on a side that you must deal with.
I was at Menards yesterday reading the cleaning directions on some windows with that low-e stuff. The directions stated not to even use a squeegee but use a soft cloth. I asked the salesman about it and he said the coating(on the windows I was looking at) was on the touchable surface-inside and out. He said you could use a squeegee, but it will eventually wear the low-e coating down. I’m thinking these windows will be a huge headache. Unfortunately, a bunch of the windows they were selling were low-e coated.
Anderson 400 series has coatings on the exteriors.
So how do you tell if they have this typw of coating on them? 
The salesman said that if you look at the window it will look like it has a slight tint to it. I also read in one of the forums here that it will feel different when you touch it. however, i dont have much experience to really say how you can tell for sure. I had picked up some free handouts of the different types of windows this store carries. I took a pic of the crosscut diagrams they have showing the low-e coating on the outside of the panes, but I can’t figure out how to post it from my phone. There was some other type of easy clean surface coating they are putting on the outside too. Just be careful.
I am doing a big CCU job soon. Over 400 windows. I think it might have this coating. Any tips to cleaning it? Good amount of paint on them. Obviously I cant scrape cuz it is all tempered glass and someone already scraped them
If they painted a bunch of coated glass they have a problem, dont make it YOUR problem., and if they scraped a bunch of tempered glass thats even more of a problem, def have a waiver.
I escaped a situation with low e glass. Sometimes the manufacturer in the process accidentally flips the pain to the wrong side. It will scratch if you use anything too abrasive.
My customer blamed me for the whole backside of the house being scratched up. 20 panes. I showed her how I cleaned the windows and was convinced I didn’t do it. The window installers blamed me and finally the manufactures showed up and said the constructed the window wrong and she was taken care of. Situation took a few weeks to deal with. Watch out for guys.
Low-E. All my builders here in CENTEX use these windows. Just as bad as tempered glass. I do construction cleaning so painted on the inside and painted out with mortar slapped in for good measure. I use a scraper. Inside is usually where the coating is. I have used steel wool, prefer bronze wool. Depending on the paint, most comes off with a scraper, sometimes I use the painters prep Goo Gone and denatured alcohol. Used thinner but like the denatured and Goo gone better. If use the Goo gone outside keep wet. Pain to clean when dry. Just be careful as you scrape. I have a squeeze bottle of solution with denatured water and slip to help the blade glide and flush whatever it gets off. There were times the razor acted like a squeegee and very little detailing after that.
Outside is different. Please go over the windows very carefully first. look for hazards on glass. Pre-soak, rinse, blade wet, glass wet to flush the mortar down. taking a scrubber is bad unless you are sure the cement is gone. Some of these windows act like tempered glass. It feels smooth and then thru the blade it feels rough, but the glass looks and feels smooth. Hmmm. If I feel the blade isnt smooth or the blade sounds different (gritty?). I stop and check it out. I make sure to point out every flaw and detail to my builders. They don’t build like “This Old House” here. Windows are meant to be painted, plastered, and mortared. Also there are some stickers that must be super glued to the glass. You are the only one worried about damage, not them, until there is a scratch then you are the evil one.
If you try a scraper and see small scratches or it doesn’t feel right you can stop and see if you can do chemical with a scrub pad, maybe synthetic steel wool (basically a 3m pad, white, soft) and a remover. Steel wool outside. No! Maybe because it gets so hot here, it rusts really quick. Rust will scratch!. Fine Bronze wool works great for me as well as the Fine Synthetic steel wool.
If you can find out who makes the window, see what they say to use. Example: Pella says you can use Barkeepers friend. Other manufacturers say 1% Hydrochloric acid to 99% water solution or Acetone.
If no paint or cement try basic window cleaning solutions. Keep it simple. Vinegar, water, Alcohol. Used Glass Gleam 3/4 and haven’t noticed anything, slip. Hard to say what works best. Have your bag of tricks at the ready and when you find a good mixture that works for you, please let us know
Run do not do it Is not worth the blame they will give you when you are done.
