Looking at a job with front windows that have vinyl grids/grills (french style look) that are removable. The windows are made by nuair and are about 10+ yrs. old. Grids look sun dried and brittle. Should I leave them on and clean with dirt trapped behind grids(would be able to see it from inside home) or remove to clean & take chance on grid clips breaking. All homes in subdivision have this. What is your opinion. If the clips break where do you find new one’s at. Should the price of the job be higher if removed(looks like it would be time consuming). Is this a common problem ? New to trade and any info would be helpful…
Won’t be able to help you on that one Ted, I have zero removable grids around here.
Where are you located ? You should fill your location on the UserCP
I would do a window without taking the grid off, then one where you do take it off, ask the householder which one they prefer. But, explain to them that the grid’s are old and could be brittle, and may very well break. If they’re fine with that, just be careful removing them.
On a side note, we have a good number of windows around here that are like that, and with good old Louisiana heat beating on them most of the year, they are still pretty strong and usually don’t break.
As far as pricing goes, anything that takes longer, charge more.
windowman
I would recommend taking them off as you can clean the glass much more efficiently with them off. We broke two last year and I got them (Anderson windows) at 84 lumber on back order and put them back in once I received them. (about $15 each)
Another reason I would recommend taking them off is that if they are in bad shape already you most likely will be banging them while detailing and still possibly damaging them.
You can clean with them in place but it isn’t easy. Rag and spray is probably best.
Good Luck!
Have the client sign a waiver that they won’t hold you responsible if they break due to age. We have a ton of removable grids around here ranging from vinyl to wood. They all become brittle w/ age and all my customers are aware they may break when removed. Many choose to leave them out when they get to this point.
I would think trying to clean them in place is borderline insane. We have a ton of them around here to, the vinyl ones rarely break with a reasonable amount of care. Tell the customer you won’t be responsible if they do, or walk. Enjoy the fingertip burn!
Isn’t WFP best?
My bad-I was thinking interior grids. Are there such thing as removable outside grids? Never seen um around here.
I was under the assumption he was talking about interior grids. I have never come across any exterior removable grids.
I finished up a large home this morning that has the fake mullions in the style of French doors. The grids were on the outside as well as the inside of the doors.
While these are removable they are often painted over so taking them off may mess up the paint work.
I use one wet and one dry micro fiber towel to scrub clean and buff dry the interiors and usually WFP the exterior. I don’t ever spray the glass that has the floating fake grids. The solution will run under the grids and you can’t detail it dry so it will continue to run.
Today I didn’t have my WFP rig out because it was a first clean (in years it appeared) so I used one wet and one dry micro fiber to clean the exterior of the fake French doors.
Thanks for all the advice.I’ve been calling window companies in area to see who might carry replacement grid clips for nuair type windows(not much luck).It looks to have been a popular style around here with some of these builders.Thankfully the newer homes the grigs are between the panes. Thanks again
bbart can you post a pic of these windows/grates?
I have put many grids back where most or all of the fasteners were gone or broke without any problems.
I always recommend that the grids get chucked if they are too bad.
I have broke some too and still put them back in and nobody could tell.
But, you did tell the homeowner, right?
