The Truth About Self-Cleaning Windows

The Truth About Self-Cleaning Windows

We are living in a world today where just about anything you can imagine is possible. If you are old enough to remember the television cartoon the Jetsons, many of the technologies imagined in that show are a reality today, thanks to science and engineering. So it’s no surprise that a very smart person has actually invented a self-cleaning window. Yes, you read that right. There is such a thing as a self-cleaning window. Before you run out and buy replacement windows for your home or business, here are some important things you need to know about these new features.

What Are Self-Cleaning Windows?

No, self-cleaning windows don’t have dispensers full of washer fluid and mini-squeegees that move up and down the windows. The technology is much simpler than that. While there are a few types of self-cleaning windows, the most common and most successful are coated with a very, very thin layer of titanium dioxide. For the artists out there, titanium dioxide is recognizable as bright white paint. This chemical is spread over the glass, creating a barrier on the window of sorts. Now, you may be wondering how you are able to see through windows that are covered with white paint, but the reality is that the layer of titanium dioxide is so thin that it is impossible to tell that it is there, and there is very little loss of light or vision through these windows. So little in fact, that most people cannot tell the difference between self-cleaning windows and normal windows.

How Does Titanium Dioxide Clean Windows?

This is some pretty fancy science, actually. Normal glass is “hydrophobic”, or water repelling. This means that when water hits the window, it beads up and runs off, usually creating streaks and spots. Titanium dioxide changes the glass, making it “hydrophilic”, or water-loving. When rain or snow hits a self-cleaning window it links together with other water drops and creates a sheet that runs off the window. This sheeting action also grabs dirt and grime, essentially cleaning the window using natural precipitation.

Do Self-Cleaning Windows Work in Michigan?

There are places that self-cleaning windows are awesome. Hawaii, for instance. However, southeast Michigan just isn’t one of those places. For self-cleaning windows to really work, and to get the biggest benefit from the cost of this technology, your home or business really needs to be in a place that has heavy, weekly precipitation events. Our normal rain showers and irregular snow storms aren’t enough precipitation to create the sheeting action necessary for self-cleaning windows to work. This means you spend a bunch of money on new windows, only to need them cleaned by a professional anyway.

Cost of Self-Cleaning Windows vs. A Professional Window Cleaner

From a financial standpoint, does it make sense to run out and buy self-cleaning windows for your home or business? Probably not. Because this technology is relatively new, it is still fairly expensive. Recent estimates indicate that self-cleaning glass will increase the cost of replacement windows by at least 20 percent. That means that a $200 window will cost $600 with self-cleaning glass. When you crunch the numbers, you can have your windows professionally cleaned by a company like D&H Window Cleaning, twice a year, for ten to twelve years, with the extra money you would spend, for self-cleaning windows.

D&H Window Cleaning knows that most home and business owners don’t love washing their windows. That’s why we provide both residential window cleaning and commercial window cleaning in southeast Michigan that is of exceptional quality, and reasonably priced. Self-cleaning windows sound like a great idea, but until the technology improves, you are better off saving your money and hiring a professional to clean your windows. To schedule a professional window cleaning for your home or business, call us today at (586) 726-2340.