My double glazing is scratched

[diyblonde]

Hi there
I am having double glazing fitted (as I type), the windows and a 3-pane concertina door are in and being finished... but...
I have noticed some scratches on two of the door panes and a few of the windows.

I have paid a deposit but not the rest yet.
The fitter has told me that there is a regulation in the UK that states you have to be able to see the scratch with the naked eye from a required distance.

Is this true? Or is this a convenient fabrication?

If so what is the distance? Also what if I actually can see the scratches but the double glazing firm say they cannot ... what then? As a consumer paying (quite a lot of) money for this double glazing can I demand that the scratched panes be replaced?
thanks for any help and/or advice you can give on this matter...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Regulation eh? I'd ask him to prove it. They're pulling a fast one.

 

[crank39]

Unfortunately the fitters aren't telling porkies, the GGF (glass and glazing federation) have guidelines for this exact thing, you have to stand back 3m at 90 degrees to the glass and if you can't see the scratch then its deemed acceptable.

A company i worked for years ago had this issue with a customer, some of the glass we fitted was scratched, it was infact pointed out by us to the customer, we said lets fit it as a temp measure as we couldnt physically get replacements made that quick and we replaced all the scratcthed ones but the customer went round all of them with a magnifying glass and more or less found marks on every unit, we replaced again but some of the replacements were just as bad, this is where the GGF ruling helped the company out saying by its very nature you have to accept some marks and they reffered us to their guidelines.

I would speak with the GGF personally to get the correct up to date guide

44-48 Borough High Street
London SE1 1XB
Tel 0870 042 4255
Fax 0870 042 4266
Glass and Glazing Federation www.ggf.org.uk

It will also help lots if the company is GGF accredited.

Do not pay anymore money till you have your answer

 

[diyblonde]

thanks FMT and Crank39 ... my first reaction was also "no way there are regulations about scratches" but it would seem there are!
Thanks for the help Crank, it was good to know this info before talking with the DG company. I am in the process of sorting it out and so far the company is being very co-operative and replacing the scratched panes.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well you learn something new every day on this site.

 

[Voyager220v]

I have a similar issue - 95% of units are scratched. Obviously the scratches vary but many appear to be from manufacture. Typically anything from 3-7 cm long , running as a dash dot type of pattern in a straight line - often being several rows in width say 2-5mm in total. In many cases there are two bands of these groups of marks. They show up best in bright light or against a dark backdrop.

I’ve been quoted the same as the previous poster re "acceptable" my question is its fine for an industry body to rule on what’s acceptable (a body that works on behalf of the industry I suspect – can anyone comment on this?). However its law and my rights that I’m more interested in.

When sold the glazing I wasn’t told all glass will be scratched as I’ve described and honestly I wouldn’t have purchased them if I had been told that. The old glass wasn’t scratched so I don’t see why the new should be.

The glazing company is being fine about it thus far and replacing all the marked units, the rub is they cant guarantee that the replacements wont be equally marked. At some point I suspect they will stop replacing units so I’m interested in anyone else’s experiences or insight.

Many Thanks

 

[crank39]

Generally its imperfections like tin marks from when the glass was floated, or tiny air bubbles from the same process, sometimes before the moulten glass is poured onto the mouten tin you may get something settle on the tin like dust or a fly, daddy long legs and then you get left with a mark. Scratches are just from poor handling or stacking and IMO shouldn't be accepted

 

[Voyager220v]

Thank you and obviously I agree with you. Will see what happens when the next batch is delivered.