Pilkington self cleaning roof glass and silicone sealant spill

[QuestionsQuestions]

Recently I had the window company that fitted our conservatory come and replace a bowed frame where 2 pieces of glass join. In doing this they have smeared silicone sealant over parts of the roof glass which looks ugly.
What is the correct method for removing this without damaging the self cleaning coating underneath..i need to know so when they come back they don't make a bad job worse by ruining the glass and then having to have that replaced.

Anyone any experience with this type of glass that can offer useful advice?

Thanks

 

[crank39]

I don't think there is one to be honest, the self clean coating is quite delicate so anything other than warm soapy water is a no no, dried silicone will need a solvent to remove it but the solvent will strip the coating. Whenever I/we were fitting self clean roofs we all wore gloves, the supplier also applied a peel off protective film wrapper which we left on till the last minute and we peeled it off as we worked backwards off the roof, thats how delicate the coating is

 

[QuestionsQuestions]

Thanks.

It'll be interesting then to see what the window company suggest in orer to resolve the fact their workmen have smeared sealant over the roof glass...i am thinking they will attempt to remove it using a solvent! How will I know if the coating underneath has in fact been damaged? The glass itself is slightly blue so will this change? Thanks again

 

[Notch7]

Its tricky

Thanks.

It'll be interesting then to see what the window company suggest in orer to resolve the fact their workmen have smeared sealant over the roof glass...i am thinking they will attempt to remove it using a solvent! How will I know if the coating underneath has in fact been damaged? The glass itself is slightly blue so will this change? Thanks again

The solar control tint is not a surface coating, you cant rub it off.

Dont use a razor blade -it can scratch the self clean coating.

Self clean glass is a pain, the surface is not smooth like normal glass and it never cleans up sparkly clean.

Oils in silicone stop the self clean working. Im not sure how to remove it other than pull of lumps manually when dry rather than smearing.

 

[crank39]

The blue tint is part of the glass much like a brown beer bottle so you can't damage that. My guess is they'll use uPVC solvent cleaner to dissolve the silicone which is fine on glass with no coating and scraping it with a Stanley knife blade will scratch it too.

Wherever the silicone was and has been cleaned you may start seeing patches where the rain water doesn't bead up and roll off rather it just sits there.

 

[ronniecabers]

there is/was a cleaner available ( can't remember its name ) but should have been used whilst the silicone was wet, now I fear that is that as they say ... I qwould probably push for a new unit , as already stated , any solvent /abrasive cleaner or razor blades/ scrapers is going to mark / damage / remove the coating

 

[crank39]

Wonder if Isopropyl alchohol would work, or acetone or meths? But as you say the silicone has now set so maybe even pvc solvent cleaner wouldn't dissolve it anyway, see this is what happens you wipe you fingers on your trousers after sealing up, or should that be tracksuit bottom wearing chav?

 

[ronniecabers]

I would guess that the cleaner that is/was available probably is Isopropyl based. It being dry silicone is a right pain ... they would have been better off at least trying to ' dab ' it off before it set. I never smear on to my clothes... copious amounts of rag that used once goes straight in a bin!

 

[Gazman16]

I'm sure I read somewhere white spirit is recommended for Pilk activ blue (its what I have been using)

 

[crank39]

I've asked specialists from Saint-Gobain. No matter how they will clean it. Unfortunately silicon already damaged the bio-clean surface.
In my opinion they should replace the unit.

Only it's not a saint gobain bio clean roof, pilkington activ might be a different make up?

 

[Notch7]

Wonder if Isopropyl alchohol would work, or acetone or meths? But as you say the silicone has now set so maybe even pvc solvent cleaner wouldn't dissolve it anyway, see this is what happens you wipe you fingers on your trousers after sealing up, or should that be tracksuit bottom wearing chav?

Solvent does get the silicon off, but rubbing to clean it off spreads traces of it into the coating which then doesnt act in the same way. I know my site manager uses something that seems to work, Ill ask him what he uses.

Staining from lead is a pain thats difficult to clean off.