Prevention is better than cure

Inspection, maintenance and cleaning of glass roof and glass facade structures

Glass facades and roofs not only provide optimal transparency and natural light, but also offer beautiful sightlines, interesting vistas and a special sense of spaciousness. To ensure that building users can enjoy these benefits for as long as possible, periodic inspection, maintenance and cleaning are necessary. Kingspan Light + Air responds to this with customized inspection, service and maintenance contracts, which are offered to the building owner as standard upon project delivery. For example, to guarantee the safety, durability and aesthetics of the glass construction for the long term.

If a glass roof, skylight or façade becomes contaminated and leaks, there can be unpleasant consequences. In companies, the continuity of the production process can be jeopardized. Covered shopping centers are suddenly a lot less attractive, and in residential complexes, residents can no longer enjoy their atrium or courtyard garden, not to mention the financial consequences. Building owners who want to stay ahead of these problems would do well to have regular inspection, maintenance and cleaning done. "The investment for inspection, maintenance and cleaning more than pays for itself," believes Frenk van Aggelen, Director of Sales at Kingspan Light + Air. "A well-kept property appearance contributes to the image of the organization and the (rental) value of a well-maintained property is significantly higher. Moreover, here too, prevention is better than cure. Fortunately, more and more building owners are aware of this."

Comprehensive inspection

The Kingspan Light + Air team puts its heart and soul into properly inspecting, maintaining and cleaning glass roof and glass facade structures every day. "We invariably install our glass structures with warranty requirements, which we conform to the VMRG guidelines," Frenk says. "The VMRG quality requirements state very clearly that the warranty conditions only apply if adequate inspection, maintenance and cleaning is carried out. After all, only then can the glass construction retain its value for a long time." He recommends an inspection of the glass roof and glass facade structures once a year. For example, to monitor the quality of the sealant seams and the condition of the glass construction. 

Inspections are carried out by our own team of inspectors, who are specially trained for this job. For example, with an eye for working safely (the Safety Ladder), occupational health and safety and dealing with customers. "In doing so, they invariably follow the aorta procedure, which stands for sign in, investigate, repair, provide feedback and sign out," Frenk said. "We inspect in accordance with the NEN 2767 standard, which provides clear insight into the current quality of the structure. Here, our inspectors focus on safety, functionality, durability and aesthetic value retention. Are all glass components still in one piece? Or are there broken windows present? Are the cover strips still properly screwed down? Is there no sheet metal hanging loose anywhere? What about any shutters and blinds in the glass construction? Can they still be operated properly and safely? Structural components are removed in various places to check internal water drainage channels and the like. Clear photos are taken of all inspection steps, which are provided to the client including an accompanying text and in a report form." Minor defects can often be fixed on the spot. "Our inspectors have standard rubbers, sealants and small parts in their vans, so the right remedial actions can be carried out immediately. If the defects are larger, an improvement plan is drawn up together with our client."

Careful deep cleaning

Following the annual inspection, Kingspan Light + Air recommends thorough cleaning of the glass roof and glass facade structures at least twice a year. "Here we go beyond standard glass washing," Frenk emphasizes. "In fact, during our deep cleaning we tackle the entire construction, including associated rubbers, water drainage channels, sheet metal and any shutters and slats. Here, too, safety, functionality, durability and aesthetic value retention are paramount."