Choosing and maintaining commercial windows is vastly different from the process necessary for residential windows. For starters, most commercial windows take up a lot more space — which means having suitable thickness, insulation and “greenness” is critical. Single-pane glass that isn’t eco-friendly is going to leak air and may prove too tempting for an opportunistic burglar. Plus, many windows may qualify for green tax credits (check with your CPA as the IRS standards change each year). However, installing Energy Star or other approved green windows in a commercial property might seem costlier up front, but can ultimately even out or even save your business money when tax season arrives.
Commercial windows also require faster repairs and better maintenance. In a residential home, a wayward baseball that crashes through a second-floor window can be addressed with a Band-Aid fix (such as a board over the window) until a glass shop’s business hours resume. That’s not an option for business properties. Broken glass is an invitation for criminal activity, and many commercial spaces have expensive goods and equipment that need protection.
Care Tips
Your business’ windows are often the only barrier between your store, office or industrial area and the outdoors. They’re protecting you from the elements, vandals, thieves and squatters. They also serve as a first impression. What’s more impressive: a stone façade with no windows, or a bright building full of sparkling clean windows? The choice is obvious.
One of the most important decisions you can make, after window selection and professional installation, is the quality of your routine window cleaners. Weekly cleaning is necessary, top to bottom, and daily touchups as well. Fingerprints, scratches, hairline cracks and smudges all tell passersby, employees and customers that you’re unprofessional. Glass requires regular maintenance not just for optimal safety, but for optimal looks.
Annual Maintenance
It’s best to schedule an annual inspection for you glass just like you would for your water heater or major appliances. Aim for an autumn or spring inspection, since the glass will have just withstood the most extreme weather shifts. You may have issues you can’t spot from your vantage point. Many times a small chip can be quickly repaired (often for a nominal fee), but if you let it go, it may suddenly turn into a major issue.
You and your business are only as good as your curb appeal, and in many cases glass makes up the bulk of it. For all your commercial glass needs, from repairs to upgrades, rely on Murray Glass.
