How to Spot Damage in Your Denver Home’s Stained Glass Windows

A lot of the stained glass and leaded glass in this country is nearing or at the 100-year mark. It is right around this time that stained glass will begin need restoration barring any unforeseen problems due to accidental breakage or something stemming from poor craftsmanship. So, if you own an older home in Denver area and you have stained glass windows, for the proper and timely care it may be time to have your stained glass looked at by a professional. However, just because your glass is old, does not necessarily mean it needs restoration. There are ways you can tell just by looking at your stained glass that repairs are imminent though–below are some things to look for in your aging stained glass windows to give you an idea of whether or not it needs repair or simply cleaned.

Look for Deterioration on Your Stained Glass

The stained glass on your window is actually very durable and relatively immune to natural deterioration from normal aging. In fact, American glass is very stable because of the composition of the glass. However, this does not mean the glass cannot be damaged over time or succumb to environmental elements. Some obvious signs the glass in your Denver home’s stained glass needs repair are scratches and abrasions–which can impede the clarity of your glass. Chemical agents and smog also build up on your glass over time–making it look old and dingy. Other signs of deterioration besides your glass simply looking dull are tiny cracks and chips in the glass. Of course, broken panels are a sure sign of deterioration and in all reality need to be dealt with sooner rather than later because they can lead to the break down of the entire structure. If your stained glass has broken glass or missing panels, it is for sure time to have it restored, lest more damage ensues.

Look for Structural Deterioration on Your Stained Glass

The most common and sinister way leaded stained glass breaks down is through the skeletal structure that holds the glass in place. This means the frame itself or the leaded caming holding the pieces of glass together starts to rot, deteriorate or sag. When frames start to fail it looks like the frame is sagging. When caming starts to fail, you will see missing leading and even the cracking of glass near or connected to the frame. This type of damage absolutely needs to be taken care of immediately because the stained glass could fall out from simple wind pressure or vibration.

Look for Signs Your Stained Glass is Dirty Or Needs Cleaning

Even though stained glass typically needs repair every 100 years or so, sometimes stained glass, even very old stained glass, is perfectly fine and just needs a thorough professional cleaning to take it back to its original shine. This is usually the case because over time dirt, soot, and grime build up on both sides of the glass from pollution, smoke, and oxidation. Hiring a professional stained glass company does the cleaning is important since aggressive cleaning with the wrong chemicals will cause damage and muddle the glass’s transparency. Regular cleaning is also necessary to avoid build-up of chemicals or air pollutants which, if left on too long make the cleaning harder and very time-consuming and also carries the risk of long-term damage.

See more about stained glass repair and cleaning in the video below:

Contact us at Denver Stained Glass to have your stained glass inspected by a true professional today!