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From the: THE HOME FRONT Years after ovens went self-scrubbing, toilets self-flushing and stamps self-sticking, windows still expect humans to do the work. That may well be changing as a new type of window that is self-cleaning is offered by more manufacturers. In 2001, Pilkington, a British building-products company, introduced Activ, a self-cleaning glass. When exposed to ultraviolet light, the glass's titanium-dioxide coating breaks down organic material — which includes most dirt. The coating also causes water to sheet, rather than cling. After the dirt decomposes, rain washes it away. In 2003, Pittsburg-based PPG Industries introduced Sun Clean, a similar product. Marion Weiss, a Manhattan architect who used the glass at a museum in Ithaca, N.Y., says, "It's like Cascade in the dishwasher." The museum's giant window, she says, sparkles without being washed. In spite of its labor-saving appeal, the product hasn't yet become a widespread phenomenon. The market has grown 5-10% each year since the technology was introduced, says a representative from Pilkington. One obstacle is that three of the leading residential-window manufacturers — Anderson, Marvin, Pella — haven't incorporated the glass into any of their products. Anthony Head, a product planner at Marvin, said that the silicone the company uses as a sealant "deactivates the self-cleaning properties" of the glass. "It's a technology that we've been evaluating," said Cameron Snyder of Anderson, but added that further development is necessary. Replacement-window companies, however, have been including the glass in their inventory. This spring, Window-Fix, Inc., of Brooklyn, N.Y., began selling self-cleaning windows. Glass for a standard-size double-hung window costs around $220 he says, compared to about $180 for non self-cleaning version. The glass is indistinguishable from ordinary glass. As long as there's sun and rain, the glass should clean itself, Mr. Cappello said. (The glass is not recommended for windows that are set back or would otherwise stay dry.) Self-cleaning glass is billed as being environmentally friendly, since it helps reduce the need for chemical cleaners, but there is a trade-off — instead of using a bucketful of water for washing, homeowners in arid areas may use gallons of water to hose off their house's windows. Still, it's worth it to Jim Schneider. Mr. Schneider, an electrical contractor in Toledo, Ohio and his wife, Mary, bought self-cleaning glass last summer. His cleaning regimen consists of getting a hose and spraying the sides of his house. "It's nice that we don't have to get out the ladder for the second-floor windows," he says. |
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