Self cleaning glass technology

Self cleaning glass by Pilkington

Following on from years of development, Pilkington has produced a self cleaning glass which is becoming widely used through the construction industry; the self cleaning glass is also known as Pilkington Activ. Self cleaning glass uses a transparent coating of titanium dioxide applied during the manufacturing process. The transparent coating is applied to hot glass during the forming process to form a strong, long-lasting bond, which makes the coating an integral part of the outer glass surface.

The self cleaning properties work through a two stage process the first of which is known as photocatalytic which works through ultra violet light. This light from the sun energizes the coating to help slowly break down and loosen organic dirt. Since UV light is abundant even on cloudy days or in shaded areas, this process works nonstop throughout the day.

The second stage is known as hydrophilic which prevents the rainwater when hitting the glass from forming droplets, spreading out, or sheeting across the surface of the glass. When rain or a light spray of water hits the window, the water carries away the dirt loosened by the photocatalytic action. This sheeting action also helps the window dry quickly with minimal spotting or streaking.

When considering a new build or when having new glass windows fitted to your residential or commercial building, the Pilkington Activ system should be given consideration. Even if a window does not have a self cleaning system this process can be applied to the glass panes and is fast becoming common place in London and many other areas. The leading London professional, fully insured window cleaning company NCPM247.com use unique Swiss developed formula called Hydrostorm™ which is a hydrophobic rain repellent that has the ability to keep glass surfaces clean for twice as long compared to a standard wash.

Thanks to these developments, glass stays cleaner for longer periods of time, thus reducing the maintenance costs of a building. The self cleaning glass technique can be applied to both solar glass as well as blue tinted glass to keep the area cool, ideal for conservatories and out houses.