Self-Cleaning Windows: The Wave of the Future or Science Fiction?

Being a homeowner is generally a satisfying experience—at least most of the time. After all, owning your home means you’re in control of the investment and have the power to make most of the decisions regarding its upgrades and décor choices.

However, being a homeowner means you’re also responsible for the continual upkeep and maintenance of your property, including your windows. Snow, dirt, dust, rain, and other materials can build up over time on traditional windows. To date, the only remedy has been to climb the ladder and squeegee the windows yourself (or to have a professional window company handle it). However, a relatively new window product has come on the scene that might possibly revolutionize the way we look at (and through) our windows.

If self-cleaning windows sound like a dream come true to you, keep reading to learn more about this new window product and how it can help reduce your home maintenance and cleaning requirements.

How Self-Cleaning Windows Work

During the spring season, spring cleaning suddenly becomes a priority and home improvement projects jump to the top of the list of things to do. In particular, spring is one of the most popular times for homeowners to focus on window upkeep—including repairs, replacements, and maintenance.

Self-cleaning window products can feel like a breath of fresh air for those that hate dealing with streaky, hard-to-clean glass surfaces. Also known as solar windows, self-cleaning windows are specially designed to use the UV rays of the sun to break down the dirt and debris left on the window so that regular rain or light water spray can wash it away.

These windows are layered with a chemical known as titanium dioxide. This chemical is what causes the reaction with the UV rays. The coating is ultra-thin, meaning that you can expect a mere 5% or less reduction in the amount of light passing through while enjoying the fact that you never have to break out the squeegee again.

Cleaning Your Self-Cleaning Windows

Before you throw away the water bucket and donate your ladder, there are a few things to be aware of before you upgrade to solar windows.  To date, this coating only works for the outside pane of the window, which means continuing the inside cleaning routine for your windows throughout the year.

The Cost of Self-Cleaning Window Installation or Replacement

In addition, this option is more costly than traditional windows. Most of this is due to the fact that this is a relatively new frontier when it comes to window design, and smarter home products tend to be more expensive than older, less-innovative ones with fewer features.

While product prices will vary from dealer to dealer, and depending on the quality of the brand you’re purchasing, most self-cleaning window products will cost more and last longer over time. They can also be an important feature to list should you plan to sell your home, as homes with smart technology (and new window installations) reflect higher values than those without.

A Long-Term Investment

It’s important to remember that this type of window is meant to be a long-term investment. The results are not immediate and may take a few “rinses” from rain showers to for the UV rays to properly activate the compound.

For those who really hate cleaning windows, hire someone else to do it, or have inaccessible windows you may find yourself saving money and time down the road thanks to investing in solar windows.

Windows with Auburn Corp

The team at Auburn Corp is proud to offer a wide variety of products from the Marvin and Provia brands. We carry every type of window from double-hung and bow windows to glider and awning windows, and others. We strive for 100% customer satisfaction, which is why we go above and beyond with our customization options and provide attentive, personalized service from start to finish.

In addition to superior design and service, our windows are energy-efficient and backed by an unbeatable warranty. Each one of our windows is professionally installed by one of our home remodeling professionals. We use AutoCAD drafting to ensure that every aspect of your installation is perfectly measured making for a perfect fit for your new windows.

Our window offerings include:

• Single Hung
• Glider
• Casement
• Awning
• Custom
• … and many more!

If you’re interested in replacement windows or would like to learn more about our self-cleaning window products, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call at Auburn Corporation to speak with one of our agents about our professional window services, or fill out our online form to schedule your free, in-home price quote.