Protecting stained glass in church and historic buildings
Many of our Churches throughout Ireland have had storm glazing or protective anti-vandalism secondary glazing installed that has lead to the damage and accelerated deterioration of the glass and lead network which these systems where intended to protect.
non-ventilated storm glazing is the most common form of damage inducing factors. These faulty systems trap moisture and condensation between the glass and the storm glazing glass which will continually erode the glass, deteriorate the lead, putty and rot a wooden frame.
Proper venting is critically important for the preservation of your stained-glass heritage. Solar gain is trapped between the stained-glass window and protective glazing which causes changes in temperature. This creates expansion and contraction cycles these destabilizes the component of the windows construction.
The reinforcing systems will fail, bulging and cracking of the stained glass and premature metal fatigue and deterioration of the lead in a stained-glass window will happen at an accelerated pace.
We have been commissioned to remove and replace these obsolete and detrimental glazing and replace with our vented 100% water proof storm glazing systems.
Advice for a quick inspection to examine if a moisture problem exists with old wooden windows
From the outside of the building:
- Is there green organic mold growing within the single-glazed protective covering?
- look at the surface of the lead behind the single-glazed protective covering. If you detect a white “lead oxide” powder (the equivalent of rust on steel); this window has a problem.
- For wooden frames- check for rot;
- For steel frames- check for rust;
- If stone, check for spalling.
From the interior of the building:
- Check the stained-glass window for sagging, bulging and cracks in the stained-glass panes.
- Check the stained-glass window for the determination of glazing cement pulling out of the flanges of the lead came.
If any of these indicators are apparent then giving us a call to perform a full comprehensive expert survey on the apparent damage and structural integrity of your stained glass windows would be something that we would highly recommend.