New Windows - Glazing kite mark

DairyQueen

Probably a naive question but could someone in the know please advise.

Are glazing 'kite marks' a regulatory thing?

We are in the midst of a major house refurbishment. This week the glazing company began installing replacement composite windows. We visited the site today to check progress and have discovered that each of the panes is embossed with what seems to be a 'kite mark'. Each pane has a false glazing bar dividing it vertically. On some the mark is at a top corner, in others the bottom corner. 

I have never seen glass marked in this way and it impacts the aesthetics of the windows (and not in a good way), especially when the mark has been embossed in a top corner. We were not advised about this and I don't recall seeing it on any samples.

Are we being dumb?

Another minor thing....

One window has a double casement (both sides opening with one LH hinged and the other RH). The handles don't align although the horizontal glazing bars do. Should we expect the handles to align? One handle is about a centimetre below the other.

TIA.

pmartin86

As for the kitemark, its dependant on the location of the windows:

When do I need safety glass in doors and windows, and what type? (labcfrontdoor.co.uk)

But regardless, you honestly wont notice it after a while.

As for the handles, id expect them to be level personally.

jonnydeppiwish!

If you don’t like the kite marks in the top corner, just take the panes out and reorientate them. Whilst the glazing company are on site, get them to do it. It’s literally a 4 min job per pane max.

DairyQueen

pmartin86 said:

As for the kitemark, its dependant on the location of the windows:

When do I need safety glass in doors and windows, and what type? (labcfrontdoor.co.uk)

But regardless, you honestly wont notice it after a while.

As for the handles, id expect them to be level personally.

Thanks for the link - useful.

None of the windows fitted so far meet the criteria for safety glass so I am still in the dark re: why this has been used (supposing this is the reason for the embossed mark). 

We have a meeting with the contractor on site tomorrow and the glaziers should be there. We will ask the question.

NSG666

DairyQueen said:

Probably a naive question but could someone in the know please advise.

Are glazing 'kite marks' a regulatory thing?

We are in the midst of a major house refurbishment. This week the glazing company began installing replacement composite windows. We visited the site today to check progress and have discovered that each of the panes is embossed with what seems to be a 'kite mark'. Each pane has a false glazing bar dividing it vertically. On some the mark is at a top corner, in others the bottom corner. 

I have never seen glass marked in this way and it impacts the aesthetics of the windows (and not in a good way), especially when the mark has been embossed in a top corner. We were not advised about this and I don't recall seeing it on any samples.

Are we being dumb?

Another minor thing....

One window has a double casement (both sides opening with one LH hinged and the other RH). The handles don't align although the horizontal glazing bars do. Should we expect the handles to align? One handle is about a centimetre below the other.

TIA.

I think the kitemark shows that the units have safety glass in them as all mine with safety glass have them but none of the others. At the moment you notice it because you are looking closely but in real life you won't.

DairyQueen

On some of the panes the mark is really noticeable. Depends on the backdrop and on the location of the mark.

@jonnydeppiwish! suggested removing reorienting the panes but I'm not sure that's possible. Please take a look at the attached image and comment.

Below is a pic of one of the windows. Each of these three panes has the mark in the top corner (as do most of the windows fitted so far). The pic doesn't really show the marks that well but they really grab your attention when standing in front of the window.

I really like the windows and they have cost (for us) a small fortune, but these marks really spoil the aesthetics.

Any idea why the company has used safety glass?

NSG666

DairyQueen said:

On some of the panes the mark is really noticeable. Depends on the backdrop and on the location of the mark.

@jonnydeppiwish! suggested removing reorienting the panes but I'm not sure that's possible. Please take a look at the attached image and comment.

Below is a pic of one of the windows. Each of these three panes has the mark in the top corner (as do most of the windows fitted so far). The pic doesn't really show the marks that well but they really grab your attention when standing in front of the window.

I really like the windows and they have cost (for us) a small fortune, but these marks really spoil the aesthetics.

Any idea why the company has used safety glass?

If the glazing is less than (I think) 800mm from the floor then it needs safety glass - if you google 'safety glass zones' you'll find the info.

Those marking certainly look more prominent than the ones on my units. One thing I did notice is that one of the markings is the opposite way round to the others. This is a potential concern as my DG units have different inner and outer glass and should be installed with the correct face to the outside as one has a coating. Yours might just be not coated glass bot inside and out though.

pramsay13

They do look quite obvious and I'm not sure I would be okay with it.

Funnily enough we've just had a new window put in and after looking closely I've just noticed a small kite mark less than 2 cm wide right in the corner, so even though I was looking at this every while they were installing it and very closely afterwards I didn't notice it. 

I assume it's etched into the glass rather than stuck on so I'm not sure there's much you can do now other than make sure they all align but I would complain so they know. I'm sure there will be other manufacturers they can use in the future that will be different.

DairyQueen

pramsay13 said:

I assume it's etched into the glass rather than stuck on so I'm not sure there's much you can do now other than make sure they all align but I would complain so they know. I'm sure there will be other manufacturers they can use in the future that will be different.

It seems to be etched on the inside of the outer panel of each double-glazed unit but good point about the difference in orientation. I'll ask about that.

There doesn't seem to be any consistency with location.... top/bottom/right/left.... and, yes, some with the mark facing outside and some facing inside.

None of the windows fitted so far are less than 800mm from the floor so no need for safety glass.

The windows are being supplied and fitted under a main contractor statement of works. Our contract isn't with the glazing firm directly and the windows have been technically specified by an architect.

I will discuss with the contractor/architect tomorrow as I am really unhappy about the way the glass looks from the inside.

Very grateful for the replies.