When setting up a permanent or temporary lawn sprinkling system, you often take into account what places you want to get the most water. You might take into account which way the water will flow or even what time of the day to turn them on and off. One thing you probably are not thinking about is where your windows are. That’s right. You should know where the closest windows are so you can avoid them. You might be thinking that this is to prevent water from getting into the house. But if your windows are installed correctly and without issues, the water should not get in. The real issue has to do with hard water stains.
All tap water is at some level hard. Just because you do not notice it or feel that your water is fine, all water have trace minerals in it. These minerals will build up on your windows day after day as your sprinklers come on and off. What’s worse, the timing of the sprinklers will also contribute to this issue. Most sprinkler systems are set to turn on just before the sun comes up and turn off before the sun gets too high in the sky. This means that if your sprinklers have sprinkled all over a window, now the sun is beating right on the window, drying the water in the process. This scenario can have costly effects on your windows. The minerals will build up over time and cause what look like white water spots. The difference is that no matter how much soap you wash them with, the spots do not disappear. They might fade a little, but the dried on calcified minerals will need more than just a good washing to remove.
Fixing The Problem
When we run across a calcified window there are a few things we may be able to do. If the stains are light enough, a good scraping by a window razor might do the trick. If this does not work, we may use a piece of steel wool and some soap to remove the minerals. Finally, if the calcification does not come off, we may have no choice but to try using an acid based solution to chemically break up the minerals. These chemicals are harsh and must be handled with gloves and safety glasses. Although we do have a variety of tricks to remove the stains, the reality is that the tricks can cause scratches to the window or chemical stains to window sills. We do take all necessary precautions; there is no guarantee that there will not be any damage caused by scratches while removing the stains. And the reality is that the window is already damaged, and we are trying to restore it as much as we can. Simply replacing the window could cost as much as $300.
Preventing The Problem
Prevention is the best fix. When planning your sprinkler system layout or temporary sprinkler placement, turn it on and see where the water actually goes. Also, think about where the wind might take the water in a windy day. If your sprinkler system is already installed, perhaps something as simple as a strategically placed lawn chair or planting a bush in the right place way block the water from the sprinkler from hitting the window. Preventing the window from getting periodic tap water sprinkled on it will prolong the life of the window and preserve its appearance. This is not to mention the fact that wooden window sills and trim may swell and rot if exposed to excessive water over a long period of time.
