Tim Janssen, Author at Janssen Glass

Top 3 Costly & Dangerous Shower Door Mistakes

You went through all of that work refreshing your bathroom. Don’t let the decisions you make along the way result in having to tear the whole project up. Here are three common shower door installation mistakes that can result in having to undo all of your hard work.

Cutting Corners

Cheap products often require replacement sooner than quality materials. You may be drawn in by ultra-affordable materials, but you won’t enjoy tearing flooring and sheetrock out due to water damage. Many shower doors are not water tight so it is important to evaluate the other surfaces for water tightness. If you already have puddles on your floor, cutting corners can lead to even more additional damage with every shower.

Call Janssen Glass & Door today for tips on how best to care for your glass shower doors, or to professionally install glass shower doors at (913) 677-5727.

Easy Solutions to the 4 Most Common Shower Problems

Let me guess, you’re having some issues with your shower. It’s not time to renovate, but there are a few small things that get on your nerves.

Don’t worry! Janssen Glass has a few tips for helping you eliminate common shower problems.

Less Than Sparkling Glass

Don’t make these common mistakes with glass shower doors. If your glass is looking lackluster, it might be time to switch up your cleaning routine! Make sure to clean top to bottom, with a quality solution, to avoid getting dirt or debris on the parts you’ve already cleaned.

Many homeowners don’t know that ammonia can taint your glass by creating a film or tint. If you’re looking for a quality cleaning solution, Sprayway is a great ammonia-free option that leaves a spotless finish.

Put the paper towels down! Paper towels and old rags can leave behind lint. If your goal is streak-free glass, use a lint-free cotton cloth and squeegee.

Fix That Dreaded Drip

Tired of hearing “drip, drip, drip” all night long? Don’t rip out the faucet in a fit of rage. There might be a solution to the drip, without replacing the whole showerhead.

It may be time to replace the cartridge inside your faucet. Instructions vary by manufacturer, but in most cases you can install the new cartridge yourself. Make sure to turn off the water supply and check out this how-to guide for single-handle, cartridge-style faucets.

Gross Grout

Homeowners often get aggressive with their grout, too aggressive. Grout can be damaged by the use of bleach and other highly abrasive chemicals. Mild cleaning solutions, some elbow grease, and a stiff brush are your best bet for clean grout. If your problem is mildew, here are some tips for getting rid of mold and mildew.

Shower Leaks

Do you have puddles around your shower? Remember that glass shower doors are not watertight! If you suspect issues around the frame of your shower, normal use does take its toll, consider replacing shower caulking.

For more tips from the professionals at Janssen Glass, check out our blog, here! If it’s time for a new shower door, call Janssen Glass at (913) 677-5727.

Window Problems That Lower Your Resale Value

Like most sellers, you want to get the most that you can for your house when you put it on the market. You already know where the problems are. Some are relatively easy, inexpensive DIY fixes, like a fresh coat of paint in the living room or replacing the damaged molding in the bedroom.

But what about a bigger, more expensive issue, like the windows? Most of them are in decent shape, but you’ve got a couple that are foggy-looking, and one of them has a small crack and a chip in it. Another one is a little drafty. Is it worth the expense to fix those glass issues? The short answer is yes.

Fixing Bad Windows Is a Smart Move

Windows are an important component in a home’s integrity. You wouldn’t want to buy a house with a leaky roof or with no insulation! Even if you liked the house in spite of those problems, you’d want the seller to lower the price to compensate for the fact that you’d need to replace the roof, or tear down walls to add insulation. The same applies to windows.

Common Window Problems and Solutions

We live in a time of rising energy costs, and buyers want those costs to be as low as possible. So let’s take a look at how a window professional would address your issues:

Foggy windows mean that the seal between glass layers has failed and moisture has gotten in. This is more of an aesthetic problem than anything else, but it’s not going away, and will get worse over time. The best remedy is replacement.
Cracked or broken windows are a common problem, especially when the homeowner is trimming with the weed whacker too near the house! Sometimes the glass will break simply because the window was “painted-in” and then forced open. Whatever the reason, depending how much damage occurred, it needs a repair or a replacement.
Drafty windows are a problem, because the draft means they are definitely leaking warm air and letting cold air in during the winter (and vice-versa in summer). You can try a DIY repair with weather-stripping or caulk. If that works, great! If not, replacement is in order.

Windows That Are Fixed Help Your Selling Price Stay Fixed

Spending money upfront to fix your glass issues will almost certainly cost less than coming down substantially on your selling price, not to mention that a well-cared for house sells faster than one with obvious problems.

If you’ve got window problems, contact us online or call us at (913) 677-5727. Janssen Glass has been providing expert window replacement and repair services in Overland Park and surrounding areas for more than three decades and have a 99% customer satisfaction record!

Can You Spot the Janssen Glass Push-Pull Sticker?

If you live in, or have visited, the great city of Kansas City, chances are you’ve probably seen it. It adorns more than 25,000 doors in the city and around the country. You can’t miss it. We’re talking about the infamous Janssen Glass Push-Pull sticker. It’s our way of letting you know we stand behind our work — a guarantee.

Here at Janssen Glass & Door, it is our job to not only ensure your business makes a good first impression on your customers, but also to make sure it stays safe and secure when you’re away. With our commercial glass repair and replacement services just a phone call away, you’ll always be in good hands.

Related Read: Why it Pays to Choose a National Glass Association (NGA) Company

Commercial Glass Door Repair & Replacement in Kansas City

When something happens to the glass windows or doors on the front of your business, it can be devastating. If it isn’t fixed quickly, it can mean a loss of revenue if you have to close until repairs can be made. Whether the glass and framework on the front of your business is damaged by Mother Nature’s fury or by some other source, we have the means to fix it quickly and at any time, day or night!

In most cases, we can repair or replace broken glass and framework immediately as we stock many of the standard sizes, as well as more than a dozen manufacturers’ doors. On the rare occasion that we are unable to fix it right on the spot, our quick turnaround means you’ll be up and running in no time. Don’t let Mother Nature or the criminal ways of others drag your business down. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when you need commercial glass repair in Kansas City.

The next time you’re out and about in the city, be sure to look for our Janssen Push-Pull stickers located on business storefronts everywhere. When you see them, you’ll know that company received the best quality and customer service available, and you can too from the professionals at Janssen Glass Doors.

For more information on our commercial glass repair and replacement services in Kansas City, contact us today! We have expert techs on hand all day, every day to take your call, and we look forward to serving you.

Glass Windows Constantly Fogging? Here’s Why.

Are your glass windows constantly fogging? Chances are, if you have a window that fogs up in the hot afternoon and then loses its fog at night, that is a sign of a seal failure.

Windows that fog are supposed to have a hermetically, or airtight, seal that keeps moisture out, but if this seal is broken, water and moisture from the air are able to get into the glass. When the air is hot in the afternoon, the air moisture clings to the cold glass and creates condensation, or fog.

At first this may seem harmless, but over time, bits of bacteria or the spores of mold or other fungi may find their way in through that same broken seal. This means that over time, things will start to grow inside your panes of glass. This is no less dangerous than any other mold or bacteria infestation within your house.

How to Fix Fogging Windows

Sadly, if your window is consistently having this problem, there are no simple, lasting ways to solve it. Even if the fogging stops, that is more likely associated with changes in the weather, as the seal has already been broken and will not become airtight again on its own. In most cases, the window will have to be replaced to permanently fix this problem.

Related Read: Don’t Make These Common Mistakes Caring for Your Glass

How to Prevent Fogging Windows

Your best means to prevent a broken seal of the window is to periodically caulk the perimeter seals of the window. Furthermore, to prevent the accumulation of moisture that may either aid in the deterioration of the seal or enter the already broken seal, make sure that both sides of the window have proper air circulation. Of course, you should also make sure your windows come with a warranty.

Helpful Hint: Some companies will only provide a warranty if they both produce and install the windows themselves, so make sure to read the fine print before ordering new windows!

Janssen Glass & Door is the solution for all of your glass needs. We serve the entire Kansas City area, and would love to help with your next project. Give us a call today at (913) 677-5727 or check out our blog for more helpful tips and tricks.

The #1 Tool for a Sparkling Glass Shower Door

You may follow a routine while cleaning your glass shower door, but do you squeegee? Although the name ‘squeegee’ is less than serious, if not laughable, what is serious are the major results this cleaning tool provides while cleaning your glass shower door.

Here’s how using a squeegee will keep your beautiful Janssen Glass shower doors sparkling clean and looking their best.

Why Do Squeegees Work Best for Cleaning Glass Shower Doors?

When left on the glass or metal shower frame, water and soap residue can etch and pit the surfaces deteriorating the look and quality of glass and metal in your shower over time. Using a squeegee on your glass shower door removes this residue and also prevents mineral buildup which keeps your shower door shiny, clear, and beautiful.

We suggest cleaning your glass with a squeegee after every shower. Don’t fret, this only takes a minute or two, and it will quickly become part of your bath-time routine. Why so frequently? Using a squeegee after each shower eliminates mineral build up before it can even start, which makes cleaning a breeze and leaves your glass shower door in pristine condition for years to come!

How Do I Choose the Right Squeegee?

Pick a squeegee with replaceable silicone blades for best ongoing results.
Find one that feels comfortable in your hand. Sounds silly, but comfort counts!
Look for sturdy, lightweight construction in a squeegee. A good squeegee, like this one from Oxo, will help protect your shower over time.

What Cleaning Solution Do I Use?

Using strong chemicals in small spaces, such as bathrooms and showers is bad for your health.
Chemicals also cause damage to metals and other materials in and around your glass doors.
We recommend a cleaner that is environmentally friendly, like Method Glass Cleaner or Parsley Plus. Your mother may have convinced you that ammonia based cleaners were necessary for streak-free glass, but sorry, mom, that’s just not the case anymore.

Related Read: Don’t Make These Common Mistakes When Caring For Your Glass

Need help with a glass project? Janssen Glass is Kansas City’s go-to company for all of your glass needs. Contact us today to find out more, and make sure to keep up with Janssen’s blog for more helpful tips and tricks on how to maintain the glass in your home!

Simple Shower Solutions: How to Re-Caulk Your Shower

The stained caulk around the shower door or odd puddles outside of the shower are both signs that your shower needs some attention. If you are experiencing extensive leaking issues, it may be time for a new shower door. However, updating the caulking is an inexpensive and fairly simple way to gauge if your shower door needs a quick fix or a total replacement.

Why Updating Your Shower’s Caulking Is Important

Normal use takes its toll on shower doors in general. The sealant used to hold your door frame steady and to keep water off your floor and walls is put to the test daily by soap, shampoo, and household cleaners.

Products and abrasion cause discoloration and can cause breaches that promote mold growth within your shower. Replacing shower door caulking will leave the stall looking and feeling cleaner, and if done correctly, the new sealant will protect the bathroom walls from leaks and dampness.

Related Read: Is Your Shower Making You Sick?

Where to Start

Begin by examining the caulking around the glass door. Also, check the status of the caulking on the rest of the shower surround and tub. Identify the leaks and get smart about what kind of material the shower is made of and the most appropriate caulk to use.

Next, Gather Supplies:

Utility knife to cut away old caulking.
Putty knife to scrape away caulking and debris.
Sandpaper is optional, but can be used to further clean and smooth the surface.
Mold and mildew cleaner (or diluted white vinegar) to clean the seams and gaps and kill the mold and mildew spores.
Stiff bristled cleaning brush for scrubbing the seam before reapplying caulking
Caulking, particularly a mildew resistant type to prolong its life in your shower (Make sure you know the difference between grout and caulk, and the different caulking materials and colors available.)
Caulking gun which is used to push the caulk from the tube. A helpful hint: try borrowing one because you will need it rarely
Dry, lint-free cloth

Follow These Steps

Use the utility knife and putty knife to cut and clean away the old caulking; be sure to wear a mask to prevent mold inhalation.
Thoroughly clean the seam with anti-mildew cleaner or slightly diluted white distilled vinegar.
Let the area dry completely. Examine the seams, lightly sand any rough areas and use the cloth to wipe the area clean.
Apply a bead of caulk in one fluid line between joints, each time using a moist finger to remove excess caulk and evenly fill the seam.
Repeat on all seams until the shower is re-sealed.
Let dry completely, between 12 and 24 hours, then visually check the work as well as wet-test the areas to make sure the leaks are resolved.
Finally, you can admire the fresh clean look.

Watch This: How to Properly Caulk a Shower Stall

The experienced home improvement hobbyist can expect to spend between two and four hours doing this project, not including drying time. However, this is not a project for a novice; there is too much at stake. For instance, trapping water behind the caulk or failing to identify the real cause of puddling or mold can lead to more extensive, and expensive, problems.

To have shower caulk replaced correctly, the source of water leakage or puddling must be definitively identified. Only once the source is identified, can homeowners rest easy knowing their bathroom is ready to get back to its daily role of keeping you clean.

Looking to install a new glass shower door? Contact Janssen Glass today, and check out our blog for more helpful tips and tricks to care for the glass in your home!

Go Frameless & Show Off Your Shower Door

Glass shower doors have come a long way in recent years, offering different textures, color, design, and configuration. Shower doors are no longer used to simply keep water in the shower, but as a design element and focal point in bathrooms everywhere.

One shower door trend that is sweeping the nation is frameless shower doors. Today, we are giving you all the details on this popular trend, and how Janssen Glass can help transform your bathroom from drab to fab with one simple update: your shower door.

Why Go Frameless?

A few decades ago, frameless shower doors weren’t an option because the thin glass being used within this industry wasn’t able to stand alone without a frame for support. However, with today’s option of using heavier glass, the possibilities and benefits are endless. Below are just a few reasons to consider going frameless.

A Minor Update with Major Results

Frameless shower doors have the ability to update any bathroom. Since the introduction of frameless shower doors, framed doors are starting to look very dated. Because heavy glass is used to make frameless doors, you can stop focusing on tacky door frames. Adding a frameless shower door is a great way to update an outdated bathroom, while also adding resale value to your home.

Related Read:2016 Shower Trends to Update Your Bathroom

Expand Your Bathroom Without the Hassle of Renovation

Because frameless doors are so commanding, going frameless will make the biggest impact on updating your bathroom, especially in a smaller bathroom. By adding a frameless shower door, your bathroom will feel exponentially bigger, and will allow guests to focus on more beautiful, important aspects of your bathroom instead of your outdated shower door.

Related Read: Understanding Cost Variation In Frameless Shower Doors

Re-Focus Your Bathroom Focal Point

Replacing your shower door can provide a brand new focal point to your bathroom. Frameless glass shower doors open up your bathroom, allowing guests to appreciate the tile work and other design elements within your shower, instead of focusing on not-so-pretty things, like the toilet beside it.

Related Read: Heavy vs. Light Glass Shower Doors

Need It Customized? No Problem!

At Janssen Glass, we have over 20 glass patterns to choose from for both light to heavy glass shower doors. So if you’re just looking to repair or update the glass in your existing shower doors, we can do that.

But if you really want to be inspired, visit our residential gallery online and see how beautiful heavy glass shower doors can be. We can design and custom cut glass for any kind of shower enclosure you may need.

Ready to give your shower door the update it deserves? Contact us today or visit our website for more information on how we can make your bathroom vision a reality.

The Prime Time to Wash away Your Pollen Problem

Springtime brings loads of pollen and dust in the air, leaving that pesky green and yellow film on your outdoor glass and furniture. Many feel the urge to clean these surfaces the moment they start seeing green, but depending on the time of year, cleaning may not be worth it.

Knowing when pollen season starts and ends in your area can save you time and help you avoid useless cleaning. No one needs to waste time cleaning a mess that will reappear the next day, which is why Janssen Glass is explaining the best time to clean pesky pollen and when to wait it out.

Pollen Primetime

In general, pollen season typically lasts from early spring to late autumn, but different plants release pollen at different times.

Tree Pollen is the first to fall, starting mid-March and continuing until mid-May.

Grass Pollen is next, arriving in mid-May and staying into July.

Weed Pollen is the last pollen to fall, from the end of June all the way to September.

Helpful Tip: Depending on where you are located, find out which types of pollen are worse in your area to decide on optimal cleaning times.

To Clean or Not To Clean

With steady pollen arriving all spring and summer long, choosing when to deep clean your windows and outdoor surfaces can feel like a guessing game. However, if you wait all season long to clean, built-up pollen can be a pain to power through. In some cases, pollen buildup can get so bad that it may even require professional cleaning to completely eliminate.

To avoid this issue, we suggest staying on top of pollen problems by cleaning these outdoor surfaces once every month, followed by a deep clean in early September. If the pollen is light, it may be enough to spray it down with a hose, followed by a wipe down with your preferred glass cleaner. However, some pollens are stickier than others and may require more work to remove. For those pesky pollens, check out these alternative home solutions that can make cleaning your windows a breeze.

Pollen season doesn’t have to be a bother. Plan ahead with these tips and regular upkeep to spend less time worrying about pollen, and more time enjoying springtime.

Is Your Shower Making You Sick?

Showers are meant to cleanse away everyday grime, not add to it! The shower is the perfect place for mold to make its mark, and many people think a small amount of mildew won’t make a difference, but in reality it can make you sick, especially if you are allergic.

Here are a few ways the professionals at Janssen Glass & Door suggest getting rid of this pesky fungus.

Hot Water + Soap + Baking Soda

This solution can be used for mild cases of mold in your shower. Here’s what you’ll need:

One teaspoon of liquid soap
One cup of baking soda
Enough hot water to form a paste

Directions: Spread this solution where mold is present and let it sit for an hour or two. After sitting, rinse the area and repeat if necessary.

Helpful Tip: Add a few drops of essential oil to your mix reduce the moldy odor.

Bleach + Water

This solution is for more stubborn, matured mold. Bleach is good for this because it doesn’t just remove mold, it kills it.

Spray bottle
Gloves
Scrub brush
1 part bleach
2 parts water

Directions: Mix this solution together and spray the moldy area with solution. Let it dry completely and then spray the area a second time, this time scrubbing the area with a brush. After that, rinse and repeat until mold is gone.

Related Read: How to Clean Shower Door Tracks

Mild White Vinegar

This is a great way to not only remove existing mold, but to prevent it from coming back. Vinegar reportedly kills 82% of mold species, so spraying shower surfaces with vinegar on a regular basis will make it very hard for mold to come back.

Spray bottle
Mild white vinegar
Towel

Directions: Put the undiluted vinegar into the spray bottle and spray moldy surfaces. Let this sit for an hour and then wipe the area clean with hot water, and dry the surface after.

Helpful Tip: Hydrogen peroxide is also commonly used to clean tough shower stains, but be careful because it can cause some shower surfaces to fade.

Other Useful Tips

After going through the trouble of cleaning your shower, prevent mold from coming back with these helpful tips:

Leave the lights on! After showering, leave the lights on for about fifteen minutes. Light helps reduce the growth of mold spores, so leaving the blinds open or leaving the lights on for a little can do wonders for maintaining a clean bathroom.
Air it out. It may help to crack a window or turn on your ceiling fan while showering. This will prevent condensation and help eliminate humidity for mold to grow in.
Wipe it down. Make sure to wipe down your shower if there are areas that tend to stay wet long after the shower is used.
If it can’t be cleaned, it may be time to replace it. Stubborn mold and other shower messes may be too bad to fix yourself. If that’s the case, it may be time to re-grout or caulk your shower.

Call us today at (913) 677-5727 or (816) 472-5330 for more glass shower door tips or to install your new custom glass shower doors with Janssen Glass & Door.

Author: Tim Janssen

Cutting Corners

Related Read: How to Re-Caulk Your Shower

Taking on Too Much DIY

Related Read: Easy Solutions for Common Shower Problems

Ordering Pre-Made