Category: Tips for Homeowners

Read our latest homeowner tips for custom glass installations, repair, replacement and maintenance.

Top 3 Showerheads to Complement a Glass Shower Door

You updated your shower with a new glass shower door, but there’s just one problem. Now all you can focus on when you look at your shower is the dated showerhead fixture. Not only is it an eyesore, its days of use have left it far less functional than you remember. Don’t just muddle through! Replace that showerhead to complement the rest of your bathroom renovations.

Wand Showerheads

Our favorite showerhead for function is the handheld wand style. These fixtures janssen shower head favoritesoften come with a traditional wall mount connected to a hose and allow you to hold the showerhead so that you can position the spray. Wand showerheads are most useful when cleaning your shower or washing a smaller child as you can control where the water goes when rinsing hair.

Ceiling Mounted Showerheads

The Huot Residence in the Oriental Warehouse

Does your bathroom have lower ceilings? Rainfall or rain shower fixtures are perfect for these bathrooms because you can recess the fixture, thus maximizing the space in your shower. No more battling wall-mounted showerheads that are placed too low! Your tall family members will thank you.

Body Spray ShowerheadsTransitional Master Bath

For the spa experience, here is a system of showerheads that can be adjusted. These spa showers offer a luxurious experience where panels of fixtures on opposite walls combine for a relaxing massage.

If you’re considering upgrading your showerhead, you may want a professional to check your plumbing. They will be able to make sure your system can handle the extra heads of a multi-head system without sacrificing water pressure or using too much water.

Need help with a shower door or other 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 keeping your shower in tiptop shape.

5 Questions to Ask before Installing a Glass Shower Door

5-questions-before-installing-a-glass-shower-doorYou’ve decided it’s time to install a new glass shower door in your home, but all of the choices are overwhelming! We understand, so here are some quick questions to ask yourself so that you can feel confident with your decision:

  • Would a sliding door, door and panel enclosure, or a swinging door work best with the floorplan of your bathroom? Every bathroom is different but it is also important to consider your lifestyle.
  • If updating an existing glass door, do you want to update your hardware or eliminate it? You may see the trend of updating finishes and envision an improvement, but be sure to also look through our gallery glass shower doors and take note of those that do not require a metal frame. This also means no more cleaning shower door tracks!
  • Do you want a thinner glass with a metal frame or a thicker glass that can stand alone without a metal frame? You should know that edges on frameless doors get darker the thicker the glass gets, and you will notice. Make sure to ask what the edges of the finished product will look like.
  • What pattern and color of glass do you prefer? We have 20 options for you whether you are installing a new shower door or replacing an old one. We can sometimes even do multiple textures to give privacy while still showing off your fabulous tile.
  • Is your bathroom an unusual configuration? No problem, contact us! We specialize in custom shower doors that will maximize your space and show off the other upgrades you’ve done in your bathroom.

For more information about glass shower doors, call us at (913) 677-5727 or check out our blog.

Bathroom Organization Tips to Keep Sane This Holiday Season

Janssen Bathroom Organization Tips to Keep Sane This Holiday SeasonIf the phrase “holiday season” sends you deep into a stressful spiral, you’re not alone. All of the demands that come with entertaining can get overwhelming. One solution to the holiday madness is getting organized now, so that you can sit back and enjoy the company of your loved ones later. A great place to start is making sure your bathrooms are organized.

Maximize Space

No matter the size of your bathroom, having guests over during the holidays makes your home feel smaller than it really is. Here are some tips for maximizing the space in your bathroom and making it easy for guests to find exactly what they need:

  • Towel bars on the back of doors keep towels out of the way but within reach.
  • Self-adhesive cups to hold toothbrushes and other small items affixed inside cabinets free up shelf and drawer space.
  • Switch to small, uniform sized bottles that fit easily in a shower organizer. Store larger bottles for refilling outside the shower.
  • Use magnetic surfaces and magnets to hold odds and ends.
  • Wooden boxes and trays make great drawer dividers or you can purchase some sliding trays to maximize the space in your cabinets.
  • Color coded towel tags help guests keep track of their towel.

Janssen Bathroom 6 Organization Tips to Keep Sane This Holiday SeasonFor more quick tips for getting your home ready for guests, check out our blog and call us at (913) 677-5727 for more information about the newest technology for glass shower doors.

Shower Door Tracks Cleaned in a Flash

janssen-clean-your-tracksArmed with your squeegee, your shower door is cleaner than ever! You realize that other parts of your shower may have been neglected, but now you’re ready to take them on. The only problem is that you can’t figure out how to clean out those tricky shower door tracks. Don’t worry, you probably have everything you need at home!

Round Up These Cleaning Supplies:

  • Paper Towels
  • Distilled White Vinegar
  • Toothbrush
  • Spray Bottle of Water
  • Q-Tips

Start Cleaning Your Shower Door Tracksclean-your-bathroom-janssen-glass

  1. Turn on your bathroom fan or open a window.
  2. Soak paper towels with vinegar.
  3. Lay paper towels onto the shower door tracks.
  4. Wait 30 minutes before removing the paper towels.
  5. Scrub tracks with toothbrush.
  6. Clean tight corners and screws with Q-tips.
  7. Rinse off vinegar with spray bottle of water.

Enjoy Your Clean Shower!

With the rusty gunk gone, now you can enjoy a clean bathroom! If you’re ready to get rid of the shower door tracks altogether, or you just want to update your bathroom, you have frameless shower door options. Heavy glass shower doors, for example, require less hardware, so you’ll never have to worry about cleaning shower tracks again!

Check out our photo gallery or call Janssen Glass & Door today for tips on how best to care for your glass shower doors, or to install new heavy glass shower doors at (913) 677-5727.

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.

    1. Cutting CornersJanssen Shower Door Mistakes

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.

Related Read: How to Re-Caulk Your Shower

    1. Taking on Too Much DIY

You’re a weekend warrior and you’re proud of it. Perhaps you finally got that new tile saw, or you hung some great shelving, or maybe you’ve been practicing your painting. Just don’t bite off more than you can chew. When it comes to electrical work and plumbing, leave it to the professionals. Not only could mistakes in these areas be costly, they can also be dangerous.

The same goes for glass shower door installation. Glass shattered across the bathroom is not only costly, but dangerous. The risk is present during and after installation because improperly installed doors can cause injury without warning. An experienced installer can make sure your door is hung safely and will not cause damage to other structures (or people) in your bathroom.

Related Read: Easy Solutions for Common Shower Problems

    1. Ordering Pre-Made

You may be surprised to learn this, but glass shower doors are not one size fits all. Proper measurement, by a professional, will help your shower door installation go flawlessly. Designing the shower door to fit your bathroom ensures that the door will be the right size, hung in a safe way, and will not require untimely replacement due to avoidable damage.

Unusual shaped showers and bathrooms are the most obvious example of the need for custom glass. Tight spaces and odd shapes may require some professional innovation to get your bathroom the way you want it. If you’re going through the work of remodeling your bathroom, why choose doors that are a standard size when you could take this opportunity to save space and add style?

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

Easy Solutions to the 4 Most Common Shower Problems JanssenLet 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

Easy Solutions to the 4 Most Common Shower Problems Shower HeadTired 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

fix-glass-windows-or-lose-money-resale-janssen-glassLike 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.

metro-stop-janssen-glass-KC

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

Commercial Glass Door Repair & Replacement in Kansas City

 

commercial-janssen-glass-KC-mall-forever-21When 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!  

commercial-glass-door-repair-replacement-kansas-city-JanssenIn 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.

commercial-glass-install-auto-dealershipThe 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.

 

fogging-glass-window-janssen-glassAre 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

squeegee-glass-door-janssen-glass-kansas-city

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!