Your contractor is 100% WRONG. If he still has more windows to install do not let him remove the film!

The film is called Preserve and it is put on at the glass factory in order to protect the glass thru 100% of the building process.

It is a proprietary product that is used in the Woodwright and it is also now being offered in a number of other high-end applications (different window companies)and it is guaranteed to be easily removable without tearing or leaving any adhesive residue for one year after installation - regardless of where you live or the weather conditions.

It doesn't matter if the film is exposed to 120 above or -40 below, the adhesive is not affected by weather - including direct sunlight.

Leave it on until YOU are ready to remove it!

Oberon is correct. The film should NOT be removed until construction is complete. It will still be easily removed.
The film is there to protect the glass from construction debris, dust, paint, etc. The exterior film is also protecting the low maintanence coating.
This film is applied to all of Andersen's 400 series products. The window labels, which used to be very hard to remove if exposed long term to sunlight, are now applied to the film as well, making their removable extremely easy.
You should have the local Andersen rep contact the builder/installer if he's still not convinced.

Your contractor is 100%, unequivocally CORRECT!! While the film is there to protect the low maintenance coating on the glass, it shouldn't remain on the glass for an extended period. Andersen recommends no longer than 9 months, and that is pushing your luck. If you leave it on and exposed to sunlight for too long, you will have one heck of a time getting it off, and you can't use a razor to scrape it off because of the coating on the glass. The film could have stayed on for a while, but I don't blame your contractor for taking it off immediately. Once the windows are in place, the risk of damage to the surface is minimal.
What Oberon states couldn't be any more wrong. The film and adhesive IS affected by sunlight, it should be removed at temperatures ABOVE freezing, if it stays on for too long it will come of with great difficulty, in pieces and will leave adhesive on the glass. What Andersen uses is on all windows with their Low E4 glass, not just the Woodwrights....
I have been selling Andersen Windows for 29 years... I have seen what can happen and I have absolutely no reason to lead you astray. Here is a web address for an Andersen document to back up what I am saying... copy and paste it in your web browser then look on page 3
http://www.andersenwindows.com/servlet/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobnocache=false&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1190956872672&ssbinary=true
Good luck!

I registered just to post my comments regarding this. I kept the film on my Andersen 400 windows for around 2+ years (the construction on my house was getting delayed, bad times, etc. It happens.) I finally started removing the film a few days ago and I was up for a really nasty surprise. The film was very difficult to peel off and there was lots of residue left on the glass. The windows exposed to most direct sun were affected the most and had thicker residue. The temperatures were a bit low (November, mid 50s) but one window on the shaded side and installed only year or so ago had practically no residue and was easy to peel, so it must be time+sun combination.

If you are reading this thread, you are probably looking for a way to clean the glass, just like me. I've read that blades are not recommended because they may damage the protective coatings. Andersen recommends window cleaner and white scotchbrite scrubbing pad. I don't think they actually tried that. It may work in areas where the residue is minimal, but for the bad, thick residue it won't work too well. From the things I tried to far paint thinners/mineral oils/wd-40 work, but dissolving takes longer. Acetone based "goo off" is quicker. I'm guessing pure acetone (haven't tried it) will work even better, but it's very strong stuff and may damage paint, needs good ventilation, etc. It either case cleaning takes multiple passes as the residue turns into very sticky goo when using stronger cleaners. Once most of the glue is removed/dissolved, it can be finished with soap or other window cleaners.

Disclaimer: I am not pro, I don't even know if strong solvents are safe and won't damage any window coatings (especially pure acetone) so proceed at your own risk when using those. If someone knows better, please post here. And remove those films as soon as the job allows and save yourself a headache later. 9 months seems like a good recommendation from Andersen. Protective films on windows in shaded areas seem to last a bit longer.

6-9 months seem to not be a problem. Don't leave the film on for two years, however.

Becareful of using acetone or MEK on windows. these strong solvents attack PVC and many other plastics and sealants.

Artur,

Straight acetone is your best bet for removing the adhesive. But as Trapper said, be careful because the acetone will damage the vinyl cladding of the window.

If you have areas with the film still adhering to the window, using a hair drier to warm the film prior to removing it may help as well.

Per my earlier post and the follow up from RWmaine (five years later), my original comments about film durability and ease-of-removal were correct based on the information available at the time. However, despite extensive testing prior to the release of the film, as it turned out, they were also a bit optimistic regarding long term exposure of the film to weathering and solar exposure.

My comments regarding the contractor removing the film as soon as he hung the windows was, and still is, correct - assuming of course that the windows hadn't sat on the ground for a year prior to being installed.

Echoing Mike35, the film is there to protect the glass surface (surface coated or not) from construction debris, dust, paint, stucco or cement splatter, whatever - not just, as RWmaine said, to protect a coating. Leave the film on as long as possible during construction before removing - but try to avoid leaving it on the glass for over a year. Or even nine months to follow Andersen's recommendation.

It can be very difficult to remove the film in cold weather. In fact, it may be better to wait a few months until it warms up again (if possible) when trying to remove the film. However, if it is necessary to remove the film when it's cold then warming the film will help to remove it more easily.

Once again a hair drier or other direct heat source will help - but avoid getting the glass too hot because you can introduce thermal stress into the glass which could lead to thermal breakage. Even direct sunlight on the window may help when removing the film during cold weather.

Follow up to my last post.

Acetone won't hurt the exposed coating but, once again, it will potentially damage the sash and frame components, so be really careful when using it to remove adhesive residue.

Acetone + vinyl = vinyl soup

Most house construction projects take 3-6 months. I would vote for common sense when deciding on when to remove their film. I had thought it was common knowledge that ANYTHING exposed to the sun will break down eventually, especially plastics.

I carelessly left the outer film on my Anderson Windows for over 4 years!!!

I think after a year I was so afraid to face the fact that there might be a stubborn residue left behind that I chose NOT to attempt removal of the film...ignorance is bliss right?!?!

3 years later (today) I decided to finally face the music and peel off the film. As others have stated, when left too long in the sun (too long being 4 years in my case), properties of the film begin to change. Peeling off the film certainly was more difficult as it was hard to scrape up a corner to start peeling with. In addition, the material was a bit brittle and would sometimes 'snap' off mid peel (think stretching a fruit roll-up until it finally 'snaps'). As feared, it left behind a nasty residue that obscured the windows' clarity even more than the adhered film did!

HOWEVER...I decided to take some ideas from this forum as well as some advice from a local handyman guru and came up with a simple yet effective plan of attack:

1) spray down an area of residue with Goo Gone

2) let Goo Gone penetrate for 30-60 seconds

3) using a white scotch brite style pad, scrub firmly at the residue...scotch brite pad WILL goop up so be prepared to fold it about to get some clear surface area to scrub with

4) once the majority of the residue has been removed, you may be left with a light haze which IS easily removed with a few additional spritzes of Goo Gone and a clean rag

5) ...and VOILA...3 years of worry for NOTHING!!!

Total time cleaning: 30 minutes or less
Total time WORRYING: 744,600 minutes or MORE

So the moral of the story is: Don't be like me...stop worrying and get off your lazy butt and peel that film off...if you HAVE let the film sit for too long, don't worry, the residue comes off fairly easily!

Good luck!

Good update.

Windex and a razor blade will make quick work of it ;)

Bumping this to see if anyone has had any experience with this since. The plastic film was on my new (Anderson) windows for over a year (I'm now two years into the project and it's not done yet) and a lot of adhesive remains.

(My house has serious western exposure so the sun beats in all afternoon.)

Of course, I have a ton of windows (around 40) and 7 sliders, plus many of the windows super high up and not easily reachable except via the tallest of ladders.

I've tried the usual suspects (goo gone, windex, dish soap, and so on) and a rag, which does sort of work but it gets really goopy.

I don't know if this is at all relevant, but I removed professionally installed window film that had been on my windows for 30 years with a hand held hair dryer. Once a corner is up, blow the warm/hot air between the film and the glass, pulling the film away as you work your way up. You don't have much to lose by trying that method first.

This is a glass protect-ant film that Andersen uses and they stress remove within 9 months. The sun actually degrades and breaks down the film. Solvents remove the film but make the glue a complete mess. I am yet to hear of an easy way to remove this film other than peeling it off shortly after install, sorry.

Light heat is your friend here. Don't use anything more than a hairdryer.

Andersen recommends a white scotch brite pad.

MIne has been on for two years...like all above the same problem...I used hairdryer like above to remove the film..and Easy OFF pump spray to remove the adhesive. In your mind divide window into four squares.. Do not pump ON...open bottle pour Small amount on rag and wipe on the Easy Off..on first section...wait 60 seconds take the second rag and wipe OFF in circular motions..its that easy. Once dry come back with Windex and clean as normal.

Protective film baked on garage door windows HELP! I hope someone has some suggestions that can help me with my issue. I left the film on my garage door windows for around two years while I was taking my time priming and painting all three doors. Now that I am finished painting I tried removing the protective film and it is extremely baked on and won't come off. I tried a razor blade which works but it is scratching the window surface. The windows are not glass but a sort of tinted plastic compound.

I have read many of the above suggestions for windows but I am afraid to try certain chemicals and scrubbing pads because it may cause further damage.

Has anyone had this issue with garage door windows or does anyone have any suggestions on what might work?

Thank You

If they are acrylic or poly-carbonate glazing the residue or film may never come off as it is probably all baked together by now.

I removed window film easily based on a youtube video for removing film from automobile windows.

You need: black plastic trash bag, scissors, windex, and a sunny day. Doesn't need to be a hot day, just very sunny. The sun must be shining directly on the windows. Cut the trashbag into pieces that exactly fit to the glass. Wet down the glass with windex (or equivalent), and stick the trashbag piece to the glass. Wait 15 or 20 minutes, until the glass and plastic bag are REALLY hot. This melts the adhesive that holds the film to the glass. Working quickly, remove the bag and peel off the film. You have to be QUICK, as the adhesive re-sticks as soon as it cools off. I was able to get films off multiple windows in one piece, quite easily. Repeat as necessary. There was a bit of adhesive left on the glass, but that came off easily with more windex and some wiping.

hoov you must have missed the part the part where they mentioned that the glazing was not glass.

Success! Baked on film on garage door windows has come off. Thank you to Windows on Washington for suggesting to use light heat. I used my hair dryer, held it over the section I was working, from a distance, for just seconds and the film peeled off like new. It works like magic. If heat is held over film for longer periods of time, it starts to melt the film. I am glad I tried the hair dryer as a first option. Thank You !!!!

Glad it worked out for you.

Your contractor is 100% correct. If you leave it on you will be in big trouble. Trust me. I learned the hard way.

I've been cleaning glass on new contraction for over 20 years. Your builder is 100% correct. The longer the protective film, coating whatever you want to call it is harder to remove. I constantly complain to my builders for leaving it on for too long. Take is off and protect it again if needed.

Using harsh chemicals can and will damage your frames, not to mention you take a chance of loosening up any caulking and or weather stripping by using harsh chemicals.

We left them on for 11 months. We were able to get the protective film off, but quite a bit of residue was left behind. If like us you have only residue, we used De-Solv-It with a white Scotch Brite which worked quite well. Wish we had used the hair dryer when removing the protective film, we might not have had the residue... Actually, wish we had not left the protective film on so long!

In this day and age you'd think there would be better types of film that come off easily no matter how long it's been on the window

It isn't the films fault. Auto manufacturers cover their cars in a plastic film when they are being shipped (and soon thereafter removed), but the thinness of the plastic and its ultimate breakdown in the presence of UV light will render any plastic of that mil, degraded and difficult to remove.

Exactly, that's why I said there should be better films available these days (that perhaps don't degrade?). Not to mention those darn stickers that are plastered on the glass itself.

You put any film, that isn't supremely expensive, that is translucent out in the sun for a few months and it is going to be degraded. Films that incorporate heavy levels of UV stabilizers are expensive and far less flexible. Both of those facts make using it in this application untenable.

I have been following this post for the past couple of weeks and trying to read as many posts as I think may be relevant to my situation. I recently took over a new home construction project in which the Anderson 400 series windows were installed just over a year ago. As work was progressing I noticed that the protective film was still on the glass. My first thought was uh oh, because when I built a very large distinctive custom home about seven years ago, we struggled taking the plastic off the windows after about 10-12 months from installation. We did get it off but with a lot more time than a typical pull off. Since that time, I immediately have taken the exterior plastic off as soon as the window installation is complete. About two or three seconds to remove the plastic off an average size window.

Back to this current job, when I noticed the film, I went outside to see if it would come off and I started peeling an edge and it ripped into the tiniest piece imaginable. I tried a few more windows and no luck at all. Now it was January and I am in Northeast PA and the temp was below 30 degrees so maybe that's the problem. Therefore I started researching on how to remove. I read numerous blogs and Anderson's own 'How-to' and temperature has a lot to do with it. I read somewhere use a hair dryer and we tried it this morning and it worked great! Now today was a warm day for Northeast PA (close to 60 degrees) but it required two men and about six hours to remove the film off of all the windows (about 20 windows - 40 sashes; these are Anderson tilt wash windows) that should have taken about five maybe ten minutes by one person if done immediately after installation.

So, my advice, take it off immediately. You can always re-cover your window as needed when the time is relevant.

Good luck to everyone that is having this problem. Try a hair dryer and a extra set of hands.

Ron

Found this thread and it helped me take off the adhesive left behind from our Anderson 400 and 100 series windows. We unwisely left the plastic on 2 1/2 yrs. while we were slowly renovating the inside. We had no idea we should have removed it.

Followed the advice and worked on a warm day,and used the black garbage bag technique with a spray adhesive dissolver. Wiped with paper towels followed by soap and water, and it worked. Like someone said, you have to work fast. I found it helped to peel the black plastic a little at a time so it couldn't re-adhere before I could wipe it off.

Thanks to everyone here who shared their experience. It really helped!

Same issue here. The film was on for maybe 18 months. It came off With some effort, although definitely tougher on windows that had more direct sun. But the residue was a bear. We tried many of the things suggested here and a lot of elbow grease but came up with a hands-down winner-- Turtle Wax spray-on Bug and Tar remover. We sprayed it on a window or two at a time and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Used a rag to rub it in a circular motion and then another one to wipe it off. It saved us DAYS of work.

It's definitely an oil based product but does not leave streaks as long as you use a relatively fresh rag for the wipe off. We were surprised but I guess since it's designed for use on cars, Turtle Wax figured that one out.

The film was on my new construction windows for less than 9 months. Total build time from ground breaking till ready to move in was 10 months, because of good dry weather and crews ready and waiting. So windows were only in for about 4/5 months. Summer days reaching up to 98*. I have a film on mine that you can't feel or see till it rains or the sun hits them a certain way. Has a rippled look from pulling the film off. So the 6/9 months is wrong too. It depends mostly on the temperature and the sun on the windows. At my house the sun rises in front and sets in the back with no trees close up. So full sun on both sides.

We have same problem with film that seems to have ‘baked on’ to our composite door. It just won’t budge. does anyone have any idea how to tackle this without damaging door? It is a thermo plastic skinned door.

Try a 50/50 mix of vegetable oil or coconut oil and baking powder. consistency Is a thick paste, and left on awhile will cut thru adhesive like a breeze. I do this method all the time To remove commercial labels from glass jars.

Thank you Will give this a try. You don’t think it will full the door coating? Will test a patch and see tho...

Dull that is...

Try a test in the door jamb area first... I have only used this on glass.

My apologies the directions above should read baking soda

I have since found that a wet sponge and powdered SORBO purchased from Amazon along with a triple 0 steel wool will clean the residue off. That what a window cleaner I hired used, but he did check with a Pella rep first to see if it was safe for these windows. it took my window cleaner about 3 applications on exact window to get them clean though. I just read on some older post above that I hadnt read that Goo Gone and a Scotch Brits Pad will clean them in just one or two cleanings. Hope this helps some of you out. I wish my builder had taken that protective covering off a lot sooner as it would have saved me a lot of griff.