How to Know If Your Commercial Glazier Did Quality Work

After substantial completion, owners and GCs should run a 7-point quality verification before signing off the final pay application. Most glazing defects are visible to a trained eye; the rest show up in the first 12 months of warranty. Here is the check protocol.

Check 1: Visual inspection of glass and frame

Walk every opening. Look for: glass scratches, edge chips, low-E coating defects (visible as cloudiness from one angle), aluminum finish defects (orange peel, runs, color mismatch), frame alignment, mullion plumb. Document defects with photos and opening location.

Check 2: Sealant joint inspection

Every sealant joint visually inspected. Looking for: consistent depth, consistent width, smooth tooling, no skips, no pinholes, no bubbles, color uniformity. Joint should look intentional, not improvised. Crack a sealant joint with thumbnail — should not separate from substrate.

Check 3: Sealant durometer reading

Sealant durometer (Shore A hardness) read 24 hours after application. Acceptable range varies by sealant (Dow Corning 995: Shore A 35-45 at full cure). Out-of-spec durometer indicates application error or environmental condition violation. Easy field test with handheld durometer.

Check 4: Anchor pullout test

Random sample of anchors tested for pullout capacity per engineer-of-record calcs. ASTM E488 anchor pullout test or equivalent. Failed pullout means anchor remediation. Worth doing on 5-10% of anchors at substantial completion.

Check 5: Water test per ASTM E1105

Field water test required where the architect spec calls for it. Spray rack at controlled water rate against the assembly for 15-30 minutes, then inspect interior for water intrusion. Failure indicates sealant, gasket, or weep system problem.

Check 6: Hardware operation

Every door cycles open and closed 25-50 times. Operator timing checked. Lock function verified. Closer adjustment checked. Threshold gasket compression verified. Hardware that does not operate smoothly at substantial completion will not operate smoothly in year 5.

Check 7: Documentation handoff

Manufacturer warranty letters. Installer warranty letter. As-built shop drawings. Sealant applicator certification. NOA documentation (HVHZ). Operations and maintenance manual. Annual cleaning specification. Punch list signoff with dates.

Frequently asked questions

What's the most common quality defect on commercial glazing?

Sealant joint inconsistency — skipped sections, pinholes, bubbles, color variation. Visible to the eye and a leading indicator of long-term sealant failure. Catch at punch.

Does ACG provide its own quality check before substantial completion?

Yes — foreman walks every elevation before sealant covers the anchor. Field QC checklist signed off at each phase. Punch list addressed inside 5 business days of GC and owner walk.

What if quality defects are discovered after substantial completion?

ACG 2-year installer warranty covers workmanship defects. Year-1 warranty calls trigger 5-day response standard. Documented defects with photos initiate warranty service inside 30-45 days.