Going Green

We have always done our part to be as “green” a company as we possibly can. We are continually looking for new ways to cut down on vehicle emissions, fuel consumption and to try to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills. For the sake of our children and our children’s children, we all need to do our part to minimize our carbon footprint. This is not only for each of us as individuals, but also for those businesses concerned for the environment.

Community Involvement

In the past we have reached out to our community and have been able to reuse and recycle some of our expendable glass products through donations to our arts schools, local governments or anyone that may be able to take advantage of some of our smaller pieces of glass that may be normally discarded. Occasionally we get phone calls asking for us to contribute to one project or another and we usually can come up with something to be able to help and at the same time, limiting the amount of glass the ends up in our dumpster. Through all of our efforts the reality was that we were only able to reuse or recycle only a fraction of the amount of the waste glass…until now!

!00% Glass Recycling

Rapid Glass is very happy to announce that we have looked high and low and have conducted much research, but have finally worked out a partnership with a glass recycling company. Instead of hauling literally tons of windshields, auto glass and home window glass to the landfills, we will begin hauling virtually 100% of our waste products to a glass pulverizing facility for recycling.

Uses For Recycled Glass

• Industrial media blasting
• Golf Courses Greens and Sand Traps
• Counter Tops and Floors
• Swimming Pools
• Septic Systems
• Roadways
• Water Filtration

In many of these uses the recycled glass  performs better because it last longer,doesn’t absorb moisture, drains better and doesn’t harbor bacteria.

We work harder to improve our environment

So next time you are calling around to find someone to service your car or your home, ask them if they recycle their glass and what they are doing to improve the environment. We are proud of what we stand for and hope other small businesses will follow our lead.

Often when our auto glass replacement and windshield repair technicians are working on someone’s vehicle they are asked how to remove a Park or Transportation sticker, window tint film, shoe polish or some other type of permanent marker that some used car lot or teenage prankster has applied to the auto glass.

Regardless if this has been done to the outside or on the inside where there are no rear defroster lines, there is one process that works best. But, if this has been done on the inside where there are fragile rear defroster lines it’s a bit trickier.

No Defroster Lines
There is nothing that works better than a single edge razor blade, some glass cleaner and a little elbow grease. Most good quality glass cleaners are safe on a variety of surfaces so even if you get a little over spray on surrounding surfaces, usually won’t do them any harm. If you are concerned try a small amount on an area that is not in plain view.

Spray a generous amount of glass cleaner on the decal, sticker or other material to be removed. Hold the razor blade at a 45 degree angle or less to the glass and with a sliding downward motion (kind of like filleting a fish) slide the razor blade from the top down.

With sticker and decals, start at a corner and once enough is removed you may be able to grab the corner and pull up slightly to ease the process. Keep applying glass cleaner as you go so the adhesive won’t re-stick. Once it is removed, if there is still a residue, repeat the process.

The razor blade should not make any noise on the glass. If you hear a noise, decrease the angle of the blade to the glass, or get a new razor blade.

Glass With Defroster Lines
It’s best to start on a part of the decal that is not in direct contact with the defroster lines.  If you’re lucky, you can start at one corner and peel it down slowly. It also helps if you spray it with glass cleaner while applying outward and downward pulling pressure. If it starts to splinter, start over again at the point of the tear using only your fingernail, or a plastic single edge razor blade that be purchased at your local hardware store.

Once you have the paper or film removed, more than likely you will still have some adhesive that is still in contact with the glass. To remove this sticky residue purchase the finest steel wool you can find, usually 0000 or 00000. Test it on a small area first to make sure it doesn’t scratch the glass.

While continuing to lubricate the back window with window cleaner or a spray bottle filled with water and a few drops of dish soap added for lubrication, wipe the adhesive with the steel wool until the glass feels slippery and not tacky. Finish by cleaning the entire window with a rag or soft paper towel.