How to Protect Your Glass and Windows Against Riots By Mark Meshulam, REWC It’s a sad fact of our times that broken glass has become a symbol and symptom of civil unrest. Fueled by covid-related job loss, cabin fever, and turbocharged by 24/7 inflammatory political rhetoric, there is plenty of pent-up energy in the populace. That mostly negative energy spills forth as people sometimes spill…
How to Protect Your Windows and Glass Against Riots
Hurricane Windows – Saving lives and property
Properly designed and installed hurricane windows can save lives and property Hurricanes are nothing new for folks in coastal areas, but what is new and evolving is our understanding of how hurricanes affect our buildings, and especially the costs that are incurred when a nasty hurricane engulfs an area. That very reason is why hurricane windows were invented. The first thing we found is that,…
Leaks and Problems with Vinyl Windows
Vinyl windows, also known as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) windows or uPVC (unplasticized PVC) are a ubiquitous part of the residential window landscape, and not only that, there are a lot of them out there. There are many satisfied vinyl window customers and I have seen many good installations, however there can also be problems with vinyl windows. Some problems are common to all windows, others…
Envision the Wind in a Blizzard
Chicago Ground Hog Day 2011 Blizzard – Envision the Wind On February 1, 2011 at about 3pm, a somewhat rare occurrence took place in Chicago. A real-life blizzard! It continued for 20 hours. Contrary to the misconceptions of some, a blizzard is not distinguished by a large volume of snow, but rather by an intense and pervasive wind. In order to achieve the…
Insulated Glass Seal Failure
Mark Meshulam is a consultant for insulated glass seal failures including fogged & condensing windows Condensation between glass panes can be a real pain for building owners Insulated glass, sometimes called by the old LOF trade name Thermopane, has been commercially offered in the United States since the 1950s. For the ensuing 60 years, the fundamental concept hasn’t really changed. Insulated glass still consists of…
Choosing a Window Consultant or Exterior Building Consultant
Mark Meshulam is an expert witness and consultant for building exteriors.These days you can pretty much find a consultant for anything. Without trying very hard, you can find:So it stands to reason that you can find a consultant to assist you with your windows or the exterior of your building. As it happens, there are quite a few of us providing construction consultation services to…
Storm Damage to Windows and Glass
Mark Meshulam is an expert witness and consultant for window & glass storm damage.Although the storm activity of the Windy City can’t even shine the shoes of weather experienced regularly along the coast of the Southern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico (soon to be converted from an ocean into a Strategic Oil Reserve), we Chicagoans do experience our share of fluky, violent storms. A few…
Bill Baker of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP: Tall Buildings and the Burj Khalifa
Mark Meshulam is an expert witness and consultant for architectural windows, glass, and building facade. Bill Baker is the partner in charge of Structural and Civil Engineering for the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. One of his most recent accomplishments, completion of the world’s tallest building, the 160 story, 2,717 feet, Burj Khalifa (formerly the Burj Dubai) in Dubai, has literally shaken…
Fixing Window Leaks in Tall Buildings
Mark Meshulam is an expert witness and exterior facade consultant for window leaks in tall buildings.As we head into our rainy season, there are many participants in a relatively recent social experiment – life in a high-rise – who will discover that their “building envelope” is not enveloping them as well as it did last season. Just like a bucket or a car tire, a…
2009 Web Statistics Revealed!
Mark Meshulam is an expert witness and consultant for window, glazing and building exteriors.Sometimes the story behind the story is as interesting as the story itself. Today’s article, our last for 2009, tells the story of ChicagoWindowExpert.com’s growth from nothing on February 1, 2009, to a well-read authority site today. Since its inception, ChicagoWindowExpert.com has had: 7,387 Unique Visits30,617 Page views4.14 Pages/Visit2:34 Avg. Time on…