Wow, Janice, it's been six years since I first posted about this! But, unfortunately, all I can tell you is that I never found a solution. The first contractor really did one heck of a nasty job to my bluestone steps when he applied that cement. Then, in trying to remove the harm done by that first contractor, the second contractor introduced a new kind of damage to the situation. A third contractor who specializes in preservation looked at the steps and concluded that there really was no adequate "fix" to be applied. OTOH, he noted that the cost of completely rebuilding those steps with new bluestone would likely be prohibitive. He was right. After that last opinion, I left it that, dried my tears, and went on to deal with a myriad number of other old house issues. Through the years, I've come to live with my worn and scarred steps and, most times, don't notice their disfigurement. Meanwhile,I love to imagine that (A) I will win the lottery some day and effectively remedy this situation or (B), at some point in the ownership history of this house, a true preservationist with very deep pockets will come along, make the purchase and one day restore the steps to their original beauty. Well, one can hope, right? :-)

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 logo in the picture applies only to the tempered glass, and nothing else. It doesn't indicate who made the IG unit or who made the window itself (likely the same company, I suspect). Is there any other identifying information on the glass? Per the logo the tempered glass meets the 1978 safety glazing standard which doesn't mean that the glass was made in 1978, but the next update to the standard (as I recall) was 1984, so its likely, but not certain, that the glass was made in late 70's or early 80's. I bring that up because if it is a glass coating versus after-market film it probably hasn't been made in a long time - meaning it might be difficult to find someone who is familiar with it. Like WoW I also think that looks like an aftermarket film as well based on the pictures, and if it has been on there a really long time it could be next to impossible to remove unfortunately. I also agree with WoW that you ask the building manager or maintenance staff to see if they have any additional information on what you have there If it is an actual window coating, rather than a film, then I would say that there is nothing reasonable that you can do to remove it and if you want it gone glass replacement might be the only option.

Hi Amy, I found your discussion as I searched online concerning my low-e windows in our new build. They are the exact windows that you have and I am not happy with this blue tint all! I’ve built 5 homes and the only thing my builder has ever asked is for us to choose the grid patterns in the windows. Anyway, evidently we’re stuck with these windows, just wondering if your issue became less noticeable once you moved in and put up window treatments. Thanks!