Window stamps are found on the upper or lower corners of the glass.

Where they are located depends on the manufacturer.

Since they are barely visible, (I'm a building inspector and have to strain to see them and can barely make out the information) ...how is where they are located a problem?

Once you have your window treatments in place, you'll never notice the stamps ever again.

They vary in location. One location with two double hung windows side-by-side has the stamp properly in lower right corner. The window next has logo in upper left corner with the stamp upside down.

It was the first thing I noticed when viewing windows in place. We have a lot of light and the etching does stand out. It's about 1-2 inches square.

What you are seeing is normal.

And you'll never notice them once your window treatments are in place.

I had to register to comment on this thread.

Lupine 6 I strongly suggest you ignore the bad advice given by manhattan42. Your windows are defective and you should be compensated for the defect or have the windows rebuilt immediately to delay construction (assuming you are building).

The advice you were given is disturbing at best. 'Just throw some curtains on the problem and live with it' is not advice you should be given on a help forum.

Your windows are defective and who knows what else could be wrong from this workmanship. Do you have Low-E or argon filled? These things can all be affected by improper glass insertion.

I'd hate to have manhattan42 as my building inspector!

S/B to avoid delay in construction.

Why would the stamp location have anything to do with Low-E. It doesn't mean the windows were inserted backwards. Upside down would be a non issue.

I think JW maybe a little alarmist about this. I've disagreed with Manhattan42 before but I tend to agree with him on this.

I also disagree with JW's comment that "just living with it" is bad advice. Sometimes that is just the way it is. If anyone has built a perfect house, please give me the address to check it out. If the etchings are visible and bother you, then they will likely have a remedy. If it is just the way it is, then they might not. Such is life....

the concern would be if the glass were installed
with low e coating exposed to ambient or interior
as low e is to be installed on glass surface
inside IGU.
north climates to reflect heat in
south to reflect heat out.location of low e
on specific glass surface determines climate.

I have seen some defective windows where the glass
pane was backwards..low e surface exposed to ambient
side of window.
window mfg sent co rep and installer to change defective window with proper ones.
this particular run of windows was recalled and window
sections were replaced
at no charge to home owners.
this was prolly 6 years ago have not seen this problem
before or since.

I agree that once window treatments are installed that
it will be less apparent. windows with no treatments
show every part of window.
whether or not it is an issue to the HO depends on
the HO.

I also think that Manhattan makes enough valid points
on this fourm to be a valuable contributor.
It is not bad advice.. just real world experience.

OP do this...
take a cigarette lighter and light it
hold it next to the window from inside the house.
see if the flame reflected in the window
is a different color and on what glass surface
it is orange rather than yellow.
the flame from the lighter is yellow
if you are a cold climate the first window
pane should show an orange flame and the
one past it to ambient/exterior should be
yellow like flame from lighter.
this shows low e coating is on surface 2
of interior glass.
if a hot climate the low e coating should
be on inside of exterior glass (surface
#3)

I have a light meter that cost quite a bit
and measures amount of light that enters through
the glass. however it doesn't show what surface
the low e coating is installed on.
I've used the lighter for years to verify the location
of low e.

best of luck op and good for you for asking questions
when you see something that doesn't make sense to you.

Click on the link below for a thread in the NACHI forum, then the photo in the first post.

It shows a glazing stamp on a typical window.

It is big...
It is ugly...
But it's also normal....

Here is a link that might be useful: Glazing Stamps

Very happy and very impressed with customer service from window manufacturer.

Thank you for all your posts. A window rep was out Monday morning and is in the process of speaking with the higher ups. I'm relieved to hear I am not crazy for thinking the window was faulty. I was told the window inspector who showed up yesterday was very surprised by the mistake and indicated he would have the windows replaced if he could decide. He said they would either replace (his recommendation) or the higher ups might decide to have someone come out and replace the glass. I am so relieved. After reading a couple posts I was scared they would tell me to cover them and it would be ok. We have lots of views and sun and had only wanted to use treatments on bedroom windows. He also said the stamp does stick out a lot when it's sunny, which doesn't help when you can plainly see it's upside down. Just wanted to update.

"It is big...
It is ugly...
But it's also normal...."

And it is also right-side up. The op's was upside-down.

manhattan, I think you may have misunderstood or missed the op's cause for concern. He wondered if an upside down and/or backward stamp indicated improper installation of the glass or the window itself.

"manhattan, I think you may have misunderstood or missed the op's cause for concern. He wondered if an upside down and/or backward stamp indicated improper installation of the glass or the window itself."

Nope. Didn't misunderstand at all.

Stamps can be large an ugly and therefore seem distracting when windows are first installed. But in most cases, the window treatments hide them and they become non-issues.

And just as the rep from the OP's window company assured her, even when window treatments aren't used, the stamps are still not very noticeable even in direct sunlight.

What continues to be "normal" is for stamps to be located either right-side up or up-side down. I see it all the time in all makes of windows by all manufacturers. This orientation of the stamps has no effect on the performance of the window.

Occaisionally, however, we do see stamps that are 'reversed' which as ERLA and others have noted, can mean problems and a true 'defect' if Low-E glass is involved and now the low e coating is on the wrong side.

This rarely happens however, and is not the case with the windows in this thread.
-------------------
The bottom line is that just because a stamp may be upside down does not mean there is anything 'wrong' with the window. It just means that the pane was oriented differently when assembled.

Also, just because the stamps appear quite large also does not meean there is anything wrong with the window.

These are both 'normal' and 'common' variations.

It is also quite normal, for one when first observing newly installed items to have one's eye drawn to certain items (like stamps) which over time simply become less noticeable to the point of being 'invisible'.

In this instance and since the owner simply didn't like the orientation of the stamp, the window rep appears willing to replace them.... just to satisfy the customer. That's the window ower's perogative to request and the window manufacturer's perogative to replace if requested and willing.

The windows otherwise are not 'defective'.

Hope the OP/customer ends up happy and re-assured.

In 30+ years as builder and inspector, I have never heard anyone ever complain about stamps on windows.

That's the only unusual thing about this entire situation.

"And just as the rep from the OP's window company assured her, even when window treatments aren't used, the stamps are still not very noticeable even in direct sunlight."

Hi M, actually if you read my post that is the opposite of what I wrote and was told. The window rep pointed out how it is noticeable.

I have no issue with the stampings. We have them on our current house. Right-side up of course ;-)

I wouldn't buy a car with a logo upside down, a pair of jeans with a logo upside down or even a carton of milk with a logo upside down (those in fact are not even sellable on retail shelves..I've worked in the food industry for years) so why should one have to 'put up with' an upside down logo on windows that will be seen daily and hopefully last 30 years. I'm sure you wouldn't notice if you installed an inside mount blind that hung down enough to cover the mistake, but why should one have to compromise when you are spending thousands for a product.

Upside down logos wouldn't compromise the efficiency of appliances either, but would you install them anyway. No you wouldn't.

It is common to substitute code requirements and "normal practice" for the satisfaction of the owner in terms of project goals.

If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

LOL!

""And just as the rep from the OP's window company assured her, even when window treatments aren't used, the stamps are still not very noticeable even in direct sunlight."
Hi M, actually if you read my post that is the opposite of what I wrote and was told. The window rep pointed out how it is noticeable."]

Thanks for pointing out my reading error.

See, I told you I have trouble seeing the stamps! :)

Seriously, though, upside-down window stamps are still very common.

I inspect 1000s of windows annually and upside down stamps are found at least 20% (or more) of the windows I see regardless of manufacturer.

Andersen, Pella, Marvins, you name them.

Generally speaking, this is never a problem, and most people never even notice stamps regardless of their size or location.

But if YOU do notice them and it bothers YOU, then to YOU it is a problem and it is your right to have it corrected.

But let us not miscontrue an upside down stamp as a functional defect, however.

It isn't.

It is at best a cosmetic defect that has no bearing on the performance of a window and barely one esthetically.

But, again, if such a blemish bothers YOU, and YOU feel that since YOU paid for the windows they should be as perfect as possible.... then by all means YOU are entitled to have the manufacturer replace them.

Which apparantly he has done.

All's well that end's well.

But since you are still the first person I've known in 30 years of construction and inspection that I have ever heard complain about window stamps...

That remains the strangest part of this tread still....

Luck.

Etched energy labels on window glass are usually placed at a bottom corner or on a spacer in order to avoid complaints from homwowners. When the glass is installed so the label is near the middle of the window the manufacturer should expect complaints. How many homeowners are bothered by the appearance should not be a consideration; their goal should be to satisfy their customers.

I wasn't aware that PA had a residential building code or that a nationwide building official certification program existed 30 years ago.

"I wasn't aware that PA had a residential building code or that a nationwide building official certification program existed 30 years ago.

It seems you are also not aware that there have been builders like me all over who for 30 years and longer have also installed thousands of windows and have first-hand observed these inversed stamp problems on a routine basis.

But, then again, since your work is primarily at your desk, one would not expect you to know about things that actually occur in the field. "How many homeowners are bothered by the appearance should not be a consideration; their goal should be to satisfy their customers."

I agree for as it has been said:

---'The customer may not always be right, but after all, they are the customer...'

42, I was referring to your often repeated claim that you have been a building inspector for 30 years. Call me skeptical but I suspect you took on that role only after the ICC started its national certification program for code officials for one & two family residences.

As for your skepticism about my knowledge of what occurs in the field, at least a third of my billable hours on each project are for field observation so it should be obvious, if you stop to think about it, that I have spent more hours over a longer period of time than you have in that capacity.

In addition, I am responsible for reviewing all aspects of all of the work, not just the limited amount controlled by the one & two family building code. If you think enforcing a building code is a difficult job, try enforcing the requirements of the entire contract and making sure the final result meets or exceeds the owner's expectations.

42, as others have said, you know a lot about the building code although sometimes you inexplicably misquote or misinterpret its provisions. I don't begrudge you the mistakes but I do resent the aggressive rude manner in which you do it and the sketchy bragging about your experience as a building official.

I've know a lot of really good architects, builders, and building officials who rarely got credit for their hard work and dedication so I can't help but have a low tolerance for pretenders. Nothing personal.

Go on, tell us when you first got a pay check as a building official and I'll leave you alone about it.

42, from the comments you have made over the years I would guess that you started taking code courses to get various ICC certifications after PA adopted a state building code (and needed a lot of code officials) and you were able to become employed as a residential building inspector sometime during the past 2 years.

If that is the case, it would be intentionally misleading of you to claim "30 years of construction and inspection" experience unless you are counting inspection of your own work.

"See, I told you I have trouble seeing the stamps! :)"

ok, that is funny!

It's crazy you see about 20% of windows like this. A rep at our window place said she used to work in the glass dept of manufacturing these windows and hasn't seen this at all and claims the person was probably grabbing the glass wrong. So disappointing. =( Now I don't know if they will even be corrected. We were told by one rep 'we are going to correct this for you. These windows should not look like this" and now on our 2nd level within the company for customer service and 5th person to tell us the window glass was installed in error. So disappointing since we spent thousands on these windows...should've went with the builders crap line. Those don't even have any logos, so no worries of glass being upside down staring at you.