One day you are standing in your kitchen looking out the window and notice a slight haze on the glass. You wipe it with your sleeve but it doesn’t come off. Thinking the dirt is on the outside, you put on your shoes and walk around the house. You wipe the outside of the glass but notice it’s still dirty. Just then it dawns on you that the haze or “fog” is between the panes! Now what do you do?
Reduced utility bills and increased comfort are the main benefits of double paned or insulated glass. In order to create these benefits, two pieces of single paned glass are factory-sealed to create a dead air space. Sometimes that air space can be filled with gas to create an even more efficient window.
However, with exposure to heat, cold, rain, snow and other elements, the seal around the perimeter of the double paned glass can wear out. Most often this occurs first on the south and west sides of your home where there is direct sun exposure. Insulated glass units have a desiccant material at the perimeter seal to evaporate moisture but once the desiccant becomes saturated, the moisture begins to appear between the panes in the form of condensation.
Replacing the insulated glass units is the only viable option when your windows begin to get foggy. You don’t need new windows (the frames can stay in place) just the sealed glass units themselves. Some window companies offer a “lifetime” warranty against visible sealant failure so your best bet would be to contact the window manufacturer to see if this is covered. Your local glass or window companies can also replace the failed insulated glass at a reasonable cost without the hassle of calling an 800 number. Replacement is simple but the glass is custom made to your size so accurate measuring is critical to maintaining the overall seal of your enitre window. For expert replacement of foggy insulated glass contact us for a quote.