Arizona Window Seal Replacement FAQ
Window Seals Cannot be Replaced, The Glass Unit Comes as One Piece and Must Be Replaced
When it comes to failure in dual pane insulated glass units there are some common misconceptions that I would like to go over. Dual pane glass units are made in a glass manufacturing facility and are sealed together at the time of creation. Once a seal is damaged or there is moisture getting in between the panes the unit has failed. It may or not be foggy all the time or show visible signs of moisture build up. The repairs are not simply the take the unit apart on site because the conditions to build the unit are not ideal. Debris, dirt, or whatever is blowing around in the air would get in between and creating a properly sealed unit devoid of any moisture would be near impossible. Because the glass has to be made in a factory the process for replacing damaged dual pane units whether because of broken glass or moisture build up and foggy glass is the same. The only option at that point is glass replacement. The first trip would be to get the exact measurements and details of the window that needs the replacement, order the new glass and then come back to the home or business and install the unit. While waiting for the new glass the old one can remain in place so there is no issue of having no protection while you are waiting.
What are failed seals in dual pane units?
Failed seals mean that the spacer in between the two panes of glass, the “seal” that connects them is letting moisture get in. This can happen on dual pane patio doors, commercial dual-panes windows and residential glass, basically any dual pane unit can suffer from these issues. It can be a crack in the glass or a problem with the spacer or just an entry point that was created over time.
Can I Replace the seals in my dual pane glass?
You can’t replace just the seals as they all are put together in the glass manufacturing process. A dual pane unit comes as one solid piece. For this reason when home inspections or other issues come up the only way to properly replace the seal is to replace the glass unit. This doesn’t necessarily mean replacing the entire window frame and all, just the units that are affected. This is not a big issue for homeowners because the type of glass can be matched up by what type of glass it is: annealed, tempered, laminated, the tint can also be matched, bronze, gray, green, blue, (low-e) and other patterns. The internal girds if present can be matched by pattern and replaced so the new replacement glass will look like the original.
How to repair the seals in an IGU
There is one process you might come across during research on foggy window replacement, this process drills a small hole in one of the panes. Then a cleaning fluid is pumpted in between the panes, this is followed by an anti-moisture element sprayed in and then the hole is sealed with a rubber valve. In some cases this can stop the moisture but the labor involved is a factor and the price is not much lower than replacing the glass. For this reason, it is very rare that a company will perform this. Also, note that you can’t drill or cut into the tempered glass so this only works on normal annealed glass.
Contact Valleywide Glass for having your door or window glass replaced.