Older homes and apartments all have a single glass pane window but modern building and homes have double or triple-paned windows which have sealed glazing or insulated glass units called thermopanes. Over time, owing to the heat, cold, or temperature variations, seals on triple or double glass windows will get worn out and fail. As this happens, the clarity of your window reduces. Hot days can cause the inert gases in your windowpane to expand and escape which is then replaced by air sucked back inside the pane once the weather has cooled down. This expansion and contraction over time can lead to your window seals failing – which causes foggy or misty windows.
At this point, most homeowners consider changing their windows rather than opting for window seal replacement. Window seal damage can be caused due to various conditions, right from the way it is transported, to how it is installed, and even the manufacturing process. Even the most expensive and best-quality window seals can break in harsh conditions.
So, what do you do now?
If your window seal has failed, may not always need to window seal replacement. Companies like Window Medics have started a special patented process that can repair your glass pane windows and renew them to their original condition as well as extend their lifespan for another 20 years. This can save you a lot of time, hassle, and money.
Besides feeling the glass for a temperature difference to tell if your seal has broken, here are some other ways you can determine it.
- More than feeling, detecting if a seal has broken is more of a visual process, you can start by cleaning the window pane both inside and out to ensure that the fogginess is not caused by a buildup of moisture and dirt from the outside.
- Another thing you can do is look for distorted glass, as once the inert gas leaks out of the IGU, the pane may start to bend and collapse in the middle, causing it to look hazy or distorted. This will only affect the glass and not the windows.
- If you look closely and see moisture buildup or droplets or fogging between the panes, it means that your seal has failed. Depending on the weather conditions, the fogginess may go and come but if it remains there for a long time then you know you’re dealing with a failed seal.
Final Words
If you have a foggy window, you can call a professional to help you repair the window or even if the company you purchased it from has a warranty. Remember, a lifetime warranty doesn’t mean service for a lifetime; it means the expected lifetime of the window, which could be from a couple of months to 15 years or more. Window repair is your best bet, as you won’t need to shell out a lot of money to get your window replaced and by repairing it, it will still look as good as new.
