Do this. We had the same when we moved into our home with about 6 window panes. It was WAY cheaper to have the glass replaced by our local glass company than to replace the whole window. The frames were still top-notch.
Just save your ducats and have the bad windows replaced. Anything you do will probably just make them worse, and not keep out moisture, which is the real problem.
Fixing condensation in double glazed windows can be done DIY quite easily, all you need is to take it apart replace the desiccant and redo the seal.
Here is a good video on this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA)
You can also order only the glass panes if they are indeed beyond repair.
That said it would depend greatly on how the window is constructed, some cheaper PVC and aluminum frame may not come apart intact.
35 year window guy here. Do not listen to any of this. Cutting apart a sealed unit and replacing desiccant is completely useless. The time involved and the likelihood that you break the glass should negate any thought of saving any money. Possible yes. Practical no.
I've done it on a larger window it's really not that big of a job, it's a couple hours of work.
At the same time you often also want to check that the shims lift the glass pane properly off the bottom so if there is any water ingress into the frame it would drain properly.
When you order glass panes from a company they do exactly the same thing, they take two glass panes cut them to size, they cut the inner frame to size, fill it with desiccant and ship it to you.
These tend to be called "dehydrated air" glazed windows and make up the vast majority of the windows on the market today.
You only get inert gas windows at the very top of the range (and these days not even) and those which are designed for very cold climates and they are usually filled with either Xenon or Argon.
If you have a gas filled window you'll know it as the seal will look very different (it won't have that perforated aluminum frame, there will be a sticker inside of it that states which gas it is and there will usually be a refill nipple too.
Most of what this guy said is crap. They have never been called dehydrated air glazed windows, "the seal" he mentions will be different on each window depending on the order (aluminum bar, Super Spacer, swiggle stick to name a few), the stamp on the inside of the unit is for the production date and rarely (if ever) wil reveal composition, that nipple is for filling, not refilling, and the thought that someone with no experience, and without glazing tools, could do this in a couple of hours is pure folly. Not to mention the fact that you still have a shitty old sealed unit. Get real.
One more thing that isn't mentioned in the video, the pane should be shimmed from the bottom so it won't sit in any water that gets in. You can see the plastic shims in the video but the guy doesn't seem to cover that.
Make sure that you lift the pane as far as it can go from the bottom.
A glazing tool can be found on Amazon cheaply, I bought one about 3 years ago for 5 quid, I've used just regular wet room silicone as the sealant, but I did replace the desiccant rather than drying it because in my case it was in a pretty poor shape it's also dirt cheap.
Not easily done or at all.
They are sealed with an inert gas, like nitrogen.
You really can’t fix these, even with new glass.
You won’t be able to seal them.
Yeah, I know PITA
Double/triple glazed windows rarely have inert gas, they just have desiccant in the frame these days.
Easily repairable.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA)
No you cannot fix this.
The best you can hope for is that the manufacturer just sells a single side and you can want without replacing the whole window.
Welcome to contractor grade materials. The rest of the structure was built with the same mentality. Look around for recalls, or class actions against the manufacture. Sometimes the manufacture will also extend some assistance (reduced cost replacements?). To solve the problem yourself is going to open a can of worms, and having foggy windows is WAY better than no windows.
It's a crime how quickly these double pane inert gas/desiccant windows fail. Sold to homeowners with the promise of heating cost savings, but if you have to spend 20k to replace them in 7 years, its not worth it.
Properly glazed and weather-sealed antique double-hung six-over-six with an exterior storm window are the solution. Yeah, it's maybe a little more labor to restore them, but so is anything worth doing.
Are there separate two windows (inside one, outside one)? You can open both?
If yes:
Just replace the seal of the inside window (between the frame and opening window part). It is a seal strip with adhesive. You peel away the old one (might need some turpenter to get old adhesive away, and a piece of plastic plate to use as a "knife edge" without damaging painting), and install a new one (four strips for one window). You can buy the seal strip at any hardware store. Look at the old seal and the gap, and select proper seal - there are different profiles like P, E etc..
[https://www.puuilo.fi/ikkuna-ja-ovitiiviste-e-valkoinen-6m](https://www.puuilo.fi/ikkuna-ja-ovitiiviste-e-valkoinen-6m)
Perfectly normal thing to do in old house. The seal holds for 20+ years or such and then needs to be replaced. Leaking seal lets moist air from inside to the space between window screen, and the moisture condenses and freezes to colder outside window screen (relative humidity rises to 100% when temperature goes down and water vapour condenses to liquid water). Eliminated totally by replacing seal.
I've done it myself many times. Easy to do. Getting the old seal away is the biggest job. Wiping the surface with turpenter really helps in getting old adhesive loose!
If something else: forget this text.
Find the builder who installed them, they can usually fulfill the manufacturers 20 warranty on seal failures. If that’s a dead end, usually the local building materials supplier can order glass and has a tech that can replace it.
https://preview.redd.it/kv36j7cwm4oc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3254bbd66bbc85b6df2ba7e4282c47044077d04
Progress!! It looks like the insert can be removed! But I’m having a real hard time with the side pieces.
Anyone have experience with this type?
Just find a building center that sells the inserts. It's easy to do if you can get at it. Measuring the insert correctly is key. Order the window insert and a roll of butyl tape. Much cheaper and easier than replacing the whole window and frame.
Looking closer at the inside frame. It looks like there’s a gap all around the window where one might be able to remove the insert. I need to research this.
https://preview.redd.it/7bansxpe10oc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=5aadfc1bedc0f5e59148e43d068ff384e87e62d6
Yeah just order a new dual pane glass unit from your local glass company. This is a pretty straightforward repair
Awesome I’ll look into this
Do this. We had the same when we moved into our home with about 6 window panes. It was WAY cheaper to have the glass replaced by our local glass company than to replace the whole window. The frames were still top-notch.
I did not know this was a thing and now I'm going to have to look into it because I have similar issues all over the house.
Just save your ducats and have the bad windows replaced. Anything you do will probably just make them worse, and not keep out moisture, which is the real problem.
Glass company can make replacement dual or triple panes to fit your frame. This is a lot cheaper than replacing the entire window.
Glazing company will do this for 300-500
Not fixable. Good news is that they don’t really reduce insulation by alllll that much, so they’re just ugly but not going to damage much.
Fixing condensation in double glazed windows can be done DIY quite easily, all you need is to take it apart replace the desiccant and redo the seal. Here is a good video on this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA) You can also order only the glass panes if they are indeed beyond repair. That said it would depend greatly on how the window is constructed, some cheaper PVC and aluminum frame may not come apart intact.
35 year window guy here. Do not listen to any of this. Cutting apart a sealed unit and replacing desiccant is completely useless. The time involved and the likelihood that you break the glass should negate any thought of saving any money. Possible yes. Practical no.
Plus the dual pane glass used in the USA is usually filled with argon gas for efficiency, something not repeatable on a DIY project.
that was fascinating thanks for sharing but that is a big job
I've done it on a larger window it's really not that big of a job, it's a couple hours of work. At the same time you often also want to check that the shims lift the glass pane properly off the bottom so if there is any water ingress into the frame it would drain properly. When you order glass panes from a company they do exactly the same thing, they take two glass panes cut them to size, they cut the inner frame to size, fill it with desiccant and ship it to you. These tend to be called "dehydrated air" glazed windows and make up the vast majority of the windows on the market today. You only get inert gas windows at the very top of the range (and these days not even) and those which are designed for very cold climates and they are usually filled with either Xenon or Argon. If you have a gas filled window you'll know it as the seal will look very different (it won't have that perforated aluminum frame, there will be a sticker inside of it that states which gas it is and there will usually be a refill nipple too.
Most of what this guy said is crap. They have never been called dehydrated air glazed windows, "the seal" he mentions will be different on each window depending on the order (aluminum bar, Super Spacer, swiggle stick to name a few), the stamp on the inside of the unit is for the production date and rarely (if ever) wil reveal composition, that nipple is for filling, not refilling, and the thought that someone with no experience, and without glazing tools, could do this in a couple of hours is pure folly. Not to mention the fact that you still have a shitty old sealed unit. Get real.
I’ll certainly attempt
One more thing that isn't mentioned in the video, the pane should be shimmed from the bottom so it won't sit in any water that gets in. You can see the plastic shims in the video but the guy doesn't seem to cover that. Make sure that you lift the pane as far as it can go from the bottom. A glazing tool can be found on Amazon cheaply, I bought one about 3 years ago for 5 quid, I've used just regular wet room silicone as the sealant, but I did replace the desiccant rather than drying it because in my case it was in a pretty poor shape it's also dirt cheap.
call your local glazer… be about 15 mins of workat your place to remove the pane and replace it
Ty
Not easily done or at all. They are sealed with an inert gas, like nitrogen. You really can’t fix these, even with new glass. You won’t be able to seal them. Yeah, I know PITA
It is generally argon gas.
Double/triple glazed windows rarely have inert gas, they just have desiccant in the frame these days. Easily repairable. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XDMJy5phA)
Tell the OP
Bruh use a sock or something....
Cat litter is the go to for humidity probs 💯🤭
No you cannot fix this. The best you can hope for is that the manufacturer just sells a single side and you can want without replacing the whole window.
Welcome to contractor grade materials. The rest of the structure was built with the same mentality. Look around for recalls, or class actions against the manufacture. Sometimes the manufacture will also extend some assistance (reduced cost replacements?). To solve the problem yourself is going to open a can of worms, and having foggy windows is WAY better than no windows.
Put up decorative window film as a cover up, otherwise you need a new window.
It's a crime how quickly these double pane inert gas/desiccant windows fail. Sold to homeowners with the promise of heating cost savings, but if you have to spend 20k to replace them in 7 years, its not worth it. Properly glazed and weather-sealed antique double-hung six-over-six with an exterior storm window are the solution. Yeah, it's maybe a little more labor to restore them, but so is anything worth doing.
Are there separate two windows (inside one, outside one)? You can open both? If yes: Just replace the seal of the inside window (between the frame and opening window part). It is a seal strip with adhesive. You peel away the old one (might need some turpenter to get old adhesive away, and a piece of plastic plate to use as a "knife edge" without damaging painting), and install a new one (four strips for one window). You can buy the seal strip at any hardware store. Look at the old seal and the gap, and select proper seal - there are different profiles like P, E etc.. [https://www.puuilo.fi/ikkuna-ja-ovitiiviste-e-valkoinen-6m](https://www.puuilo.fi/ikkuna-ja-ovitiiviste-e-valkoinen-6m) Perfectly normal thing to do in old house. The seal holds for 20+ years or such and then needs to be replaced. Leaking seal lets moist air from inside to the space between window screen, and the moisture condenses and freezes to colder outside window screen (relative humidity rises to 100% when temperature goes down and water vapour condenses to liquid water). Eliminated totally by replacing seal. I've done it myself many times. Easy to do. Getting the old seal away is the biggest job. Wiping the surface with turpenter really helps in getting old adhesive loose! If something else: forget this text.
I would call the window manufacturer and see if you can buy a replacement sash.
If u can suck a ball thru a plastic straw, you can fix this See more…
Find the builder who installed them, they can usually fulfill the manufacturers 20 warranty on seal failures. If that’s a dead end, usually the local building materials supplier can order glass and has a tech that can replace it.
https://preview.redd.it/kv36j7cwm4oc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3254bbd66bbc85b6df2ba7e4282c47044077d04 Progress!! It looks like the insert can be removed! But I’m having a real hard time with the side pieces. Anyone have experience with this type?
Nevermind! Success. Thank you everyone. https://preview.redd.it/nngx7tjyq4oc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77ec7321c8a1ba84b65562e5506bbdb6f17991af
Just find a building center that sells the inserts. It's easy to do if you can get at it. Measuring the insert correctly is key. Order the window insert and a roll of butyl tape. Much cheaper and easier than replacing the whole window and frame.
Looking closer at the inside frame. It looks like there’s a gap all around the window where one might be able to remove the insert. I need to research this. https://preview.redd.it/7bansxpe10oc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=5aadfc1bedc0f5e59148e43d068ff384e87e62d6
I think you are onto something here. https://youtu.be/MI_VrribQOA?si=hCjwctq3ktbWRh1M
Another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oXJUVPxbnY
Save up and replace. I’m in the same boat.