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Double pane window with bad seal

BlackdogGS

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Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
156
Location
The Dalles Oregon, Puget Island Washington
I've fixed and installed windows before but this is new to me. Is this something that a homeowner can do or do I need a professional? I could start peeling off the outer trim to see what I got but I thought I’d ask here first. You can see where moisture has made its way between the 2 pieces of glass. What’s the best way to fix?
IMG_3153.jpeg
 
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BillK

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Aug 24, 2006
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9,306
Location
Beautiful Southern Maryland
Probably not a diy deal. We have a guy near us that does them. Had him fix one of the ones here at my business. Do some searching and see if there is somebody local to you.
 

Bill Wright

Active member
Joined
Jan 22, 2017
Messages
44
Are you the original owner?
if so most window manufacturers offer a warranty ,used to be lifetime to the original owner. If not and you can determine who the manufacturer is call them. They may have a service department or can recommend a local replacement facility.
 

LopezBart

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Oct 13, 2023
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Location
Lopez Island, WA
These are usually filled with a dry inert gas; a proper fix involves replacing the sealed two-layer glass assembly (known as IGU - insulated glass unit). Modern windows often have low-Emissivity coatings; these are readily destroyed by water vapor leaking into the IGU.
 

Blickus

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May 4, 2018
Messages
91
Location
Eastern, PA
Did a number on the back face of my house. On the inside, there’s usually four strips that pop out with a putty knife. From the outside run a thin flexible knife (fillet knife or sharpened hacksaw blade, to cut the foam tape. Sealed glass unit will come out.

A glass / window dealer can order a replacement unit. You can measure it and pre order, or take it in. Get a roll of the double faced foam tape. Removing the old tape is a pita. Heat gun and a strong thumb.
 

Burl

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Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
791
Location
Where Mountaineers are free
Check local glass places, some will replace the glass sections. You'll have to take them the section of the window, they will take the vinyl sections apart and replace the glass piece, which used to be sealed.
 

DGersic

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Mar 12, 2017
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6,280
Location
DeKalb, IL
I haven’t done it yet. I have one that needs to be replaced. I got the replacement under manufacture warranty. This video makes it look straightforward to do.


I need to get the foam tape.
 

nadogail

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Jan 23, 2009
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Location
Coronado, CA
I used a Professional Glass Man to replace several failed window panes, unfortunately he has retired
 

readhead

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Dec 8, 2012
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6,175
Location
Durango, Co.
There is no repair. A replacement will be required. all the work is in getting the old one out. I recently had some units replaced in a couple of Pella windows. Tape was used as a cushion and then some kind of adhesive to seal the unit in the sash. It took two guys an hour per unit to remove the old glass and not damage the sash and used every tool on the truck. I was very glad that I hired it out.
 

The Cobbler

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Oct 24, 2013
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Location
Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada
it's fairly straight forward . order by width x height x thickness plus whatever coating and if it has argon gas in it .
pull the stops off, remove unit, clean up any sealant, put back together .
 

Viper98912

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Joined
Oct 20, 2012
Messages
1,124
Location
GA
You can't repair the glass itself, you need to put in a new one. Many window manufacturers have 10 or 15 year warranties on the glass. I recently replaced 2 fixed upper glass's, 1 sliding lower, and 1 glued-in bathroom fixed window.

For your sliding window, removing the upper glass is fairly straight forward, (normally) for this glass section you remove the trim (called glazing) from the inside with a putty knife. It's a little bit annoying but it comes out eventually once you figure out how it works. On the "outside" facing part of the glass there's foam tape (mine was only 1 side sticky) which creates the seal to the window vinyl frame, so with the glazing removed you literally just pull out the glass (or use a friend to push from the outside). [Note: surprisingly, your window looks like the glazing is on the outside and not the inside, but I'm not an expert on this and if you just need to work in reverse].

On the sliding part of the window, they normally just send you the entire assembly and you unclip and tilt out the old one and clip in the new one.

Also, on fixed windows (where you don't have an upper and lower part, where it's just one glass), those are sometimes glued in, which really ***** because then you need to cut the glue from the outside.

$900 looks like they're totally hosing you, trying to take advantage of you. On the inside of the window frame or inside of the sliding glass portion, look around and see if you find any labels. That'll be the label you need to take a picture of if you decide to file a claim with the glass manufacturer to send you a free replacement.
 

wayne55

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Joined
Oct 28, 2010
Messages
359
I always wondered why when the seal breaks, there are whitish streaks between the panes.
 
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BlackdogGS

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Jan 28, 2012
Messages
156
Location
The Dalles Oregon, Puget Island Washington
I’ll pick this project up again in a couple of weeks. This is our vacation place and we’re home now. I removed the trim and I’ll take the pane to a shop and have a new one made. I’ll install it myself. I’ll post again late.
 

whateg01

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Mar 13, 2006
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11,212
Location
doo dah, kansas, usa
There's a video I watched a few months back of a guy building his own custom double pane windows. If you can poke a hole for a basketball needle in through two places, you can replace the inert gas.

Some IGU I have found don't use inert gas but just air with a desiccant in the frame.
 

mikedodge

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Jun 27, 2017
Messages
2,760
The middle window of our bay window failed a while back and gets cnnsation in it at times. Oddly enough the older windows before they made a big hype about being gas filled lasted a lot longer.
 

Fav Onefour

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Jul 14, 2022
Messages
696
Location
MN cold and hot
There's a video I watched a few months back of a guy building his own custom double pane windows. If you can poke a hole for a basketball needle in through two places, you can replace the inert gas.

Some IGU I have found don't use inert gas but just air with a desiccant in the frame.
I wonder how long those last?
Typically the process requires full elimination of environment air.
Years back, I did a stint in a window unit factory. The gas was argon in those days. The filling process was quite specific. The first step was purging air out before filling with gas. That took quite a bit of time.
When gas filling and sealing was done the units were put through atmosphere pressure testing. We did moisture tests on every unit after the processes. In those days we used dry ice with acetone to make slush and laid a bead on the units. If they showed any signs of moisture condensation or frost the unit was thrown out.
 

whateg01

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Mar 13, 2006
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doo dah, kansas, usa
I wonder how long those last?
Typically the process requires full elimination of environment air.
Years back, I did a stint in a window unit factory. The gas was argon in those days. The filling process was quite specific. The first step was purging air out before filling with gas. That took quite a bit of time.
...
His method was to push all of the air to the top by filling slowly from the bottom. He "monitored" the gas coming out by dumping it on a candle. When the candle went out, it presumably meant there was no more air in the window. No idea how long they last it how complete the purge is. I suppose the game could also be filled with desiccant to pull any remaining moisture out.
 

mike93lx

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Dec 9, 2013
Messages
37,408
Location
Richmond, VA
I looked a bunch of YouTube videos and decided on calling a local window specialist. I just got the quot, $900! So I’m back looking at YouTube videos on repairing double pane windows.
Story of my life. The best way to get me motivated for a project is to get a quote
 
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My Old Tools

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Jun 4, 2014
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5,427
Location
Hamrick Lake, TX
We had 60+ IGU replaced in our house. They were all 20+ years old, several were fogged, none were Low E. We also eliminated the internal grids for a more modern look. It is work. Remove the strips, heat gun and tools to pry the units out, some will break. Old strips may break and need replacement. Clean the frame of old sealer. Apply new sealer, set glass, replace strips, dispose of old glass. About 15% of the cost of replacing the whole window. Not many people do gas fill in this climate, just dry air. A commercial glass company locally owned did ours.
 

Bert_

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Dec 24, 2016
Messages
9,702
Location
NW Iowa
The middle window of our bay window failed a while back and gets cnnsation in it at times. Oddly enough the older windows before they made a big hype about being gas filled lasted a lot longer.
That's why I will never get rid of my single pane with storm windows.
 

Norcal

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Mar 16, 2008
Messages
13,752
That's why I will never get rid of my single pane with storm windows.
A good number of my windows are early 1970's single glazed aluminum frame windows from a defunct manufacturer Likit, they welded their frames unlike most that are screwed together, i have had 2 Pella Thermastar vinyl windows in storage that cost me almost $1K*, 4 years ago, hopefully at the end of next month when the weather cools down, they can go in, in 1994, had a big remodel, 3-car garage, new utility room & bathroom, & Viking (another defunct manufacturer) double glazed windows were used, no broken seals yet in any of them.

*Same windows a few years earlier only cost me around $500.
 
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