Foggy & Broken Window Repair
Foggy/Broken Window Repair from Executive Window Services! Do you ever feel like you clean your windows over and over again, yet they are never clean and ALWAYS appear foggy? Cleanliness is not your problem! However stress no more, at Executive Window Services one of our specialties is foggy window repair and we will gladly be at your service to cure your “foggy window” dilemma. According to window professionals throughout the industry, including the experts at Executive Window Services, a “foggy window” is the result of a defect in the window glass itself. When the condensation of water vapor gets trapped between the thermal panes, the result is a foggy appearance. Often consumers have a misconception that they must replace the entire window, however that is not the case. A “foggy window” can be corrected by simply replacing the glass. foggy window repair.
Glass Replacement vs. Window Replacement
Window glass replacement is simpler and far less expensive than full window replacement.
With glass replacement we repair your windows while leaving your window frames in place and just replace just the window glass. This way your home’s window frames all continue to match.
Many people don’t realize that they don’t have to replace their entire window when the glass unit has failed or the glass has been cracked or broken. Glass repair is far easier than complete window replacement and costs far less. When we replace just the window glass we repair the window and extend it’s life by many years to come.
We offer window glass replacement for
- Broken and Cracked Windows
- Tempered Glass such as Glass Doors and Bathroom Windows
- Aluminum Framed Windows
- Vinyl Framed Windows
Pros and Cons of Glass Replacement
Pros
- Cheaper than window replacement
- Instant results
- Can be done to any type of window
- You can upgrade to low-E, Argon, grids, and tempered glass
Cons
- Doesn’t upgrade your window frames
Upgrade Options
When you replace your glass you have the opportunity to upgrade your windows. Options are:
- Low E for heat and UV control
- Colored spacers to match your frames
- Add or remove internal grids
- Add or remove tinted glass
- Update or add designer privacy glass
- Low-E Energy Efficient Glass
Glass Replacement is a great way to upgrade the energy efficiency of your windows without replacing the frames. Quality Low-E glass can reduce the sun’s heat entering your windows by 68% and can significantly reduce heat loss from your house. Low-E also helps reduce fading caused by UV from sunlight.
I want new glass, now what?
Glass Replacement is a simple process. First we carefully measure the glass in the failed window and determine any special features it might have such as low E coating. When we know everything about your current window glass installation we give you a quote on the cost of replacing the glass with new units that are identical to your current failed windows. Because of the high rate of failure of Intercept Spacers, we offer only standard box spacers in our glass replacement units.
If you know the dimensions of your windows we offer an for your window glass repairs.
If you accept our bid we ask that you put down a deposit on the cost of the glass we will be ordering. We order the glass and set up an appointment for a few days later when we return and do the window repair.
On the appointed day we arrive with the new window glass. We remove your old foggy window glass without disturbing your window frames and replace it with the new window glass unit. Then we caulk the window to assure no moisture can get in helping to extend the life of your new window.
When we’re done we take the old window glass with us and dispose of it for you
Call Us Today to fix this problem for good!
817-565-3652
Why Do Thermal Pane Windows Fail?
Every double pane window eventually fails. There is no such thing as a fail-proof thermal pane window. Wood framed windows tend to last 20 to 24 years (if well maintained). Newer, high-end wood/aluminum clad windows last about this long too. Traditional aluminum frame windows typically last 17 to 20 years. Vinyl framed windows may make it 15 years if they have standard box spacers. However most newer vinyl framed windows have a low-quality Intercept Spacer and these windows begin failing in 5 to 8 years.
Sunshine is the biggest cause of window failure, which is why your south and west facing windows usually fail first. Sunshine causes both a process known as “solar pumping” and the hardening of the sealant that forms the seals of the window.
When sunshine hits a double pane window the air inside heats up significantly, (think of a car on a hot day!) causing the sealed window unit to expand and pushing air out through the semi-permeable seals. In the evening, the window cools and contracts, drawing air—and humidity—with it. Day after day, year after year, this cyclical expansion and contraction occurs, stressing the window seals and filling the air space with moisture.
Manufacturers expect and plan for solar pumping. Built into every thermal pane window frame is silica desiccant to absorb the small amounts of moisture inevitably drawn into the window. The desiccant, however, has a limited capacity and lifespan. In a standard box spacer the desiccant looks like the photo below. In an Intercept Spacer, the desiccant is mixed into the sealant that forms the seal of the window.
At some point the desiccant will have absorbed all the moisture it can hold and that is the day a hazy, misty bluish fog clouds your glass window pane. From this point on the window begins deteriorating rapidly. If left untreated, the trapped moisture quickly corrodes the inner window glass surfaces, eventually leaving mineral deposits and a permanent white silica haze.
The biggest cause of early failure in wood framed windows is lack of maintenance. Every two years the exterior seam where the glass meets the wood needs to be caulked and the frames painted. Otherwise, rain hits the glass and runs down between the wood and the glass, pools at the bottom of the IGU (Integrated Glass Unit) and rots both the seal of the IGU and the wood frame of the window from the inside out.
Anything that makes a window hotter also will shorten it’s life. Use external sunshades rather than inside drapes to protect the window from heat. Be aware that solar film–while useful in many places–significantly increases the heat inside a window and always voids the manufacturer’s warranty for the window.
Read our article on 10 Things Every Homeowner Should Know About Windows to learn more of the inside story on your windows.
