I’ve heard of people that can inject a cleaner into a seal of a broken pane and then reseal it with 50% success. Am I gullible or is this real? What is the process called?
There is this…DIY Window Seal Repair Kit, Fix Broken Foggy Glass Windows in the United States and Canada - YouTube which does work as long as there is only moisture and no staining, however since there is no longer “dead air” between the
panes, there is no longer any insulating value (or very little) which is the purpose of the glass.
your english!
if you actually mean a leaking seal in an igu (insulated glass unit) where there is moisture collecting between the panes (sheets of glass) then:
small holes are drilled through the outside and middle (if tri pane) sheets of glass, usually one top corner one opposite bottom corner from the outside.
different chems may be used but an example would be first cleaning vinegar to clean and help remove some mineral deposits followed by methyl hydrate to rinse and accelerate drying. the chems are sprayed in under pressure thru a small nozzle.
the holes ares ometimes left open until the window has dried and cleared days, weeks sometimes months, then plugged with vents to allow the air space to breath.
the edge that can be resealed is the bottom one but this is not usually done.
there is no magic number for success but it is certainly not a guaranteed result. i stopped doing it.
dry air has a slightly better r value than wet air.
the process is typically called defogging.
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Thanks for the info Ken! Can I have permission to use what you wrote to explain this to customers?
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eeeeyupp.
you can add this if you want.
if proceeding i recommend finding a company that specializes in this technique and has been doing it for quite awhile. not all igu’s are suitable.
it IS a gamble but when it works it can increase enjoyment at a lower cost than replacement.
the next option is glass replacement (not window replacement). most window companies want to replace the window for big bucks but if the frame and other components are good replacing the glass unit is inbetween cost wise and definitely works.
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I am confused¿ why not just replace the unit? Why do something half way when it can be done right the first time?
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obviously your rich and can always choose the top end solution, not everyone is in your very fortunate position.
I am not a rich man, just a guy who fixed windows for a long time. It really is not hard or that expensive unless you have giant windows.
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your suggesting the owner does it themselves?? if not glass replacement is a least double the cost and window replacement is prolly 4 times.
