Water getting in inbetween double glazing panes

Candy53

Hi,

This has been happening for a while, but has got worse now, so something needs to be done.

There are loads of milky water stains where it has run down the inside of the window. Would we be able to do anything ourselves, or would we have to get a window fitter in?

If we did, would it be a costly job?


Thanks,
Candy

Nilrem

If it's in between the panes it means the seal has gone on the glass, and I think the only way to fix it is to replace the glass.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that replacement glass is usually a fairly quick job to do and often they're in standard sizes so reasonably cheap as they don't have to replace the frame etc (it's usually a case of popping off the molding internally, pulling the glass unit out, popping the new one in and putting the molding back on).

You're probably looking at a couple of hundred up all in if it's a standard size window*, check for local glaziers as opposed to a big double glazing company as depending on where you are there is a good chance you'll have a local company who can do it fairly cheaply (and as it's just a glass replacement they may be happy of a job that they can fit in between larger ones).



*For example you can buy complete windows from Wickes from about £150 including the frame, so the glass alone shouldn't be too expensive, but you'll probably be paying about £50-100 for the fitters time (about an hour at a guess).

Candy53

Thanks for replying.

Yeah, I think I will take your advice about finding someone local then. That is alot of money. Gone are the days when you could just take the putty off and take the pane out.


Candy

Candy53

Would we need a new pane of glass though? Couldn't they take them out, clean them, put them back, then seal them up properly?


Candy

Plumber90

They can remove and re seal the glass, no need to replace

lancslass2008

My OH is in this industry...
No company will want to remove and reseal the glass for the following reasons.
1. They have to split the 2 panes apart to reseal them. The Hotmelt sealant isn't designed to be easily split so the glass often breaks whilst trying to split the panes from the spacer bar. Dangerous and a waste of time.
2. Those 'Milky' stains will be burned into the actual glass surface inside the IGU. You may get away with normal condensation but not burned in stains.
3. Splitting isn't as easy as it sounds and my OH tells me 'When you split IGU's there is always a hotmelt/sealant residue around the edge of the glass that you've just split. When you try and rewash that glass (before resealing with a new spacer & desiccant) the residue of the old glass gets stuck on the brushes inside the (Hot Water) glass washer like chewing gum does to a radiator. This residue then sticks to any further glass that goes through the washer'. Basically, most firms refuse to use 'old' glass in their hot water washers because the residue sticks to the brushes and ruins the next batch of glass going through.

lancslass2008

Sorry, pressed send before I'd finished...
My Oh also tells me...'Even if you did decide to split the glass apart the labour time and total residue cleaning time of the old glass takes a lot longer than it does to make a new IGU (Insulated Glass Unit). The only time they split and reuse the glass is where there is a coloured stain design on the glass that the customer wants to retain. Splitting, cleaning every bit of residue, then washing, then resealing the glass is a time consuming exercise. Oh, and most companies won't guarantee the IGU's if it's not their own glass/components. OH tells me...'To split and reseal a small unit is £25'. To buy a brand new small unit is £20'. You decide!


Hope this helps

lancslass2008

While we are sat in traffic OH is in passenger seat typing this...


Please DO NOT observe the following statement for the reasons stated below..


it's usually a case of popping off the molding internally, pulling the glass unit out, popping the new one in and putting the molding back on).


That 'molding' is called 'beading'. This beading is either fitted externally on old windows and internally on new windows. If you damage this beading when 'popping' it out it will not click back in its securing groove and you'll be there all day trying to force it back in. So, supposing you get the beading out without bending or damaging it, when you've pulled the unit out how are you going to measure the thickness? The thickness of the glass(is it 4mm or 6mm thick?) - and more importantly- the spacer bar between the panes is ABSOLUTELY critical. Put simple... Get the thickness of the unit wrong and you've made a huge mistake. Measure the IGU too thin and the IGU wont fit in the rebate properly and it will rattle about in the rebate and let a draught in. Measure the IGU too thick and you simply won't get the beading back in without breaking the glass. To confuse you even further, that spacer bar comes in sizes starting from 5.5mm thick and increasing by 2mm up to 19.5mm. So, if the window rebate is designed to accept an IGU that is 24mm thick and you try to replace it with an IGU that is 28mm thick what do you think will happen? You'll damage the beading or crack the glass. Take my advice. Get a joiner or glazer to measure the unit thickness. They have a measuring tool that measures the thickness of the unit. In a nut shell, if you measure the width or height wrong by a few millimeteres you'll get away with it. Measure the thickness wrong and you've wasted your money...it simply won't work!

ic

I replaced the glass in the kitchen door - ten minute job to pop the glass out and measure it. Placed the order with a local dg unit firm, picked them up a few days later. Two toughened sealed units for the door cost £45. Took another ten minutes to install.

DSmiffy

ic wrote: »

I replaced the glass in the kitchen door - ten minute job to pop the glass out and measure it. Placed the order with a local dg unit firm, picked them up a few days later. Two toughened sealed units for the door cost £45. Took another ten minutes to install.

You see now you are the kind of person I need to come round and help me do the jobs in my house. Brilliant !
Wish I could DIY
:T

flashg67

Local glazier charged me £80 to measure, supply & fit a mew DG unit of around 900 x 550 mm which I thought was reasonable (NW England).

I normally have a go at stuff like this myself, but knew getting the measurement right was quite critical, so happy to let someone else get it wrong...