What caused the Crack on the inside pane of double glazing

leoniesmith

Hello, I'm hoping to get some guidance - In the summer on a particularly hot day I went to work and when I came back there was a crack on the inside pane of glass of my double glazed window. See link to photo below

I've explained this to the letting agent/ landlord but the landlord doesn't believe the window cracked by itself and is suggesting it was my fault. I'm wondering if anyone with some knowledge on this could look at the photo below and determine if the crack was caused by some sort of stress outside of my control.

Also any guidance on how best to continue pursuing this with my landlord.

Side note - the window has always had condensation on the inside (between the two pane's) am I right in thinking this means it no longer functions as insulation and therefore the inside pane could very easily get hot on a very sunny day. Also the window faces South West.

Thank you for any help or advice.

leoniesmith

Ok it wouldn't let me post the link to a photo because I'm a new user.
I would still appreciate any advice. Thank you!

AnotherJoe

Its not at all uncommon. One pane cracked in my garage a couple years ago "on its own".

Heres a link for causes many of which apply to yours (temperature humidity etc) no doubt you could find many more searching for "spontaneous crack in window" or similar.
https://www.windowsonlineuk.co.uk/blog/causes-double-glazing-crack/


The issue is your ignorant LL who cannot understand this. You may need to end up going to the deposit dispute service when you eventually leave if he deducts it.

davidmcn

leoniesmith wrote: »

Ok it wouldn't let me post the link to a photo because I'm a new user.

You just need to make it look not like a link - chuck in some spaces etc.

Lokolo

If it's double glazing I would say its very rare for a window to crack due to forced damage.

I have had a couple of stress cracks in double glazing before, at no fault to myself.

quantumlobster

We once came home to find the doormat covered with the inner glass from the double-glazed top light above the front door.

Never did find out what caused it.

kingstreet

The inside pane on one of our bathroom windows cracked.

It was about £40 to replace the unit.

AdrianC

You're probably right - and, yes, a blown sealed unit will be far less thermally effective than it should be.

But for the cost of a new sealed unit, I'd be picking my battles.

Chris_W_2

I dont think the LL is being ignorant.

Something breaking inside they are naturally going to push this back to the tenant in the majority of situations. They wont want to pay for something that they dont feel is their responsibility.

Offer to pay half although can be misconstrued as an admission of guilt or if you are adamant you are not responsible then its how bothered you can be to "prove" it was from a structural issue to which the LL is responsible.

leoniesmith

Chris_W wrote: »

I dont think the LL is being ignorant.

Something breaking inside they are naturally going to push this back to the tenant in the majority of situations. They wont want to pay for something that they dont feel is their responsibility.

Offer to pay half although can be misconstrued as an admission of guilt or if you are adamant you are not responsible then its how bothered you can be to "prove" it was from a structural issue to which the LL is responsible.

I understand what you're saying but given the quality of the overall property (very poor) and what we pay in rent (6 tennants in Oxford) then I can be very bothered to ''prove'' it wasn't me. It may cost a bit over £100 to fix it but that's a lot of money to me right now. I think a building component failing on its own without the tenants interferance is completely the landlords responsibility even if they don't ''feel'' it is. So thanks for your advice but I dont think I'll be offering to pay half at this time

Mr.Generous

leoniesmith wrote: »

I understand what you're saying but given the quality of the overall property (very poor) and what we pay in rent (6 tennants in Oxford) then I can be very bothered to ''prove'' it wasn't me. It may cost a bit over £100 to fix it but that's a lot of money to me right now. I think a building component failing on its own without the tenants interferance is completely the landlords responsibility even if they don't ''feel'' it is. So thanks for your advice but I dont think I'll be offering to pay half at this time

Unless its enormous or has some spectacular pattern on the glass it won't cost £100. Std sealed unit say approx. 1200 x 1200 is about £50, adding K glass or something similar is about +20%.

Measure the size of the frame beading to beading (in several places) take the largest size and deduct 10mm to find the size. Width of the bead needs determining too, can be 12, 16, 20, 24mm or possibly even wider. The glass (in most cases) will be 4mm each side so you can work out the metal bead (spacer between the panes) thickness by measuring.


If its toughened it will be marked in a corner, again about 20% more than std glass.


Poor fitting is the most likely reason its broken - and failed in the first place. I bet the packers are placed badly / missing a pane / too tight when it gets taken out.