Double pane windows offer a great solution for keeping your home insulated and conserving energy.To achieve superior energy efficiency, these windows use two panes of glass with a dense gas sealed between them. The dense gas between the two panes of glass acts as an extra barrier to prevent temperature changes between the interior and exterior of the home, and preserve insulation.
However, over time the seals on your double pane windows can fail, the gas can escape, and condensation creeps in, fogging your windows. Because of the construction of double pane windows, it can be difficult to fully remove and resolve window fogging. Below are options to defog a double pane window.
One of the simplest ways to get a completely defogged double paned window is to replace it. Replacing the double paned window takes care of the fogging problem completely, and can be done relatively quickly and easily by a professional glass company. The disadvantage of this approach is that it’s more expensive, particularly if you’re only replacing a few windows, as costs are higher for replacement on a per-window basis.
If you need to replace several windows due to fogging or your windows are generally old and worn out, replacing the entire window could be the better option. Studies show that double pane windows are exceptionally reliable and that high-quality units have a 1% failure rate after 10 years and a 3% rate after 15 years. Chances are if you’re having problems with your double pane windows,they may be due for replacement.
The sash is the portion of your window made up of the following: the pane of glass, frame, gaskets,and gas that makes up the single component. If you have a double hung window where the top and bottom portions move, then your sashes can be removed and replaced individually. Replacing a single sash is cheaper than replacing the entire window, so this can be a good option if you can find a glass company who will replace a single sash. Sometimes, the local glass company is able to remove and repair a single sash as well, for an even more economical option.
Double pane window defogging involves boring tiny holes into the panes of glass, spraying cleaning solutions inside, letting these solutions dry, and then installing vents in the bored holes. This can be a more cost-effective solution saving you up to 50-75% of the cost of replacing the windows.However, boring holes in your windows does mean that you lose the insulative benefit of the sealed gas between your window panes. If you have a drill that supports glass drilling, you can drill holes in your double pane windows yourself. If you have concerns about drilling holes in your windows, you can always ask your local glass company to do this for you.
Due to their unique design and construction, double pane windows aren’t always straight forward to defog. However, with our expert advise, you can choose to either replace or defog your double paned windows for better appearance and performance.