Sidelight question

[mksanny]

I have sidelights on either side of my front door - the glass pane is app. 7 ft in length. I'm about to replace the sidelight and I noticed that the plastic (i think) frame that holds the glass in place has a cut in it that divides the frame into two pieces. The cut does not look like it was done in a factory or anything - it is a little rough, so I am assuming that the installer cut the frame.

We get a lot of sunlight on that side of the house. Is the cut there to allow for expansion of glass/frame? When I install the new frame and glass, should I cut the new frame too? The house is 17 yrs old, so is this no longer needed with the new materials that have been developed since then?

[Jim Conway]

[mksanny]

The cuts looks too symmetrical for it to be cracks. The cut appear at the same distance on each side of frame and they are perfectly horizontal.

[Abe]

Maybe the cut was done to help remove the frame at some point to replace the glass?

[mksanny]

Not likely. There are screws that you can unscrew from inside the house that removes the frame.