Condensation inside double-glazing sealed units.

Any window fitted in the last 10-15 years will use double sided glazing security tape to hold it in place (so it doesn't matter if the beading is external). Before you start, look at the thickness of the foam tape, because you will need to buy a roll of the tape to refit the window, and it's available in many different thicknesses. You probably want a couple mm thicker than it appears so it's compressed when fitted. Also available in black or white, but black is most often used so it doesn't show when it gets dirty, as you can't really clean it.

You will need to cut through this foam all the way around before the unit will come out. You will also need to clean the remains of the tape off the frame and glass before refitting.

Also I would suggest getting a couple of glass rubber sucker handles for handling the unit in and out of the frame. Cheapest source of these are sold as temporary shower cubicle handles, often for under a fiver each.

If you have leather gloves/gaunlets, use them too, particularly if there's any risk of the glass falling apart or if it's already cracked, and the larger the sealed unit, the more important that is, together with thick long sleaves/coat and thick long trousers, which might help save you from serious injury.

When you lift the unit out, be very careful not to knock the corners or edges on anything hard. Even a light brush against a brick or concrete can cause a toughened unit to shatter - the larger the unit, the more likely this is. Stand the unit on something soft and lean it against something soft (such as timber).

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel
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In article , Al Shahadie writes

'Glass bit' eg:

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Reply to
fred

snipped-for-privacy@cucumber.demon.co.uk (Andrew Gabriel) wrote in news:k36ml8$s4q$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

[text snipped] Stand the unit on something soft and lean it

That's all extremely helpful. Thanks a million!

A
Reply to
Al Shahadie

fred wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@y.z:

Reply to
Al Shahadie

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Reply to
John Rumm

Let me tell you how I fixed that problem. The window is 150 x 210 cm double glass and it had condensation inside. I opened it with a thin knife and cleaned both panes well. I left the last finish of cleaning to my wife and that was by big mistake. My wife was not very exited by my project and that may the the reason why she now was a bit sloppy. When the panes had got new seal and was mounted, we discovered that a spot in the center needed more cleaning.

Thus I had to do the whole job once more. Then came the big accident. One of the panes broke when resting on some wood while the morning sun heated it. The local heat created to much tension. I then had to order brand new panes with seal. Please observe that I mounted this big window alone without any assistance.

I learned a lot from the project, and would have done all the cleaning by myself if I had to do the job once more. I think you should open your window and get rid of that condensation.

Reply to
Jo Stein

I don't know whether I'm missing something but, for the life of me, I can't think why anyone would want to drill through the glass. You'd almost certainly have to take the sealed unit out of the frame to do this safely - in which case, why not simply drill through the spacer?

Incidentally, if you talk to a sealed unit supplier about the merits of trying to remove condensation by blowing dry air through it, they will tell you that the condensation will leave a stain on the inside of the glass, so it won't quite look 'as new'. I know that "they would say that, wouldn't they?" because they'd like to sell you a new unit - but they might just have a point.

Nevertheless, I'm considering having a go at some of my conservatory windows when I've assembled a sufficient quantity of round tuits.

Reply to
Roger Mills

Here you see how they are made:

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argon gas there. For the repair of your broken seal you need a knife and some courage. The following text mention a hacksaw, but you only need a thin knife.

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Reply to
Jo Stein

It's certainly been done - e.g.

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responsibility accepted if the pane shatters when you try to drill it, though!)

Reply to
docholliday93

I don't see why you conclude that. His job is to sell to people who /can't/ ask intelligent questions; his only real failing was that he should have moved on as soon as you raised the first issue.

Reply to
Martin Bonner

ask intelligent questions; his only real failing was that he should have moved on as soon as you raised the first issue.

I see what you mean.

Some of my recent "Your computer is sending us error messages" callers must have a very well-tuned ear. I have only got as far as responding "That doesn't sound good." before they hang up. I had no need to ask them to identify which of my computers was worrying them.

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

though!)

I posted more than 10 years ago that DG is surrounded by crap statistics .... had 17 units fail in my house at that time .... totally wiping out any cost saving.

I am in a new house ...and after 6 years they have started failing, in fact 2 of them have been replaced twice.

It is always the side of house facing the sun ... 9 failed so far.

I tried "Crystal Clear - Fog Away" they came along drilled holes in DG unit front face, sprayed in a chemical cleaner to clean inside (good job) ... and fitted a small valve.

The idea being over a couple of weeks unit would settle down .... all of them were still fogging up .... and have now been replaced.

I also have a glass patent glazing roof in centre of house ... with 4m long DG panes .... these were manufactured & installed by Pilkington .... 4 so far have failed.

2 failed in first 18 months.

Office blocks seems to have much better results .... are commercial units simply much better made ?

Reply to
Rick Hughes

ask intelligent questions; his only real failing was that he should have moved on as soon as you raised the first issue.

I had a solar thermal salesman insist that while the panels couldn't be expected to supply enough heat to heat a house, I could easily run an underfloor heating system that heats a whole house off them.

Not only didn't he understand the contradiction, he complained that I was wasting his time when I wasn't interested in buying immediately.

(Which in a sense I was. But if their lead generation system can't tell that when I tell a cold caller "I'm not interested in buying now but if you really still want to send an engineer round I'll talk to him" I don't mean "send a clueless saleman and I'll sign up now", that's their problem. And some of the brochures from their kit suppliers were quite interesting, so my time wasn't totally wasted.)

Reply to
Alan Braggins

"Mr Pounder" wrote in news:k34m9p$vtu$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

I may have to resort to such a company, or (more likely) replace the whole window. In the blink of an eye, that steamy double-glazed window just became a nice clear single glazed window! It turned out to be safety glass, which shattered when I tried to drill it. Oh well, at least it *looks* nice and clear now! I will replace the whole window soon. I wasn't very happy with that window's size and style anyway. I can fit a larger window into the same apeture, which will be much better.

A
Reply to
Al Shahadie

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