Insulated glass can be replaced?

Lots of folks, especially over the last 10-15 years, have spent thousands of dollars upgrading their old drafty windows to the more energy-efficient styles available on the market. The new vinyl windows have a number of advantages over their older wooden or metal counterparts. Advantages include better insulation, sound deadening, easy operation, and a maintenance-free exterior if installed properly. With regular lubrication and cleaning, your new windows will last you for many years to come. But much like us, they won’t last forever.

The modern windows sold today typically include insulated glass. Insulated glass is created by sealing two pieces of single pane glass together with a spacer in the center that has moisture removing properties. Depending on the construction of the glass unit, window frame, location in the home of the window, and craftsmanship of the installation, the life expectancy of the glass unit will vary.

While servicing windows for the last 20 years, I can tell you that I have been called to inspect insulated glass windows ranging from 30 years old to brand new. One of the most common issues I have been called in to face is moisture or staining in between the glass that the homeowner can’t seem to get cleaned. The cause of the moisture or staining in the glass is that the seal in between the unit has failed. The average life expectancy for an insulated glass unit is about 10-15 years. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing that it’s getting ready to fail until it already has. To compound the problem, a glass unit with a failed seal insulates a home as poorly as only having a single pane glass.

In most cases, the homeowner has called a window company out and, after seeing the issues, has been told that their only option is to have a new replacement window installed. As the frustration and shock of the window replacement costs set in, perfectly good windows are removed and another is installed. Unfortunately, the homeowner is unaware that the insulated glass can be replaced by itself at typically half the cost of replacing the entire window. Being able to replace just the insulated glass fixes the homeowner's concern without all the hassles of a complete replacement. Because the original window frame can be reused, the entire window doesn’t need to be removed, saving both time and money.

So next time you are told it can’t be done…………YES IT CAN!!!!!

Josh McNally

General Manager at Market Ready Inc.