A failed seal around your double glazing can cancel out all the benefits it offers over single glazing. Seals can fail around any variety of window, but double-glazed windows require particular fixes. As they are much more energy efficient and better at insulating your home, they’re much more important to fix properly than the standard fare.
In this blog, we’ll go over how to identify a failed seal on your windows, and what your options are to fix it.

How to Identify a Failed Seal

When the seals on your double glazed windows start to fail – cracking, crumbling or splitting at the edges - the pressure keeping the panes of glass together deteriorates. This causes a number of problems with the insulation, as the gas between the panes can escape, and ambient air can enter. If this is happening, there are a few tell-tale signs:

• Condensation or fog builds up that you cannot wipe off, from the inside or outside of the window.
• Condensation or fog builds up faster or more frequently than your other double-glazed windows.
• Minerals build up between the panes of glass, making them seem unclean, even after washing and drying them.

It’s possible none of these will occur with a failed seal, but condensation between the panes is usually the most common signifier. This is more likely to occur when there is a drastic shift in the weather, or the temperature suddenly drops, either inside or outside your home.

Can You Avoid Failed Seals in the First Place?

You can help to stave off failing seals by following a few straightforward tips:

• Have your windows set up by a professional glazier. The most common causes of failing seals stem back to poor installation. Make sure your windows are installed correctly to begin with, and you’ll be able to avoid most issues!
• Caulking holes or cracks you find in the exterior seals. This can be a great way to mitigate weather damage to your seals, but it’s best to consult a professional before doing this too.
• Avoid using water blasters or heat guns on your windows. When you clean them, make sure you just use your hands and a cloth, as cleaning equipment that is too aggressive is liable to damage the seals.

How to Deal with Failed Double-Glazing Seals

If you have the windows under warranty, getting them repaired that way is your best option. Barring that, you can try to deal with it yourself, such as defogging. This is a practice that typically involves drilling as small a hole as possible into the gap between the panes of glass, to allow the fog or condensation to escape. You can also use packets of desiccant to absorb the moisture. As you may note, this isn’t a true repair – it will only make the glass look better. You glass will be clean and clear, but it’s likely the insulating gas will escape, making this a temporary fix at best.
There are some services or guides that recommend doing this, and then sealing the hole afterwards, but this will not permanently solve the condensation issue, and will certainly reduce the effectiveness of the double-glazing.
Your next option is getting the glass replaced. This may not involve completely new panes of glass, but may require rebuilding the frame to accommodate the repairs, depending on the specifics of the job.
If you’re concerned about your window seals, the very best thing you can do is contact the experts. Talk to Atlas Glass today, and our friendly team can point you in the right direction. With more than 40 years of experience, and cutting-edge knowledge on modern glass techniques, Atlas Glass can solve your double-glazing problems today!

Going without double glazing can be a trial for contemporary homeowners, but the appeal and individuality of historic windows is a strong selling point for homes. Vintage windows can be beautiful pieces of work, carrying along with them one-of-a-kind details and rich histories. It’s a no-brainer that a homeowner would want to keep them as accurate as possible, but as they age, they could be costing you a fortune in lost heat.
Today, we look at five ways you can keep historic windows, but maintain them to keep up with modern techniques.

1. Note Specific Problems

In order to keep as much of the window as authentic as possible, try to avoid throwing out the whole thing when it becomes apparent it’s having problems. Maybe it’s only the joinery that’s failed. Maybe it’s fine, but is unable to open, or close. If you’re able to analyse exactly what the problems are you can keep any repairs focused to those specific issues.

2. Take Care of the Wood

Wood is the most likely material to cause problems due to age, but luckily, it can take a surprisingly small amount of effort to maintain. Try testing the wood with an awl, in order to find out if it seems sturdy, or hollow and soft. A few things you can do yourself include filling splits in old wood with putty and repainting, or resealing wood with some caulking. There are plenty of resources out there for learning how to use felt or clay string to eliminate gaps.

3. Update the Glass

Of course, you’ll want to replace cracked, chipped, or otherwise broken windows, but updating unbroken glass on vintage windows is also a great idea. Taking the opportunity while you get other work done to install retrofit double glazing can end up saving you in the long run, as double-glazed windows are much more energy efficient, and insulate your home much more effectively. If the wood is in good condition, but you can still hear the windows whistling in the wind, you may have issues with the glass fitting. Getting them re-fitted will certainly help keep your house warmer, but jumping at the chance to get them double glazed will be an investment into your home that pays off for years to come.

4. Make Replacements with Care

If you can, make all your replacements with parts or glass that resemble the original as close as possible. While you may be tempted to entirely replace the joinery, try to maintain the original character of the window. The best way to approach the situation with the care it needs, is to take measurements and photographs, and then take them to a professional.

Contact the Experts

With over 40 years of experience, the Atlas Glass team truly is a dedicated group of professional Auckland glaziers. We have the knowledge and ability to take your vintage windows, and make them work for your home, without stripping their historical value. Talk to Atlas Glass today for your free quote!