If you are living in an older home, you may still have windows with single-pane glass. However, virtually all modern windows sold for new construction and replacement showcase a form of sealed glazing. These types of windows are commonly known as insulated glass units (IGUs) or insulated windows. After some time, the seals on your IGU windows may fail, affecting the clarity and insulating ability of your traditional or custom windows.
How IGU Windows Are Constructed
A single-pane window cannot be considered to be sealed at all. Only windows that are constructed with two to three layers of glass are completely sealed and form an IGU. These panes of glass are separated by a spacer material and sealed together at the edge. The space between glass panes is usually filled with an inert gas, such as argon or krypton, to slow down unwanted energy transfer in both directions, keeping your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
How Seals Fail
The inert gas inside the units can leak out over time, prompting moisture from outside to fill the space between panes. IGU windows, whether bay, picture or casement windows, experience seal failure in a slow, gradual manner in the years following the installation. However, there are a few reasons why a new IGU unit can fail as well, such as atmospheric pressure changes during the transportation.
How to Tell If Sealed Windows Have Failed
There are ways that can help you determine seal failure in windows. Here are two of them:
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Clean the glass. If both the interior and exterior sides of the window are shiny and clean but you can still see cloudiness within the panes, consider it as a telltale sign that your seal has failed.
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Look for distortion. Sometimes, the panes begin to bend and warp in the center when the inert gas has started to leak out. This can make your window look distorted and even break.
Breathe new life into your home with beautiful and energy-efficient windows. Renewal by Andersen® of Montana is a premier source of replacement window and patio door solutions in and around Billings, MT. We work diligently to provide homeowners with excellent service from start to finish. Call at (406) 820-2252 or fill out our contact form to set up an appointment.
