Double Pane Window

Insulated glass repair question

I have broken the outside glass on a double pane window of my house. The outside piece will not come out to be replace because it is held in by some kind of black rubber or glue on the inside edge. The window does not shatter so I tried breaking pieces off until it was all gone – starting thinking maybe I shouls ask someone. All the windows in this house fog some during the winter. I thought this would help explain what kind of window – it fogs, it doesnt shatter, it is sealed with a black glues or rubber on the inside edge of the outside piece of glass. Question? Do I have to replace the whole window or can you guys just replace the outside broken piece? Thanks

Answer:

You don’t have to replace the whole window only the broken glass unit.Unless the window frame is damaged there is no reason to replace everything. Also, even if the inside the pane is still good you have to replace it because it is an insulated glass unit and not a single pane. The good thing about your situation is that one of pane glass is good so you can wait much longer to get the new glass and not pay extra for an emergency service.

The Type of glass that you have seems to be regular glass or commonly known as annealed. Annealed glass is what most residential homes use and are most of the time 1/16 thick for each pane. The black rubber is what keeps them together and usually last at least 5-10 years.

After this period your windows will start fogging and sometimes during the day or between seasons you will see the condensation between the panes. It is normal to see foggy windows one day and next day you won’t see anything wrong. Eventually it will stay and will become worst to the point that it is impossible to see through.

While it is sometimes expensive to replace insulated glass depending on other info specific to your home, I would suggest to hire a professional to do this work for you. Sometimes is not worthy to do it yourself as glass can cut your hand or arm. Without the tools, materials, and knowledge to do the right job, you might spend more than you think.