What is a Broken Window Seal?
A broken or failed window seal causes condensation to occur between a double or triple pane window. Not only does this look unpleasant, windows with broken seals lose their efficiency.
What is a window seal?
Windows were built to allow light and air into a space and allow people to see inside and outside. Well maintained windows can make a home comfortable and cozy to live in.
Today, the vast majority of windows have two panes of glass. Double-pane windows are used to better insulate your home or office and actually limit the amount of noise coming in or out of your space.
Double-pane windows have a small space between the panes. The open space between the panes is filled with a gas such as argon or krypton. But when the seal breaks, the gas releases. As a result, moisture can get inside.
What is a broken window seal / failed window seal?
Unfortunately, window seals can’t last forever. A window seal often starts to fail long before obvious signs appear. Due to a seal failure, your windows can lose insulating properties.
If your windows have minor seal damage, they can still function properly preventing cold air and moisture from penetrating your home. However, things may worsen over time and more condensation may continue to build. The condensation between the panes is more noticeable at certain times of the year. Especially in Ontario, where there is a drastic change in temperature between the seasons.
Why do window seals fail?
Your window seals may fail for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, window manufacturers or installers make mistakes. Such mistakes may result in a broken window seal and possibly further damage that may not be visible at the time of the install. You may start to notice condensation soon after a brand new window has been installed. This also may occur five years later or 20 years later, or better yet never. If your windows are new and your notice that you have a broken seal, contact your manufacturer or installer as soon as possible.
Rubber tends to deteriorate over time and could be one of the reasons why your window seal breaks. If this happens, moisture gets between the panes of glass and the problem gets worse.
Weather conditions also have an impact on your window seals. The reality is, moisture causes premature problems. So, your windows will probably deform much faster if you live in an area where it rains a lot and the humidity level is high.
How to determine if your window seal has failed?
Do you see the moisture between the panes of glass in your window?
Do you see a foggy window pane?
Have you noticed that your window lets air in?
Do you see water in the corners of the plane at the bottom edge of the window?
Have found that your window glass is much colder in winter compared to previous years?
Actually, these are some signs that your window seal has failed. The sign of a broken window seal can be easily detected when the level of humidity is high or the temperature between inside and outside is different.
On the other hand, sometimes a broken window seal can be difficult to see, especially if your windows are dirty. If you think you may have a broken window seal we also recommend that you clean both sides of the glass and then look closely.
If you have determined that you have a failed window seal, it will only worsen over time.
What can you do when your window seal has failed?
It may seem straight forward, but if you have a failed window seal, you either get it fixed or you don’t. This depends on the severity of the condensation between the window panes and your budget. New windows are expensive, especially if you are replacing all of the windows in your home at the same time. Repairing a failed window seal is requires special knowledge, experience and the proper tools.
If you want to fix your broken window seal you have three options:
Drill a small hole in the bottom or top of the window pane. Note - we do not recommend this as the condensation will eventually return. This method also weakens the glass and allows for more air to enter into your home or office. It can be a quick fix for the short term, but it is not ideal.
Replace just the glass. There are companies that perform this locally, such as the Only the Glass or the Glass Doctor. This method is cheaper than replacing the whole window and the frame and you are just replacing the glass insert.
Replace all of the windows in your home. This is obviously the most expensive option but one where you can get a proper warranty and rest assured that all of the windows are functioning as they should.