condensation in the window ?

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rustynut

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
Jan 5, 2008
377
mid mich
Anyone got a fix for condensation in a double pane window ?
I mean other than replacing the entire window........
rn
 
The seal is gone and you need new windows. You could drill a very small hole in a lower corner on the exterior and let the temperature cycles pump dry outside air in and moist air out through the hole. It will eventually clear up. Glue in a small straw at a downward angle and plug the straw when it's clear.
 
Depending on how the window was made, you likely lost much of its insulating value when the seal went. Were they gas-filled?

Did you ever have them pressure-washed? That's a huge cause of failure of sealed double-panes.
 
have not been pressure washed that i know of.
probably cheap windows
resealed sounds like an option
thanks rn
 
If your windows are displaying condensation make sure that you diagnose the problem correctly. All of my windows in my home were doing the same thing, I, like you thought that the windows needed replacing; turns out that my windows are in perfect condition. My problem is a tight house, to remove this condensation I am running dehumidifiers throughout the house. Thank God for an honest installer; a Marvin dealer came to look at the windows and turns out that my "marvin" windows are almost 20 years old and in great condition.
 
EasyEd said:
If your windows are displaying condensation make sure that you diagnose the problem correctly. All of my windows in my home were doing the same thing, I, like you thought that the windows needed replacing; turns out that my windows are in perfect condition. My problem is a tight house, to remove this condensation I am running dehumidifiers throughout the house. Thank God for an honest installer; a Marvin dealer came to look at the windows and turns out that my "marvin" windows are almost 20 years old and in great condition.

True - need to check where the condensation is... If it's on the inside of the glass, ventilate and / or dehumidify the house. If it's on the outside, wait for the weather to improve... If it's in between the panes, the seal is gone, need to reseal or replace...

Gooserider
 
My neighbour had this problem and he was selling his house. He drilled the window glass (small hole at top and bottom). Put on some kind of paint or something on the glass, drilled it with a sharp drill (glass bit?) and hoped it wouldn't crack. None of them did. They were all older double pane windows that had lost their seal. They cleared right up after being drilled. Not sure the new owner would appreciate it though. Really small hole. You would have to go out of your way to see it. Hole on the outside pane.
 
What type of windows? The windows in my house are Andersons, they had oval shaped condensation problems. I called the maker for advice, apparently this model was recalled becasue they were known to collapse (lost the seal). Anderson came out and drilled every one of them no charge under 15 year warranty, this was 11 years in. I have not had problems since.
 
Our Andersens are in the process of doing the very same thing. We built in 1991 and the windows have a 20 yr. guarantee. All those that have thusfar failed have been replaced with no questions asked. We are now up to a total of 6 sashes that have required replacement. We have dutifully jotted down the number of the etched logo in the corner of the affected sash, turned it in to the lumber yard that sold them to us and voila! the replacement arrives in a few days time.

I have forgotten what the "window man" called the problem, but it's a window failure, NOT a condensation issue since it only occurs on the affected sashes and not on every window in the room.
 
ok now
took a good look at this window
condensation was between the panes
swapped it out with another one that i had previously removed
and had stored in the garage ( forgot i had it )
ba da bing
problem solved
condensation gone ( out to the trash ! ) !!!
rn ;-)
 
Bobbin, they replaced yours? Install included or no? Our house was a 1991 build also, but they only offered to drill them. Now you have me thinking!
 
Yes, they replaced the defective sashes, with no questions asked. We have installed them ourselves. It's no big deal to do it. I've done all the painting in the house and in the studio over the barn, so painting the replacement sashes is no big deal for me.

I cannot remember the model number of the windows we purchased for the house, but I know they have a 20 yr. warrantee. We purchased them through the local lumber yard which is where we've purchased all the materials for the construction of our home (1991) and the barn (2007), and countless "projects" in between. I stopped in to see the guy in the window department, told him that some more of the sashes had failed and he said, "no problem, get the etched numbers, give them to me and we'll take care of it".
 
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