Gas Seal In Vinyl Windows Raised

Window seal failure is a common problem for aging windows and an inevitable issue for most residential and commercial buildings with insulated dual or triple pane glass.

Gas seal in vinyl windows raised.

Unfortunately you can t add storm windows to casement or awning style windows. Windows nowadays are often double or triple pane containimg a seal around the perimeter to ensure an air tight fit. The window seals lock the gas in to help create a barrier that blocks outside temperatures from entering your home. If that doesn t work it may mean air is leaking in around the glass.

Improper installation of an igu window can also cause a seal to fail. Even so they should still provide good insulation for 20 years or more after installation. In between the panes of glass is often a gas fill for insulation such as argon gas. Seals can be damaged by house painters using heat guns to strip paint or by homeowners using pressure washers to clean the windows.

Damage to your windowpanes can breach the glass seal allowing the gas inside to leak out and eliminating the insulating power of the triple or double. One of the downsides to vinyl windows is the in ability to easily change the glass. The moisture can turn the glass hazy fogged or even crystallized like the photo above. Now that the seal is broken however the problem will persist and if the window contained an inert gas its enhanced insulating factor is now gone.

Insulate and seal around your windows. A failed seal around the insulated glass piece of a window allows moisture laden air to get in between the panes. How seals fail even in the best of circumstances the seals on insulated windows are not perfect and over time the inert gas inside the units can leak out and moisture from outside air can seep. Buy some window glaze at the hardware store and apply it to the edges of the windows to create a seal.

Although these window seals are meant to be long lasting and may hold up for decades they can and do fail. This combined technology slows energy transfer so that the igu windows with seals intact keep homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. In most houses there is a space between the wall framing and window frame. Once the seal fails the gas escapes and moisture typically enters the space between glass panes.

Double panes of glass in addition to a layer of a gas is the best way to insulate a window. Double pane windows are the solution for old inefficient windows. Studies have shown that adding storm windows is a very cost effective way to reduce energy bills. Replacement windows these days are often sold as double pane versions that not only feature two panes of glass compared to one on single pane windows but also are filled with argon gas in between the panes.

Keep reading to learn why windows seals fail.