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Window Problems: -
- Misted Windows - Draughts & Leaks
Most window problems are associated with components of the window breaking. If your windows are no longer under warranty then the parts need to be purchased and installed, the good news is, it is still a lot cheaper to repair than it is to replace.
Why do sealed units go misty?
Contrary to popular belief Sealed units are not manufactured in a dry environment, nor is a vacuum created inside the unit to prevent breakdown.
Sealed units are made using a square tube (commonly known as BAR and comes in 4 main colours Gold, silver, white and Bronze) which is either heat sealed or glued into place, inside this tube is a desiccant made from silicone beads these beads draw moisture from within the sealed unit, once these beads are full of moisture they release the moisture back into the unit (Usually when the temperature changes) which creates the misting inside the unit. The moisture that gets into the unit gets there from several different avenues.
- From original manufacture in the air
- If the window has poor or insufficient drainage,
- and also threw the seal of the unit breaking down.
None of these are an exact science which is why unit manufacturers are constantly trying to come
up with new innovations to solve the problem.
Most people have heard of k glass and Know that it helps keep warmth in your home in the winter and helps keep the heat out in the summer. K glass has been on the market for many years and is commonly used by all larger window companies. However there are now a couple of new contenders to help improve your glass. K glass is a hard coating put on the inside of a piece of glass. Now a new coating by a different manufacturer has been invented this is called Planitherm. Planitherm is a soft coating and has a slightly better reflective property than that of K glass. It is now also possible to fill your units with Argon gas, Argon gas which is commonly used in arc welding for many years has been found to contain thermal properties and so by filling the double glazed units with Argon gas coupled with the reflective coating of K or Planitherm glass we are coming very close to having a thermal value to that of walls, but not only that, it has also been found that because we have removed the air from within the double glazed unit and replaced it with a thermal gas that the units are not breaking down so quickly. In fact I have been told that units manufactured using a combination of Planitherm and Argon gas will never break down (go misty).
Guarantees
All Sealed unit manufacturers have guidelines set out by the Glass and Glazing Federation and as long as these basic guidelines are followed a unit should be guaranteed for at least 4 years. My supplier gives a 5 year guarantee, although I have never replaced one of his units in 7 years.
Some window suppliers offer a 10 year warranty on there windows however this does not usually carry on to the sealed units. There are of course exceptions.
Innovations in glass
Glass is a massive industry and because of this competition is big, that is good for the end user for several reasons.
- Manufacturers are constantly trying to come up with new things to improve existing products.
- Prices are kept low to attract customers and compete within the market.
- New innovations are put on the market as soon as possible and at competitive prices.
A few examples:
- Blinds that are within a sealed unit and operated using a set of magnets either manually or with an electric switching system direct wired or remote.
- Glass that turns opaque at the touch of a remote control button (so one minute the glass is totally clear then within the blink of an eye it turns opaque white where you cannot see threw the glass at all)
- Active glass (there are several different types of active glass out there but they all have the same goal to get the glass clean without you having to do it yourself) this is usually used in conservatory roofs. Active glass is a coating put on the outside of the glass which is both reflective and stops dirt and dust sticking to the glass this works in conjunction with the rain after a few days you may notice dust and dirt on you conservatory roof but when it rains this is all washed away leaving your roof like it has just been cleaned. Some active glass works better than others and this is usually shown in the price. Active glass is not recommended for normal windows because rain does not normally hit windows enough to benefit from it leaving residue on the glass.
Glass
Glass has not change fro it’s basic makeup for many years since Pilkington discovered that floating molten glass on molten zinc produced perfectly flat glass in huge never ending sheets all innovations at the moment are threw changes made to the glass after it has been produced.
Toughened glass is made by reheating and then fast cooling the glass.
Laminated glass is made by sandwiching a plastic sheet between two pieces of glass although this process has undergone some recent changes and innovations as well.
Leaded glass is produced using a roll of lead with a sticky back which is glued in place on opposite sides of the glass (although there are still a few small companies producing leaded glass using traditional methods.
Coloured glass is produced by gluing a coloured plastic onto the outside of the glass but again traditional methods are also still available.
Bevelled Glass are shapes made of glass and glued onto the outside of glass units to give the impression of cut glass
If you have a misted window please contact Eric's Maintenance Service for an effective solution.
Draughts & Leaks
Draughts and leaks around your windows; this is likely to be caused by them being out of alignment, or the hinges have gone.
In most cases this can be fixed with adjustments and re-fitting. Again this is much more cost effective than replacing the windows.
For a solution to draughts and leaks please telephone Eric's Maintenance Service to arrange a survey.