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Top 3 Problems with only changing the glass units in your windows

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Today we flip the coin and talk about the problems and things to consider to only changing the glass unit in your window.

As a window repair, door repair and glass unit replacement company, it’s hard to admit it, but we don’t always have the right solution to solve every issue.

BUT
, we are more than happy to take the time to explain when a repair will solve your issue, and when it will not, thus saving you time, hassle and unwanted costs that won't actually help remove the issue you experience.

So, in this article, we're going to talk about the problems and downsides in certain circumstances to replacing the glass unit only in your window.

Top 3 problems with changing the glass units only.

  • Changing the glass will not get rid of condensation inside your home
  • Changing the glass will not remove draughts from your windows
  • Changing the glass means you still have the old frames

Changing the glass will not get rid of condensation inside your home

Before we dive into this problem, we first need to confirm what we mean when we say ‘inside the home’. The problem of condensation inside the home relates to damp spots on your walls and ceilings, small puddles on your window board or moisture you can physically touch on the glass while standing inside your home.

Condensation between the panes is a different issue and can most certainly be resolved by changing the glass, for more information on this by clicking here.

Back to the condensation inside your house. This type of condensation occurs when warm, humid air meets the cold surface of the glass. This is especially common in the winter when the outside air is cold and dry, and the indoor air is warm and humid. Even everyday activities such as showering, cooking, and sleeping can contribute to the issue and increase humidity levels.

The lack of ventilation in your home increases the humidity level which therefore increases the condensation issue. Think of condensation on your windows as an indicator to reduce the humidity in your home before bigger issues occur. As a result, changing the glass within your frames will not reduce this issue, it can only be improved through increased ventilation and being savvy about how you dry clothes and reduce moisture inside the home.

Changing the glass will not remove draughts from your windows

Condensation on the interior side of your windows is most common in the winter. But it can happen at any time of the year, factors such as window location, which direction it faces and even the trees located nearby can have an effect. Either way, there is lots we can do to improve the situation, try these simple ways to help cut down on the humidity in your home:

This comes up a fair bit from customers contacting our customer service team. Often, and understandably so, customers believe the draught in their windows is coming through the joint between where the glass meets the window frame.

In our experience, (which we've been gathering meticulously since 1991) we've only ever seen one or two properties that have suffered from the draught coming through in this way, the majority of cases are as a result of these 2 things;

1) The sealant around the perimeter of the frame externally has perished, resulting in the wind coming along the edge of the window frame.
2) The window hinges have failed or broken on an opening window close by to the draught.

Both these issues can be rectified without needing to replace the entire window frame, but, replacing the glass unit will not resolve the issue in the instance. To make things even better, a reseal or window hinge replacement is most cases less expensive than a replacement glass unit. Meaning you can remove the draught in a more cost-effective way than you first thought.

Changing the glass means you still have the old frames

As you expected, we saved the biggest and most obvious until the last. The biggest problem with changing the glass unit only means that you still have the old frame.

Yes, this is an obvious statement, but let's break it down so we can identify when this statement needs to be considered, and when it does not.

When we carry out a survey on any window, we are of course looking for a resolution to fix the issue, but we must also look at value for money. In this, we must have an honest conversation, first with ourselves (usually in our head) and secondly with you, our customer on whether or not replacing the glass unit is a cost-effective and worthwhile option for the window.

In practice, what we mean by this, is the window worth repairing. If for instance, your windows are 30+ years old, the handles are cracked and pitted, the hinges are rusted shut and the plastic frame is damaged, discoloured and as yellow as a freshly picked lemon. Then the honest answer is that it may be worth at least exploring a cost comparison for entire new windows.

However, if your window has been cared for and maintained like a pro, the hinges are smooth and the plastic is undamaged and in good condition, then a glass unit replacement will in most cases be the solution every time.

To summarise…

We hope this article was useful, and we hope you carry on your day a little bit more knowledgeable than you were before you started reading!

If you have any further questions about glass unti replacements or wish to speak to a member of the team then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at 01455 850282 or shoot us an email!

We look forward to helping you soon, and remember - Why Replace... We Repair...