sliding glass door fogging between glass

[crazy charlie]

Hi guys !! I have the typical sliding glass door in the back of my house.It is insulated so there are 2 sheets of glass with a space inbetween them.The fixed one was totally opague when we moved in so I replaced it and the replacement did the same within 5 years.Has anyone ever disassembled one of these and cleaned the glass up and put it baCK TOGETER

 

[rwise]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

I have the same problem with mine, thing is there is a gas between the 2 glasses, it has most likely lost what was between them. I'm watching to see a better answer!<br />Richard

 

[Chief101]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

There really isn't anything you can do with the glass but replace it. Some manufacturers warrantee the seal for up to 10 years. Best call a good glass shop and have it replaced. Chief

 

[roscoe]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

These things are SUPPOSED to be sealed, but often are not.<br />I worked in a window factory for a while and saw many that left the plant with gaps and spaces in the seals. Production production production - the framing department is waiting !!! is something we heard several times a day.<br /><br />Some of these "sealed" units actually have holes in them to allow air movement. Also, they can be filled with several different gasses.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

The metal band that runs around the outside and holds the glass peices apart is filled with dessicant. Clearly that's all full of moisture now. I've often wondered myself if it would be possible to cut into the frame, drain out the dessicant, microwave it and fill the window back up.<br /><br />Have a close look at the structure around the sliding door. If there's weight being tranferred from the building to the unoperated door then the seal will break for sure. Usually there's a good reason these things happen.<br /><br />EDIT: roscoe's post was rather enlightening!

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

I should have tried to disassemble the one that I previously replaced .Theres nothing better than experimenting on something that you are throwing away anyway.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

Been there done that, not a good go. In a true thermo pane, the two panes of glass are bonded to the "spacer" with some supper sticky sh!t to provide what’s suppose to be a hermetic (SP) seal. This keeps the inert fill between the panes and prevents fogging. I found it imposable to separate the glass from the spacer without breaking one of the panels at some point in the separation process. Of corse ya can always give it the good old collage try and hope for the best.

 

[roscoe]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

The square tubing spacer often has cracks in it at the corners, or at the seam.<br />Ours were washed, assembled to the spacer, ran thru a heat press, then the entire edge was supposed to be coated with a sealer. Some spots were missed, I saw them.<br /><br />But units that were to be shipped across the mountains at high altitude, were given a little (cheap) releif valve sort of thing in the metal spacer.<br /><br />I can't imagine the gas stayed in there for long.<br /><br />The windows and doors from the factory down the road sold for twice as much as ours !!

 

[Dave Abrahamson]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

Originally posted by roscoe:<br /><br />The windows and doors from the factory down the road sold for twice as much as ours !!

I guess that just reinforces the old adage "You get what you pay for"

 

[Link]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

OK since we are on this subject and you guys seem to know a lot about this.<br />It was my understanding that windows were just double paned and sealed to keep moister out.<br /><br />When we were installing new windows in a older house we ordered all custom windows from milgard though Lowes.<br /><br />One had a cracked pane. Lowes said to just install it and they would have Milgard fix it in place. Which they did at no cost.<br /><br />At the time I asked the guys I was working with about the gas that was supposed to be in there?<br /><br />They told me that argon was a spendy option and the owners didnt want to pay for it.<br /><br />This seems to back up what they told me.<br /> http://www.milgard.com/getting-started/types-of-glass.asp <br /> <br />This should not distract but add information to this post.<br /><br />Me

 

[roscoe]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

Argon was one gas we used.<br />There was another gas also, don't remember what it was.<br />95% of the units had plain old air in them.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

Krypton is the other gas and is not as common and quite a bit more expensive. Here in Minnesota LowE glass has become code. Most windows and doors that come with Low E glass do not come with Argon. You have to request this as an option with some glass companies. Integrity windows and doors from Marvin come with Low E and argon and are really nice windows and affordable.

 

[jasonjustice]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

You have an insulated glass unit.The best thing to do is get a glass company to come out and measure it.They will have another one made.Make sure they measure or you will be stuck with the pretty expensive bill for a glass that could possibly not fit.To save money on the install,take the door off yourself.Turn the adjustment screws on the rollers (at the bottom of the door)counterclockwise until the door bottoms out.Then lift up on the door in its frame enough to clear the bottom track.Lay the door down,remove the plastic moulding surrounding the glass.It will be stuck to the frame most likely with foam tape.Take a razor knife around the edge to free it,careful not to contact the edge of the glass.Remove it from frame.To replace the new unit you will need a new roll of foam tape(foam dam)Its sticky on both sides.Just go around the perimeter of the frame and set it in.

 

[aspeck]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

The Integrity brand is a nice window and door. We did the new house with these windows 3 years ago - nice to work with and they are stil looking nice - low E argon filled. No problems yet.

Don't know why so many things are made "disposable" anymore - even windows ... but the problem you describe - throw away and replace.

 

[i386]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

The metal band that runs around the outside and holds the glass peices apart is filled with dessicant. Clearly that's all full of moisture now. I've often wondered myself if it would be possible to cut into the frame, drain out the dessicant, microwave it and fill the window back up.

Have a close look at the structure around the sliding door. If there's weight being tranferred from the building to the unoperated door then the seal will break for sure. Usually there's a good reason these things happen.

EDIT: roscoe's post was rather enlightening!

Good to see you back Paul! I hope all is well.

 

[rwise]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

old subject

 

[i386]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

Oops. Sometimes I ain't too smart. Oh well, it's the thought that counts right?

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

Old subject or new subject it matters not, see the Latex Amphibian for whatever gas you're in need of.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: sliding glass door fogging between glass

Old subject or new subject it matters not, see the Latex Amphibian for whatever gas you're in need of.

.....I'm sure that gas is anything but inert