Foggy failed double glazed windows can now be repaired rather than replaced. When double-glazing was first introduced it meant more comfort in the home, less noise and an increase in the property’s value. Sadly, these units don’t last long and after a few years most develop a misty look as moisture and condensation start to build up between the panes.

Up until now this has meant that expensive new replacement units had to be installed. As well as being costly this is ecologically unsound because it wastes resources.

But not any more. Apple Services of Shifnal in Shropshire can repair the units without even removing the glass…and at only half the cost of a replacement double glazed unit.  The process is also stress free as all work is done from the outside with no repainting required and no mess. The company offers a mobile service in Shropshire, The Midlands and West Midlands.

THE PROBLEM

Sun - Radiant energy from the sun hits the window directly or indirectly, day in day out, causing the inner airspace of the window to heat and pressurize. Small amounts of air within the window are pushed through the semi-permeable seal. In the cool of the evening, the temperature and pressure drop, causing small amounts of cool moisturised air to be drawn back into the window. This moisture is absorbed by the desiccant material contained in the spacer bars around the window (usually sillica pellets).

Time - Double glazed units are designed to have a specific life span, e.g. five years, 20 years etc. Over time, the sun's action saturates the desiccant, until moisture - or fog - appears on the inside surface of the window. The moisture is trapped within the window and the endless cycle of heating, fogging, cooling and condensing goes on until the window is fully saturated and the seal fails.

Sealing - A major cause of window saturation is poor sealing on the outside of windows. Invariably, it's the bottom seal that fails since that's where gravity drives the moisture trapped in the window. The moisture or water constantly soaking the adhesive bond, plus the internal pressure created by the sun's energy, causes the adhesive between the glass and the spacer bar to separate.