FAQ
Defog Questions
How do windows get foggy?
‘Solar Pumping’ is when a window expands and contracts due to hot and cold weather. Every time it expands, it pulls a teeny bit of air into the window, and with that air comes a teeny bit of moisture. If your window was completely air-tight, it would explode when warmed by the sun so we’re happy this give-and-take is allowed instead!
The window manufacturers knew this expansion and contraction was going to happen, so they put a desiccant in the seal of the window - a desiccant is what’s in the little package you get in a bottle of vitamins or new electronics that says “DO NOT EAT”. It is often silica-based, looks similar to salt, and absorbs moisture. But eventually, it becomes saturated and cannot hold any more moisture.
Once the desiccant is saturated, there is nowhere for the moisture to go except in between the panes of glass. Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air, so often the moisture will appear and disappear and you’ll think you were seeing things, but you’re not crazy, it will be back!
Some people refer to this as a ‘broken seal’. Actually, the seal is not broken. If it was, the moisture could escape. It is trapped! Here is a picture of a window that had water trapped inside for so long, it formed a water line like you see on a boat or a dock! If the seal was broken, why wouldn’t the water evaporate?
What is involved in your defog process?
To defog your window, we drill a hole into the glass the least visible area, spray an alcohol-based cleanser up into the window, and then vacuum out the liquid and put a vent in. The vent will stay in permanently, allowing the window to breath and preventing it from fogging up again. Here is a picture of the vent. It is about 1 cm in diameter.
Will my window look better right away?
Best case scenario - the window is clear in days, but usually the window will look worse before it looks better. It took years for all that moisture to accumulate, and it may take weeks or even months for it to leave. However, every window is different, it depends on how far gone it was and the conditions under which it is clearing. In the summer we see windows clear much faster but a defog done in the fall may take until the spring to clear. Rest assured, by far, most of the windows we defog do eventually clear!
Why is it more expensive to defog an odd-shaped window or one with bars?
Odd-shaped windows and windows with bars often require more than one drilled hole and vent as well as more time and solution in order to work around the bars and make sure the entire window is coated.
What if my windows are taking too long to clear and I want to replace the glass instead?
We have a 20 year warranty that states - if at any time in the 20 years following your defog you decide you want the glass replaced, we will credit you the price of your defog towards the purchase of the glass. So if after a week, a month, a year or more you decide you want to replace the glass, we will credit the defog price to your purchase price!
Does your defog process alter the ‘R’ value of my window?
Once you have moisture in your window, your ‘R’ value is already compromised. Think about how quickly you get cold when you are wet! Water transfers heat and cold very quickly so it is doing that through your window - transferring the heat or cold from outside into your house. Once we remove the moisture, the ‘R’ value will increase again - probably not to it’s original value - you would need to replace the glass for that to happen - but it will be better than using a fish tank for a window!
What if my windows are triple pane - can they still be defogged?
Yes, triple pane windows can be defogged but there is twice as much to do because the 3 panes create 2 separate sections to treat. They will usually be worse on the outside section (between the outside pane and the inner pane) than the inside section (between the inner pane and the inside pane), but sometimes both are foggy. We can treat one section or both, whatever is needed. Click here for a quote.
Glass Replacement Questions
I was told I have a standard size window, will it be cheaper to replace?
Unfortunately there are no standard size windows when it comes to replacing one. A home builder may have their own version of a standard size window - one they use several times in their plans - but when it comes to replacing glass, there is nowhere we can go to buy a ‘standard size’ piece of glass. Each one is custom made to our specifications which we give them based on the measurements of your window.
I have muntin bars or grills in my broken window. Do they serve a purpose and do I have to have them in my new window?
In the olden days, the bars held individual pieces of glass and so were integral to the window. But these days, they are just decorative. They do increase the replacement cost of your window, but some people want to keep things looking uniform, so they keep the bars. When someone decides to replace all their windows, that is a good time to get all new windows with no bars. Otherwise, they will be mismatched while you do them one at a time, and some people choose to do it that way.
