Seeing cloudy spots, streaks or droplets between the panes of your office or storefront glass? No amount of cleaning will remove them. They tell you the insulated glass unit (IGU) has failed.
What exactly is an insulated glass unit?
Nearly all modern commercial windows, storefronts and curtain walls are glazed with IGUs: two or three panes held apart by a spacer and sealed at the edges. The cavity holds dry air or argon, and one pane usually has a heat-reflecting low-E coating.
What makes commercial windows fog?
- Aging seals: the edge sealant breaks down over time from UV and temperature swings.
- Thermal movement: big panes on sunny façades expand and shrink every day.
- Water trapped in the frame: clogged weep holes or failed gaskets keep the unit edge wet and attack the seal.
- Installation errors: units installed without proper setting blocks or with incompatible sealant fail sooner.
When moisture gets in, the desiccant inside the spacer becomes saturated and condensation shows up with every temperature change.
Why you should not ignore it
- The unit loses most of its insulating performance, so heating and cooling bills go up.
- Views and daylight suffer, and the building looks neglected.
- Mineral deposits can permanently etch the inside faces of the glass.
Can a fogged unit be repaired?
Some companies drill and “defog” the unit, but the seal is still broken and the insulating gas has escaped. The dependable solution is to replace the insulated glass unit. Most of the time the frame stays: we measure the opening, have a new unit made and re-glaze it with fresh gaskets or glazing tape.
A chance to improve performance
Replacing a failed unit is an ideal moment to upgrade, whether that means a better low-E coating, a tint to cut glare or laminated glass for security and noise control.
Replacing units in an occupied building
When a property has many failed units, we survey the building, record every affected opening and plan the work floor by floor or tenant by tenant so business continues. Once the new units are delivered, each opening is usually done in a single visit. Our property manager maintenance checklist helps you spot failures early.
Planning a commercial glass project?
Businesses, building managers and general contractors throughout Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia work with CBE Glass. Phone (202) 492-0676 (answered 24/7 for emergencies), write to bid@cbeglass.com or ask for a free estimate.
