Compromised Window Seals are a Walrus of a Problem!
The goal of this post is to help you pick out compromised window seals in a home during the viewing process, as with a keen eye these can be easily spotted!
What is a compromised window seal?
A compromised window seal manifests as visible condensation or fogging between the panes of glass. This indicates that the insulating gas between the panes has escaped, reducing the window's energy efficiency and allowing moisture to enter between the panes of glass. This happens to all windows eventually, though due to manufacturing defects, we are seeing these more often in brand new windows.
What does a compromised window seal look like?
As you can see in the picture below, compromised window seals appear as fogginess or condensation buildup. Make sure you wipe your finger on the interior and exterior of the window glass first to rule out normal condensation. Most of the time in newer windows, it can be much harder to see and appears as a light fogginess only seen from a certain angle.
Windows are expensive! Are they under warranty?
Most window companies offer around a 10 year warranty on the glass itself, but only a 2 warranty on labor. This means that most of the time you will at least have to pay the labor for replacing the windows which can still be quite expensive. It is important to reach out to the previous owners or home builder to find out who installed them and find out the warranty details as soon as possible!
Can they just be repaired?
Unfortunately there is no repair for this, the entire window assembly (usually including the entire window frame) needs to be replaced.