Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Bad Window Seals: Repair or Replace?

A common problem as homes age is moisture or fog between the panes of glass in windows. Until a few years ago, I thought that the only solution was to replace the windows whose seals were damaged. This is an expensive proposition. I’ve since heard of companies that claim to be able to fix moisture-filled windows, but it’s hard to tell how legitimate they are.

The window repair companies claim that they can solve moisture problems by drilling a hole in the window, inserting some moisture-absorbing material, and plugging the hole with a one-way valve to let moisture out.

Every year my neighbourhood is filled with signs saying some variant of “Moisture problems in your windows? We can help!” The trouble is that every year the signs are different and the company name is different. This doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

From what I’m told, window repair is significantly cheaper than replacing windows, but it’s still expensive. And if window repair doesn’t really work, then paying for a repair and later replacing the window is the most expensive option.

I’m interested in whether any readers have experience with these window repair companies. Do the repairs work? How long have your windows remained moisture-free? How expensive were the repairs compared to window replacement?

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