At AAWD, we feel it is important that you understand the defogging process and the reason why a unit fails. When a sealed unit is constructed, the manufacturer places desiccant under the spacer. Over time, the constant heating and cooling of the airspace creates moisture but is absorbed by the desiccant. Once the desiccant is saturated, the moisture will show between the panes of glass.
Often times this will start to show when there are fluctuations in the outside temperature. Because wet air is colder then dry air, having moisture in your window unit will affect its insulating value. Drying the moisture from between the panes restores the “R” value to that of a dead airspace.
PROCESS…
- 3/16 holes are discreetly drilled in the corner of the glass, usually from outdoors. The amount of holes drilled depends on the size of the unit.
- If the unit is triple paned, we will drill the center pane through the initial outer holes to have access to the second airspace.
- We spray cleaning and rinsing solutions between the panes to remove to remove the visible moisture and some staining. The stage of your window and therefore the expected outcome is recorded on the quote sheet.
- We extract as much of our solutions as possible. The remaining rinsing solutions will be visible on the glass and will continue to evaporate.
- Some glass dust may be visible on the bottom spacer once dried. This is a by- product of drilling and will not affect the integrity of your unit.
- Treated units will usually look worse before they begin to clear. Most customers will see a difference within a week.
- A stainless steel vents 3/8” in diameter are applied to the outer holes. This will allow residual moisture to be expelled and prevent any further accumulation. They will also expel any excess heat and pressure from between the panes. Please be aware, the vents only allow heat and pressure to be expelled. They will not allow the window to “inhale”.
*There is a slight chance that a window may crack due to a pressure point exerted on the glass from the frame.
Please note:
Because an assessed stage 3,4 or 5 window unit would have to be replaced prior to the defogging process, if a crack should occur during the process, AAWD will complete the process at no charge.