How To Replace A Double Pane Window Glass | SECURE |

She brought the broken IGU to the glass shop. The tech measured it with a caliper. “This is 5/8 inch thick,” he said. “The measurement you wrote down was 3/4 inch. It wouldn’t have fit.” Sarah gulped. He cut a new unit to the exact thickness and size in 20 minutes. Lesson learned: Let the pros measure or confirm your numbers.

With the beads off, the IGU fell inward. She caught it just in time. Underneath, she found old, rock-hard glazing putty and tiny plastic shims. Using a heat gun (on low!) and a chisel, she scraped the frame clean. “This is the worst part,” she muttered, picking dried putty out of her hair. how to replace a double pane window glass

Total cost: $112 ($85 for the IGU, $27 for tools/sealant she didn’t already own). Time: 3 hours spread over two days (one to remove, one to install). A professional would have charged $450. She brought the broken IGU to the glass shop

Home again, she set the new IGU into the frame without sealant first. It slid in perfectly. She then inserted the plastic shims (bought for $3) at the bottom corners to lift the glass evenly. This prevents pressure points that cause future cracks. “The measurement you wrote down was 3/4 inch

When Sarah bumped her ladder into the living room window while hanging holiday lights, she heard a sickening crack . A spiderweb of lines spread across the outer pane. The window wasn't leaking air yet , but she knew that argon gas between the panes was probably gone. Come winter, that crack would turn into a frosty, drafty mess.

Sarah considered calling a pro—$400 minimum. Instead, she decided to try fixing it herself. Here’s what she learned through trial, error, and a few choice words.

She ran a thin bead of siliconized glazing compound (not regular caulk) around the frame where the glass would sit. She set the IGU in place, pressed gently, and then snapped the labeled glazing beads back into their tracks. For the first time, the crack was gone. She wiped away the tiny bit of squeezed-out sealant with mineral spirits.