Misted Double Glazing Repair in Dunedin
Glass and Window Repair Dunedin replaces failed double glazed units across the city. A permanent haze between the panes, white streaking that will not wipe off, or a view that has gone milky all mean the same thing: the seal around the edge of that unit has failed. We measure it, order a new unit and fit it into the frame you already have.
- Failed sealed units swapped, frames and sashes stay put
- Most units replaced within about a week of measuring
- Upgrade to Low E or argon at the same time
- About $350 to $800 a unit for standard sizes
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Four quick questions. Most quotes come back the same day.
The mist is not on the glass, which is why cleaning never works. A sealed unit is two panes bonded to a spacer bar with a desiccant inside to keep the cavity dry. Once the perimeter seal breaks down, damp air gets in, the desiccant saturates and moisture condenses on the inside faces. Dunedin's daily temperature swing works those seals hard, and the units fitted through the late 1990s and 2000s are now reaching the end of that.
Why the fog is permanent
Both misted surfaces are sealed inside the unit. Nothing you can reach with a cloth touches them. Over time the trapped moisture also leaves mineral deposits etched into the glass, which is the white streaking that creeps up from the bottom edge.
There are drilling and venting services that clear the visible fog for a while. The unit is no longer sealed afterwards and the insulating value does not come back, so we do not offer it.
Cost and timing
A replacement sealed unit generally runs $350 to $800 supplied and fitted for a standard size, up to about $1,200 for oversized panels. Slider and picture window units sit at the top of that range because of glass weight and handling.
Units are made to order, so allow around a week from measuring to fitting. The window stays usable in the meantime, because the old unit only comes out when the new one is on the van.
Worth upgrading while it is out
You are paying for a new unit either way, so the extra for a better one is small. In this climate Low E is the obvious addition, and argon improves it again. Laminated on the outer pane cuts noise, which is worth it on a main road or near the campus.
If it is a bathroom or a ground floor window in a walk into position, this is also the moment to bring the glass up to NZS 4223 with toughened or laminated safety glass.
Why units fail early here
Water sitting in the bottom of the rebate is the main killer. The edge seal of a sealed unit is not designed to be submerged, and blocked drainage leaves it standing in water every time it rains. Poor packing that loads the glass edge does the rest.
So when we fit the new unit we clear and test the drainage slots, replace the setting blocks and check the sash sits square. That is the difference between a unit that lasts twenty years and one that fogs again in six.
Misted Double Glazing Repair at a glance
- Typical cost
- About $350 to $800 a unit, up to $1,200 oversized
- Lead time
- About a week from measure to fit
- Cause
- Perimeter edge seal failure, usually accelerated by standing water
- Not offered
- Drilling and venting, which does not restore the seal or the R value
- Upgrades
- Low E, argon fill, laminated acoustic, toughened safety glass
- Included
- Drainage slots cleared, new setting blocks, sash checked square
- Frames
- Existing aluminium or timber frames retained
Misted Double Glazing Repair in Dunedin: common questions
Can a fogged double glazed window be cleaned?
No. The moisture is sealed between the two panes where nothing can reach it. The unit has to be replaced.
Do I need a whole new window?
Not usually. The sealed unit is replaced and your frame, sash and hardware stay exactly as they are.
How long should a sealed unit last?
Twenty years or more when it is installed with working drainage and correct setting blocks. Units standing in water at the bottom of the rebate fail much sooner.
Should I add Low E while you are there?
In Dunedin, almost always. You are buying the unit anyway, so the coating costs only the difference in glass price, roughly a third more.
Recent Dunedin jobs
Got three quotes for retrofitting the front of the house. Only ones who measured every opening and explained why the south facing rooms needed different glass. Fourteen windows over three days and the difference in the mornings is obvious.
Landlord here. Had four flats assessed before the inspections. Two just needed sashes freed up and stays replaced rather than new joinery, which saved me a fortune. Straight answers and a written report I could hand over.
Slider had been jamming for years and we assumed it needed replacing. Turned out to be rollers and a bent track. Two hours, a fraction of the price we were braced for.
Fogged unit in the lounge, measured on the Tuesday and in by the following Monday. Fair price and they cleaned up after themselves.
Get a price for misted double glazing repair in Dunedin
Free measure, fixed written quote, and a straight answer on whether it needs repairing or replacing.
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Four questions and you are done.