[Davew]

custy phones up to say she no longer requires my services. Turns out she has a seal gone on one of her windows and so it's full of condensation. Reckons my wfp system did it and I've filled her windows with water!!

[Pureandclean]

Amazing aint it, we come around once a month, and spend less than a minute washing the window, and somehow fill a sealed unit with water, and all the rainfall in between has no effect.
 We could do with a leaflet that explains how sealed units break down over time, and the moisture is drawn into the gap through the expansion and contraction of the trapped air.

[S.A.J]

How have I got condensation inside my double glazed unit?
 
The double glazed unit consists of 2 pieces of glass held apart around the edge by a (usually silver coloured) spacer bar. This bar is filled with a desiccant, tiny silica balls similar to those found in parcels to reduce the moisture levels. In the case of double glazed units, the silica soaks up any residual moisture held in the space within the unit when it is first made. Around the outside of this metal spacer bar, sealant is pumped to seal the unit and complete the process.
 
After a period of time the seal 'breaks down', causing a hairline fracture in the seal, thereby letting air containing moisture in. Various factors can accelerate this breakdown, such as wood frames and putty, poor frame drainage, poor installations not leaving sufficient gap between the glass edge and the frame, locations in extreme sunny positions or where excessive vibrations occur.
Once air can get into the unit, the silica originally used becomes fully saturated and condensation starts to form as temperatures rise and fall against the side of the glass.
 
If your units were installed during the last 10 years, check your guarantee and see if you are still covered.
Despite rumours to the contrary, it is not possible to repair the units by splitting them and re-sealing them! 
 
Hope this helps
Stuart

[AuRavelling79]

Didn't I read here that one customer was grateful to his wfp w/c because the cool water on the hot glass showed up the condensation within the warranty period?

We don't cause the problem but we do show that it is there - a bit like screwing in a light bulb shows up the mess in my teenager's bedroom which was invisible in the dark!

[john tomkins]

custy phones up to say she no longer requires my services. Turns out she has a seal gone on one of her windows and so it's full of condensation. Reckons my wfp system did it and I've filled her windows with water!!

I had the same today, custy said not to wash too high up the window coz I was filling the insides of the glass up with water :

[Mike 108]

Tried some customers on WFP last week. Told them to have a good look at the results (once the windows had dried off) and I would call back later for their opinions. All but one were well pleased. The last one wanted to point out the all the marks, stains, water droplets, etc that she had never noticed before. They were all defects inside the sealed unit. I'd seen them before whilst cleaning them 'trad' but she'd never looked closely enough before I'd asked her to.

Does anyone point out all the defects to the houseowner before doing them WFP?

[kiral1404]

had a customer e-mail me today, cleaned her windows once.

She said one of her units has gone and that she wants to cancel as she can't afford to replace anymore.

Me thinks she's in for a shock in the next few years then

[Helen]

If we spot defects with windows we make a point of telling the customer (either trad or wfp) before they tell us. 9 times out of 10 they already know, but thank us for our concern. The odd one tries to blame us for scratches etc, but we just ask them if all the windows are scratched then as we clean  them by the same methods. As for seals gone, if you have too much solution when you trad this can run down the inside too

[Davew]

Helen, surely not between the double glazing panes?