The replacement of ordinary wooden windows with plastic was made almost everywhere. Indeed, the new window units do an excellent job of retaining heat inside the apartment and protect against street noise, but, as in the case of the “previous generation”, there are problems with double-glazed windows, which sometimes require partial or complete replacement of this element.
So, often there is a need to replace broken glass in a double-glazed window. To solve the problem, it is not necessary to completely replace the double-glazed window in a plastic window - just remove the damaged element and install a new glass. You can do this yourself or you can attract specialists from a company that is engaged in the installation of window systems.
In the event that the owners decided to attract a company, it should be borne in mind that in most cases replacing just one glass will cost about the same price as installing a new double-glazed window, and therefore to change the glass with the help of professional installers should only be in the case of:
- if stained glass is subject to replacement;
- if you need to change the glass in a multi-chamber (triple or more) package;
- when the inner glass is damaged, and the outer one is a particularly durable and expensive triplex.
Instructions for replacing glass at home
To replace broken glass in a window frame package made of PVC or aluminum, you will need to perform the following steps:
- Remove the defective glass from the window frame. To do this, you must first remove the glazing beads, prying them with a sharp and durable tool: a knife, a chisel, a screwdriver. Dismantling begins from the side surfaces, then the lower and upper glazing beads are removed. At this point, it is advisable to attract another person who can insure the master from accidentally dropping a double-glazed window.
- To spread the matter on a flat surface and put a double-glazed window on it with the damaged glass up.
- Cut off the sealant around the perimeter of the broken glass and unfasten it from the general package. In a double - a cut is made in the middle, in packages with a large number of cameras - one glass is gently separated without affecting the lower layers.
- To clean the remains of sealant and wipe the surface of the whole glass, using a special tool.
- Cut the new material exactly to the size - it is advisable to entrust this process to professionals.
- Apply sealant in a thin layer around the perimeter of the base, install glass on it.
- The joint should also be filled with sealant to completely eliminate the occurrence of voids.
- Insert the finished glass into the base, performing fasteners in the reverse order.
Double-glazed window replacement instruction
In order to change the double-glazed window in the PVC window, it is not necessary to invite the masters and spend money on paying for their labor. It is quite possible to replace a double-glazed window in a plastic window with your own hands. Any owner will cope with this simple matter himself if he adheres to the following sequence of actions:
- you need to start with the selection of a tool;
- then the packet size is taken;
- new design is ordered;
- a damaged package is removed, a new one is installed in its place;
- adjustment is made.
Materials and tools
To replace the old double-glazed window with a new one, the following tools will be required:
- yardstick;
- calipers;
- rubber mallet;
- flat-head screwdriver or strong spatula;
- pure matter, the size of which is larger than a double-glazed window.
Measurement and ordering of a new double-glazed window
To determine the size of the double-glazed window, it is enough to find a mark on the remote frame indicating the height, width and thickness of the package, as well as information about the number and thickness of each element. If the information could not be found, measurements will have to be done on their own.
The easiest way is to measure the dismantled double-glazed window, but in this case it will take some time, while the new glass is being prepared and the double-glazed window is restored, put up with the window opening closed with a plastic film.
To take measurements without dismantling the package, you will need to take measurements between the sash profile: you need to measure the distance from the outer edge of the glazing bead on one side to the outer edge of the glazing bead on the other. Subtract 20 mm from the result obtained, since an adjustment gap of 10 mm is provided on each side.
The parameters that have a significant impact on the operation of the double-glazed unit include the ratio of the thickness of the glass and the gap between adjacent glasses (chamber thickness). If these values were not found on the frame, you will need to remove them yourself. To do this, the following actions are performed:
- Measure the thickness of the profile with a tape measure;
- Measure the thickness of the internal and external glazing bead;
- From the value of the profile thickness, subtract the glazing bead thickness and obtain the thickness of the glass packet. Further, based on the number of chambers, find the distance between the glasses, given that 4 mm thick glasses are usually used in double-glazed windows.
Dismantling of an old double-glazed window
Removing a double-glazed window from a frame is not particularly difficult even for a novice master. For dismantling to succeed, you must follow the following procedure:
- Before starting work, it is necessary to glue the broken glass with adhesive tape so as not to get injured during dismantling.
- Lay out the matter on the floor or table.
- Remove glazing beads with a knife, screwdriver or wide chisel. Since long slats are easier to clean, you need to start with them (for window frames these are the side surfaces, for transoms - horizontal). The upper glazing bead is removed last: it serves as insurance against falling glass. It is necessary to pry the glazing bead in the middle part and, using the tool as a lever, lift it, pulling it out of the attachment point.
If you can’t pry off the glazing bead, you can use a rubber mallet to slightly knock out the chisel. Thus, it is necessary to achieve a gap of 1–2 mm along the entire length of the glazing bead, after which it can be removed by prying with a tool and grabbing with your fingers.
- If the edges of the double-glazed window are strongly stuck to the frame, you need to pry them with a sharp and hard object.
- Transfer the dismantled bag to the material.
- For the convenience of disposing of the old bag, it can be broken down into smaller pieces and, wrapping the fragments in the cloth, discarded in a container.
New glass installation and adjustment
To install a new double-glazed window you need:
- Check how well the outer seal holds.
- Lay straightening plates on the fold - a special place to place the package, located around the perimeter of the frame. In different window systems, the number of plates may vary, so when dismantling, you need to record how many there were and in what places in order to arrange new ones according to this scheme.
- Install the double-glazed window on the gaskets. The work must be done carefully and accurately, since it will be impossible to correct the position of the package in the future.
- Lay the inner seal around the perimeter of the bag.
- Fasten the structure with glazing beads. Installation of glazing beads is carried out in the reverse order: first - top, then - bottom, and then - side. With high-quality fixing glazing bead you can hear a click.
Glass replacement replacement nuances
In some window designs there are features that should be considered before changing a double-glazed window.
In a wooden frame
The nuance of the wooden frame for the installation of double-glazed windows lies in the method of fastening the glazing beads. The glazing beads themselves usually look, but instead of the rubber sealant in the wooden windows, a sealant is used.
When dismantling the bag, remove the glazing beads and then remove the old sealant. The installation procedure, on the contrary, begins with the application of sealant, after which the glazing beads are mounted.
In stained glass
From the instructions described above it is clear how to change ordinary glass in a double-glazed window, however, it will not work to replace stained glass on its own for the following reasons:
- often stained glass is installed on the outside, so to dismantle the package with a stationary sash, you will have to hire a tower or use scaffolding;
- high-quality replacement of glass in a double-glazed window is possible only in stationary conditions of the workshop;
- color matching is also required in the workshop in order to avoid tonal differences between adjacent glasses in the frame.
Is it possible to increase the number of cameras
Replacing a double-glazed window in a plastic window is a good reason to think about increasing the number of cameras in the window, but several conditions must be observed:
- The size of the fold should allow you to install a package of more glasses.
- The qualitative characteristics of the fittings installed on the window block and on the profile itself must correspond to the new load: the weight of the additional glass can significantly increase the pressure on the frame.
These conditions are important both when installing a two-chamber package instead of a single-chamber one, and for changing a two-chamber package to a three-chamber one. It is much more important to take into account the degree of strength of the profile and fittings in the first case than in the second, since the weight of a package with three cameras is only a quarter more than the weight of a two-chamber package, and the weight of a two-chamber package is almost double that of a single-chamber one.
The discrepancy between the seam width and the width of the new package can be eliminated by selecting a narrower glazing bead, and internal reinforcing aluminum plates can be used to strengthen the frame profile.
It will not work out independently to make all the calculations. Therefore, when the window is broken and the owner has a desire to improve the package when replacing it, it is better to trust the professionals and order this service in the company.
How much does the average glass replacement service cost in the market
The cost of services for the replacement or repair of a double-glazed window is quite high, but one must take into account the fact that it is not profitable for the craftsmen to go to a "cheap" repair. On average, companies involved in the installation of PVC windows, take for the replacement of broken glass from 2500 to 4500 rubles per sq.m.
This cost most often includes delivery. If you need to replace glass in a double-glazed window, you need to be prepared for an amount from 1500 to 2500 rubles per sq.m. excluding the cost of the material and the delivery of glass to the customer.