I have a French Door with two panes of glass that have become smeared on the inside. Is it possible to remove the glass and clean it or are the two panes combined into a unit (as double glazing is). Photo: Many thanks.
Sealed unit, if you got condensation & dust between the two panes, then it's failed. You can buy replacement DG units.
In reality it is only a cosmetic issue - what you are seeing is moisture condensed inside the sealed gap (well, it used to be sealed...) The DG unit will still be working pretty much as normal in keeping the heat in.
You will not get the 100% effectiveness of the double-glazing, the U value will be a lot lower, now the inert gas has escaped.
Ahhhh, you fell in to my trap... MOOOOO-HA-HAAAAAAAAAA Most units don't have inert gas, chust air. And even if it leaks, the difference in U value will be minimal. But, you are technically correct - its effectiveness is unlikely to remain 100%. It has probably dropped to, ooooh, 98%...
Technically air is a mixture of gases, but not an inert one, although there are traces of argon, etc in it.
They can be fixed, but it's a tricky job(not recommended for DIY), and not always succesful. Mr. HandyAndy - Really
A dg unit can be replaced. a decent glaziers should sort this out for you. however it needs someone to do it, so its either a handyman or a specialist, which again the glaziers should help. Finding matching mouldings could be difficult, and subsequent making good could all amount to a cost nearing a new replacement. Assume that the other door may succumb to the same problem. So consider looking for a new set of dg doors, as, all things considered; this may be the most cost effective way of doing the repair.
New doors?! You gotta be kidding. This is a straight-forward task for any glazer, or most competent DIYers. DG units shouldn't be expensive. I dunno - ~£100?
Here is a DG unit calculator. http://www.hgwsolutions.co.uk/custom-made/double-glazed-windows.html One you add in cost of toughened glass price soon goes up. Probabley looking at £100-150, if other DG unit goes same way that's another £150, might need trims if they been glued in, so your getting close to the cost of new doors depending on size.
The door window is 400mm x 1740mm which comes to about £37 using that calculator with toughened glass. I am selecting the thinnest glass and smallest spacer. The door is wood not uPVC - thus the spacing is very small and not the standard spacing that you get on modern uPVC double glazing. The house was built c.1997 and these are the original doors.
looks like an18mm unit 4mm tough 10mm bar 4mm tough youll pay about £60 for unit if i were to price it up i charge approx £130 all in
So, it's 18 year old wooden french doors, I wouldn't even bother to replace DG unit then, just replace them with upvc french doors, several benefits one being 5 point locking.
That's what I'm thinking too. The doors are not particularly well sealed anymore so DG units are a moot point.