Yeah, drilling and cleaning can help temporarily, but the real issue is moisture getting back in. I've tried sealing the drilled holes with silicone afterward, and it definitely slowed down the fogging from returning. Still, it's more of a band-aid than a permanent fix. Eventually, replacing the pane or window is probably the only long-term solution...but hey, if it buys you another year or two, why not?
"Eventually, replacing the pane or window is probably the only long-term solution...but hey, if it buys you another year or two, why not?"
Yeah, silicone sealing can stretch things out a bit, but honestly, I've seen this scenario play out countless times. Did the drill-and-seal trick at my own place once—worked fine for about a year, then fogged right back up. Bottom line, once that seal's compromised, moisture always finds a way back in. Replacement's really the only fix worth your time and money in the long run.
"Bottom line, once that seal's compromised, moisture always finds a way back in."
Yeah, I'm starting to realize that's probably true. When I moved into my first house last year, we had this exact problem with the big living room window. At first, I was all optimistic—figured I'd just DIY it and save some cash. Tried the hairdryer trick, silica packets, even watched a dozen YouTube tutorials...nothing really stuck. It'd clear up for a few weeks tops, then the fog would creep right back in.
Eventually caved and replaced the whole pane—honestly, best decision ever. The difference was night and day. Plus, I didn't realize how much clearer the view could be until after the replacement. So yeah, temporary fixes might buy you a little time, but from my experience, biting the bullet and replacing it is totally worth the peace of mind (and clearer view).
Interesting, I actually had a different experience. Had a fogged-up window in our guest room and figured I'd just live with it since we hardly use that space anyway. But then my neighbor suggested drilling tiny holes at the top and bottom of the outer pane to let it vent. Sounded sketchy, but hey, nothing to lose... Surprisingly, it's been almost a year now and still clear. Might not work for everyone, but sometimes cheap hacks do pan out!
"Sounded sketchy, but hey, nothing to lose..."
Haha, yeah, drilling holes seemed sketchy to me too at first, but I've heard it working out occasionally. Just a heads-up though—venting the panes can reduce insulation efficiency, so keep an eye on your energy bills if you're doing this long-term.
I've actually tried the drilling method myself...worked okay-ish at first, but fog came right back after a few months. Have you checked if your windows are still under warranty? Sometimes the manufacturer will replace them for free if the seal fails. Or maybe look into getting just the glass panes replaced instead of the whole window—cheaper than a full replacement and no worries about energy loss. Might save you some hassle down the road.
I feel your pain, haha. When we first moved into our place, a couple of our windows had that annoying foggy look too. We tried the drilling method after watching some YouTube tutorials...and yeah, same story here—worked for a bit but didn't last long. Eventually, we ended up just replacing the glass panes instead of the whole window frame. It was surprisingly affordable and made a huge difference in clarity and insulation.
Also, good call checking the warranty—turns out one of ours was still covered, and the manufacturer replaced it free of charge. Definitely worth a quick check before you spend your own money. If that doesn't pan out, I'd seriously consider just swapping out the glass itself. Less hassle than you'd think, and way cheaper than full replacements. Good luck!
We went through something similar with our patio doors a while back—tried the drilling and cleaning method, and yeah, same deal. It looked decent for maybe a month before the fog crept back in. Ended up replacing just the glass units ourselves, and honestly, it wasn't as intimidating as I expected. Took a Saturday afternoon, but the difference was night and day in terms of clarity.
One thing I'm still curious about though—has anyone tried those "defogging" services that inject some kind of drying agent into the panes? I've seen ads for them locally but never heard from anyone who's actually used them. Seems like it could be a decent middle-ground solution if it actually works long-term...but I'm skeptical. Would love to hear if anyone has firsthand experience with that route.
I've dealt with a few clients who've tried those defogging services. Short-term, they seemed okay—windows cleared up nicely—but within a year or two, most reported the fog returning. Honestly, replacing the glass units is usually the better long-term bet.
"Short-term, they seemed okay—windows cleared up nicely—but within a year or two, most reported the fog returning."
Yeah, that's pretty much what I've heard too. Have you looked into DIY replacement kits? Might be worth exploring... could save you some cash if you're comfortable with basic home repairs.