“I noticed the glass looked a bit hazy—almost like there was a film over it.”
That haze is pretty common after a year or so, especially with some of the cheaper hydrophobic coatings. I’ve reapplied on a few jobs, but honestly, unless you do a full clean and strip the old layer first, it just builds up and makes things worse. If you want clarity back, I’d recommend removing the old coating entirely with a proper glass cleaner or even a mild abrasive before reapplying. Otherwise, you’re just stacking films and the haze gets worse each time.
That’s actually reassuring to hear—I thought I was doing something wrong when my windows started looking cloudy after a while. Makes sense that just piling more coating on wouldn’t help. I’ll give the full strip and clean a shot before I try reapplying anything. Thanks for the tip.
Funny, I had the same cloudy window issue and figured it was just bad luck or cheap glass. Turns out, it was all about buildup from old coatings, like you said. Once I stripped everything back and cleaned the glass properly, it actually looked way better—almost new. I do think storm-resistant glass is more than just hype, but honestly, if you don’t keep up with maintenance, even the best glass starts looking rough. It’s not a magic fix... just another thing to stay on top of as a homeowner.
- Ran into the same cloudy window problem a couple years back.
- Thought it was just old glass, but after digging in, realized it was layers of grime and failed sealant.
- Used a razor scraper and some elbow grease—took forever, but the difference was wild. Looked like I’d installed new windows.
- On the storm-resistant glass thing:
- Had it put in after a gnarly hailstorm trashed two panes.
- It’s definitely tougher—haven’t had a crack since, even with some serious wind.
- But yeah, totally agree, it’s not “set and forget.” If you skip cleaning or ignore frame leaks, you’ll still get fogging or buildup.
- Also noticed these coatings can get streaky if you use the wrong cleaner. Ended up reading way too many forums about ammonia vs. vinegar...
- Bottom line: worth it for peace of mind in bad weather, but not a miracle cure for neglect. Maintenance is still key—just maybe fewer emergency repairs.
- Totally agree on the maintenance part. The sales pitch made it sound like storm glass would solve everything, but nah, you still gotta keep up with cleaning and checking seals.
- Noticed mine get cloudy near the edges if I slack off—guess nothing’s really “set and forget.”
- Also, those coatings are weirdly picky about cleaners. Tried a generic glass spray once, left streaks for days...
- Peace of mind during storms is nice, but I wouldn’t call it a miracle upgrade. Just one less thing to stress about when the weather gets wild.
Funny timing—I swapped to storm glass mainly for energy efficiency, not storms, but yeah, it’s not this magical fix. I noticed the same thing with streaks when I used the wrong cleaner—turns out some of those coatings react badly to ammonia or alcohol-based sprays. Ended up just using diluted dish soap and a microfiber cloth, which works way better.
Honestly, I do like not taping up windows every hurricane season, but you’re right, you still have to check the seals. I had a tiny leak last fall that almost went unnoticed. It’s less “set and forget” and more “set and maintain occasionally.” Still, my electric bill dropped a bit, so I’ll take that tradeoff...
It’s less “set and forget” and more “set and maintain occasionally.”
That’s spot on. Folks think you put in storm glass and never worry again, but there’s always some upkeep, especially with seals and hardware. I’ve seen a few installs where the tiniest gap led to water sneaking in—usually shows up as a foggy patch or that musty smell. You nailed it with the cleaning, too. Those coatings are picky; dish soap and microfiber is the way to go. Even with the maintenance, cutting down on taping windows every year is a win in my book. And hey, any drop in the electric bill feels good these days...
Even with the maintenance, cutting down on taping windows every year is a win in my book.
Honestly, that’s the main reason I went for it. Taping up every hurricane season was getting old fast. I do wonder, though—have you noticed any draftiness over time? My neighbor had to reseal after just two years.
I do wonder, though—have you noticed any draftiness over time? My neighbor had to reseal after just two years.
Drafts can creep in, but honestly, it’s usually from poor installation or cheap caulking. I’ve put in a bunch of these over the years—if the frame’s prepped right and you use quality sealant, you shouldn’t need to reseal that soon. Still, I always tell folks to check the seals every fall. It’s quick insurance against leaks or drafts.
Still, I always tell folks to check the seals every fall. It’s quick insurance against leaks or drafts.
I swapped out my old windows for storm-resistant glass about three winters ago—haven’t noticed any draftiness yet, but I did spend extra time on the caulking. Curious, did your neighbor use a pro or DIY it? Sometimes it’s just a rushed job that causes problems down the line. I’m in a pretty windy spot and so far, it’s holding up fine.