Gas leakage?

[salmonhunter]

I heard tell from an aquaintance (with 18 years of installing windows) that most if not all windows loss most if not all of their argon gas with 2-3 years. If this is the case then why get the argon in the first place and is there a way to tell it's gone? Can it be recharged?

[Windows on Washington]

That information is not correct. The newer seal systems are much more effective at keeping the gas in the glass packs.

If you are dealing with a quality window manufacturer, I would always opt for the argon fill because of the relative inexpensiveness and the fact that it does increase efficiency measurably.

[popeye]

I don't even know, do they even make them w/o the Agron gas?

[Asleeplessknight]

If gas is leeching.. it's is being displaced with something... and that something is ambient air... and that air will have moisture in it.. which will result in condensation accumulating on the inside of the insulating glass unit. Seal failure. Your windows can be tested on site, but the cost is probably not worth the effort if your objective is to check for argon leakage. It's not practical to recharge window IGs with gas. Again, if the window has leaked... the seal has failed and needs to be replaced anyway.

[dutch]

To me, the better question would be how do you know it was there in the first place?

I really cringe when I have to pay for something that is "invisible." Aside from dishonesty, how can one ever be sure a mistake was not made and they never put argon in to begin with.

I'll bet if I ask the dealers here if there is any practical way for them (or the customer) to tell if the windows arrived with argon, they will say no!

[Windows on Washington]

To me, the better question would be how do you know it was there in the first place?

I really cringe when I have to pay for something that is "invisible." Aside from dishonesty, how can one ever be sure a mistake was not made and they never put argon in to begin with.

I'll bet if I ask the dealers here if there is any practical way for them (or the customer) to tell if the windows arrived with argon, they will say no!

Easiest way to "test" is to look for some sort of plug in the spacer system. Most spacer systems are filled and then plugged after the fact. If you have a super spacer system, you will have a small pinhole somewhere along the spacer system which is where they pierced the spacer and filled the Insulated Glass Unit.

You can also use a spectroscope to test the IGU for argon as well.

Most IGUs are built by larger suppliers and they have this whole process refined down to a science.

[windowman pa]

I would get a written warranty from window manufacture that gas will NOT get out of sealed unit!

Any reliable company with more than a few years manufacturing will probably Not guarantee gas fill or gas retention period!!!!

[Tru_blue]

If gas is leeching.. it's is being displaced with something... and that something is ambient air... and that air will have moisture in it.. which will result in condensation accumulating on the inside of the insulating glass unit. Seal failure.

Actually the above quote is not entirely correct. When argon gas leaks out, air does not just seep in to take its place unless the seal is bad. Instead what happens is that a vacuum begins to form, creating a negative pressure that can actually cause the two lites of glass to bow inwards toward each other. The best analogy I can think of is a helium balloon. If you ever had a cheap rubbery helium balloon, within a day or two the helium has significantly leaked out and the balloon is on the floor. The helium did not leak out through the tied knot in the balloon - it works it way out of the balloon material itself. Similarly, argon gas leaks out of an IG unit but at a very slow rate over the decades. It goes through the organic sealants that seal the IG unit. However air does not pass through those same sealants , so the resulting negative pressure/vacuum can put additional strain on the sealed IG unit, which can be a contributing cause to seal failure. THEN air can leak in. I'd highly recommend argon gas, it (normally) takes decades to be significantly gone, and by then the window might need replacing again anyway. It increases the glass temperature approx 6-7 degrees in winter northern climates. Years ago argon leaked out at a much higher rate, I've heard as much as 8%/year with some types. That's if inadequate sealants were used. For the better manufacturers nowadays it's closer to 1-2%/year. That's a big reason for "dual sealed" insulating glass. One sealant is good structurally and the other is better at gas retention. It's good stuff.

[chevyman]

At our plant we test units to make sure they are at 95% or more argon and we have units that have been filled with argon for 6 to 7 years now that still test at 92 to 94% argon after all these years.

The modern spacer system have really gotten very efficient.

[windowman pa]

Chevyman, Do you go back to homeowner’s home and test window?

You can expect for 1 to 2% gas leakage per year with even the best spacers! Goggle it and you can find numerous articles on gas leakage.

[chevyman]

We do test some units that have been in the field and they seem to be in the same range as what we see in the factory.
but 1% would be a fair guess on what is lost in units.

It is very hard to test units in the field because the test involve light readings when the unit sparks the glass.
If they are brought back into the factory they can be tested then.