Replacing glass in a vinyl 2 pane sliding door frame

[Partyslammer]

I have a large vinyl framed sliding glass door with double- pane UV "low E" glass. This morning I heard a minor band like someone dropped a book on the floor, went out to the dinning room and discovered the inside pane on the door was spider-web fracturing as I stared at it. Nothing had hit the window (I was the only one home at the time), it just busted on it's own. The outside pane was fine.

Anyway, to get to the meat of the issue, the contractor who did it a scant two years ago was out of business so whatever warranty I had is useless. The frame and window have no manufacturer identifying marks or logo and the invoice never specified the name of the company. After calling and talking to about a dozen different people / contractors, the quotes to replace the glass run from $400 up to $1,200. Also, I've been told conflicting info about the actual work needed to replace the glass.

Most tell me that the window door frame needs to be sent to a factory and *both*panes, the shattered one and the good one need to be replaced for a "good seal" and reinstalled in the frame. I guess I don't understand why a perfectly good pane has to be replaced.

Also, because the black putty between the panes supposedly needs to set a day or two, I could expect to be out the frame for up to 3 or 4 days and up to even two weeks depending on who I talk to. However, a few guys have said they can do this "on site" in a day, even in a few hours and can *guarantee* that there will never be any fogging or moisture accumulation between the panes. They just do a measure, have the factory cut the glass to size in a couple days, bring it and install it. One key thing is, I don't understand how an on-site installer could somehow degauss (or inject say, argon) in the space between the panes of glass with any kind of certainty.

Obviously, I need a bit o' educatin' on this subject or at least some guidance as to what to look out for when an installer may be making some BS claims.

Thanks in advance,

T.B.

[Window4U (IL)]

The entire sealed insulated glass unit is pre-made at the plant and is brought out and put into the old frame. It is not manufactured on site.
The guys that say they will do it in a couple hours are the ones to hire.

Here is an example of a typical insulated glass unit.

[Partyslammer]

The entire sealed insulated glass unit is pre-made at the plant and is brought out and put into the old frame. It is not manufactured on site.
The guys that say they will do it in a couple hours are the ones to hire.

Here is an example of a typical insulated glass unit.

Just to be clear, based on the illustration, it would seem nearly impossible to use only one pane of existing glass from the frame, assemble the 2 panes together, set them inside the existing door frame *all done here at my house* and expect any sort of quality results, is this correct? One guy gave me a 2 hour quote saying he would do exactly that.

Basically, it sounds like the 2 panes need to be assembled and set together at a shop or factory, brought here to my home and set into the door frame *as a unit* for the best results, not to mentioned being properly "gas filled," right?

T.B.

[Window4U (IL)]

Correct.
And make sure they are quoting tempered glass. It's mandatory.