Plastic windows are highly durable, but glass can still be damaged due to its fragility and will require replacement. This can happen not only from direct mechanical impact, but also as a result of installation errors, as well as technological defects in production.
Street exposure to windows often also poses a problem for the owner of apartments in a multi-storey building how to remove a double-glazed window from a plastic window that is dirty with dust or other dirt outside.
Double-glazed windows that fogged up during operation must be changed, because their tightness is impaired or the workmanship is not the best, which will affect the thermal insulation of the entire window. It may well be that the replacement of a double-glazed window is due to an improvement in its qualities, for example, a double-glazed window with an additional air chamber will be installed.
Sami with a mustache: a necessary tool
Various firms offer dismantling, replacing or cleaning services at prices taken practically from the ceiling. However, the problem of how to remove a double-glazed window from a plastic window can be solved by any home master himself.
Every good owner has the necessary tools: a spatula or a chisel, a knife for removing sealant (a durable clerical knife with interchangeable blades will do) and a mallet. A fairly sharp ordinary ax is also well suited for removing glazing beads, but care must be taken not to damage plastic parts and surfaces.
The procedure for the masters takes no more than half an hour, but do not neglect the preparation for work, as well as the weight of the glass itself. You may need an assistant and special tight gloves to protect your hands.
Preparation
Before starting work, you need to prepare a place for temporary storage of the removed glass and space for work. You can use old cardboard or boards to protect the flooring and walls from the hard corners and edges of the glass. It is worth covering the furniture with a protective film or a simple cloth, it is quite possible that working with the window frame will be dusty.
Sharp corners on a spatula must be sharpened a little with sandpaper or rounded with a grinder. By inexperience, you can do a lot of scratches on plastic with a sharp object. It is also necessary to mark the glazing beads with a pencil or felt-tip pen before starting work, so as not to confuse the installation sequence during subsequent assembly.
Dismantling the fixing beads
Tools and protective equipment were prepared, a partner was found in the case of a large area and significant weight of the double-glazed window, now there are several important subtleties on how to properly remove the double-glazed window from a plastic window without damaging the frame and plastic fasteners.
It is best to start to remove glazing beads from the vertical side of the frame. This is done from the middle, because they are traditionally longer and can be bent a little in the process. The spatula is gently driven into the gap between the glazing bead and the frame in the middle of the opening and the glazing bead is carefully removed from the middle down and up. Having removed enough cloth from the latch, continue dismantling with your hands.
Next, remove the lower and upper glazing beads. The top is removed last, in order to avoid the unexpected fall of an unsecured double-glazed window. Horizontal glazing beads must be removed from the edge.
Having freed enough canvas, you can continue dismantling by hand. The glazing bead material is plastic and rubber, but it is worth paying attention to the opening hard edges of the double-glazed window, which can easily cut your hand. Use protective gloves when handling any glass.
Window pane removal from the frame
Further actions need to be carried out, given that the double-glazed window is not fixed and can fall into the room even from the wind. Its edges must be freed from the sealant, if one is laid there, with a knife.
Next, using a push from the outside or using tape, a vacuum suction cup or a regular plunger from the inside, gently tilt the glass packet onto yourself and pull it out of the frame.
The frame around the perimeter needs to be cleaned from sealant. According to the window assembly technology, the sealing tapes on the frame and glazing beads should perform the sealing function without the use of additional silicone material.
Frame Check and Installation
With the double-glazed window removed, you need to carefully verify the integrity of the entire frame, the absence of distortions and its other defects. Especially such a check is necessary if the glass itself cracked under the influence of changes in temperature or wind.
Having eliminated all the flaws of the installation of the frame, you can proceed to install the glass in its place. The actions are performed in the reverse order: first, a double-glazed window is installed in the frame opening, after which you can proceed to fasten the glazing beads, starting from the top.
The sticks are driven into the castle with a mallet with light tapping. You can also use a conventional hammer through a gasket made of wooden blocks, the main thing is not to damage the plastic part.
Wooden frames
In this way, double-glazed windows can be replaced not only on the balcony or windows, but also in doors and other openings with double-glazed windows. There are also wooden frames for double-glazed windows from glued profiled timber, glazing beads which are attached to special clips. Such frames require an even more accurate attitude and a special tool.
Moreover, if the glass is damaged due to technical defects of the frame, it is better to contact a professional. Wooden frames are more expensive and are used much less often than plastic; accordingly, their maintenance should be stipulated in the contract and provided according to the warranty and post-warranty conditions of the agreement.
