If you are buying a house with windows that are more than 10 years old, the home inspector may call out several—or many—of the windows as clouded and missing their insulating gas. Sometimes even newer homes will have a few clouded windows. By the time the cloudiness is clearly evident the gas has been gone for a while, and careful examination of all the windows may show that many of them are failing. 

    It is not unusual for ten windows to be tagged and, if the fogging is minor, you might think the inspector is just being picky. These just-beginning-to-fog windows may not present much of a problem visually, but the cloudiness will progress over the next several years until the glass is totally obscure like a bathroom window. The insulation value, although not a lot, is also already gone.

 
Cost Of Window Replacement

    A standard per-window average for replacement windows is $450, so ten windows would be $4,500. The rough estimate does not work, unfortunately, when there are tall, very large, or fan-top windows, or non-standard sizes. This can easily add a couple of thousand dollars to the cost. So it is best to get an actual price quote from a local contractor when there are more than a few insulated windows that have failed.

    Because the windows will eventually be totally completely obscure, the problem will gradually become impossible to ignore and will negatively affect the value of the home, so you should decide before buying whether you are willing to accept this defect and deal with the expense later, request repair or a price reduction, or walk away from the home. 

    Also, see our blog post Does a home inspector check insulated windows for brokens seals and lost gas?

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  To learn more about doors and windows, see these other blog posts:

• What causes sweating (condensation) on the inside of windows in the winter? 

• Is every exterior door of a house required to have a landing outside? 

• What are the small slots at the bottom of the outside of my window? 

• Why does condensation form on the outside of some windows and not others in the morning? 

• Why if the garage door track a white tube? 

• What is the raised metal plate on the floor under the garage door?

• Why do I have to hold down the button to close the garage door? 

• Where is safety/tempered glass required for the windows of a house?

• How can I tell if a window or glass door is safety glass? 

• Should a front door swing in or out? 

• Why is pressure washing double pane windows an expensive mistake? 

• How many exit doors are required for a house?

• How many exit doors are required for a mobile/manufactured home? 

• Are openable windows required to have window screens? Will windows with no screens pass a home inspection? 

• Can a bedroom door open into the garage?

• What are the building code requirements for a door from the garage to the house?

• What is "low-E" window glass? 

• What does ANSI 297.1 on glass mean?

• Why is a double cylinder deadbolt lock on an exterior door a safety hazard?

• How can I check my garage door to make sure it is safe?  

• What is an egress window?

• Does a home inspector test all the windows and doors in a home? 

• How difficult is it to change a window to french doors or a sliding glass door?

• How do you determine if a door is left-handed or right-handed?

• Why are window security bars dangerous? 

• What are the common problems you find inspecting windows? 

• What do those numbers on the manufacturer's stickers in new windows mean?

• What does a home inspector check on an electric garage door? 

• What is the tempered label on glass at windows and sliding glass doors called?

• Do I need to have two exterior exit doors in my house? 

• When is safety glass required for windows at stairs and stair landings?

• Is tempered/safety glass required by the building code for windows and doors? 

• Can the rail for the drive chain/belt of a garage door be mounted off-center?

   Visit our DOORS AND WINDOWS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.