A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

Loctite glassbond?

Pinot Grigio wrote:
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner
about 12 inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape
probably won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

The only way is to drill a hole at the end of the crack to stop it going
further.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

In article , Pinot Grigio
Someone@somewhere.? writes
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

I'd probably let it get on with it as a single crack across it will not make it
fall out, however it will be weakened so keep people away in case they
bash it.

However, if you have lots of time on your hands then you can allegedly
stop a crack by drilling a hole in its path to relieve the stress. Chose a
6mm pear shaped glass bit and drill a hole (using very light pressure)
about half an inch past the end of the crack. If you push too hard when
drilling then the crack will complete before you know it ;-).

Tape over the crack with gaffa tape once it has completed or you have
drilled.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 10:36:47 -0000, "Pinot Grigio" Someone@somewhere
wrote:

| A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
| inches toward the centre of the window.
|
| The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.
|
| What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
| won't work because of condensation.
| I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

If you are going to replace the sealed unit anyway, just ignore it, for six
weeks. If the crack goes from one side to another, it will not break
totally, and the crack will have little effect, except perhaps some
condensation. I have watched two cracked double glazed windows (not mine)
which have been cracked for a year with no observable effect.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk
Sick and tired of Junk Snail Mail?
Register with http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/
IME it works :-)

I have watched two cracked double glazed windows (not mine)
which have been cracked for a year with no observable effect.

You must be tired - and fairly bored I imagine

Pinot Grigio wrote:
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.

Gently rub it over with meths on a tissue, gently dry it,
stick some tape over it just in case, change it when you
can, be careful when handling the pane that the glass
doesn't tear when you're not expecting it. You've got an
approximately 0 chance of drilling it or anything like
that - it's knackered, tape it up for safety and leave
it alone!

"Pinot Grigio" Someone@somewhere wrote in message
...
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

Thanks for all the replies.

Drilling - Yikes!!!!!!!!

As the crack has travelled another inch in the last hour I am going to use
Loctite Glass Bond (sun is shining today (UV helps it cure?(don't have the
instructions!!))) The put some tape over it.

I have found some Loctite Glass Bond that is still usable but old. Can it
go off? Should I buy a new one to ensure best bond? I seem to remember it
didn't work well once but that may have been due to lack of UV.

I didn't know what gaffa tape was and found this very enlightening site:
www.bath.ac.uk/~su2bc/cgi/gaffer/start.pl

Pinot Grigio wrote:
"Pinot Grigio" Someone@somewhere wrote in message
...
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner
about 12 inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape
probably won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

Thanks for all the replies.

Drilling - Yikes!!!!!!!!


Since its a temp repair I was only giving you a solution on the basis of a
non temp solution to stop the crack going any further.
This technique is used by structural engineers when they find a fracture in
steelwork and so drill a hole at the head of the fracture and then weld
plates across the fracture to give it back its strenght, these fractures
usually appear on a load bearing point.
Which brings me to the point of... did these cracks just appear? or has
someone hit the pane accidently?

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Drilling - Yikes!!!!!!!!


Since its a temp repair I was only giving you a solution on the basis of a
non temp solution to stop the crack going any further.
This technique is used by structural engineers when they find a fracture
in
steelwork and so drill a hole at the head of the fracture and then weld
plates across the fracture to give it back its strenght, these fractures
usually appear on a load bearing point.
Which brings me to the point of... did these cracks just appear? or has
someone hit the pane accidently?

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite


I don't trust myself drilling into glass and as the glass is still
splitting, I don't think it would work as any pressure is going to increase
the split. Also the split might miss the hole....
I think it was probably a faulty unit in the first place as there has been
condensation between the panes for some time (but out of guarantee). As
other building work needs doing, we have just ignored it until 2 days ago
when the crack appeared. As far as I know, the window has never been
knocked apart from the odd bird flying into it. The crack is inside and
probably triggered by extreme heat (radiator beneath) and cold weather.
Ok, I know this is worse case scenario and I may be worrying unnecessarily,
but if there is pressure involved in the split, and the glass
disintegrates/explodes, the other pane could also break. As we are going
away, we don't want to come back to a window with no glass in it!

Apart from glass bond, will the stuff used to repair car windscreen
glass be useful? might be worth checking out if you say you had
unsatisfactory results with Glass Bond.

If the crack is progressing, is it an indication that there is
something wrong with the structure surrounding the pane, like bricks
moving etc?

Good luck.

Pinot Grigio wrote:

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.

Erm, yes - that why sellotape won't work, the condensation...


I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

The only thing that might work - *might* - is drilling a hole. Nothing
else will make the slightest bit of difference.

If I were you, I'd give it a good clean, and tape it up with plenty of
gaffer tape. This won't stop it cracking, but it will stop it falling
apart and significantly reduce the risk of injury.


--
Grunff

"Pinot Grigio" Someone@somewhere wrote in message
...
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

You can buy clear window repair tape for exactly this job. My local
ironmonger carries it. It won't stop the crack spreading, but it will seal
it, it will hold the bits together until you can get it repaired and it
won't fall off. You do have to make sure that the glass is clean and dry
before applying it though.

Colin Bignell

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 10:36:47 -0000, "Pinot Grigio" Someone@somewhere
wrote:

A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.


Is there a lintel above the window frame?
Any cracking in the brickwork/render?

--

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 14:15:24 +0000, Grunff wrote:

| Pinot Grigio wrote:
|
| What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
| won't work because of condensation.
|
| Erm, yes - that why sellotape won't work, the condensation...
|
|
| I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.
|
| The only thing that might work - *might* - is drilling a hole. Nothing
| else will make the slightest bit of difference.
|
| If I were you, I'd give it a good clean, and tape it up with plenty of
| gaffer tape. This won't stop it cracking, but it will stop it falling
| apart and significantly reduce the risk of injury.

I have seen professionals use a brown/black hardening gunge for a temporary
repair on double glazing. I gave also seen a fan installed in double
glazing with this, so it must be OK. Your local glass place will have it.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk
Sick and tired of Junk Snail Mail?
Register with http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/
IME it works :-)

Pinot Grigio wrote:

I didn't know what gaffa tape was and found this very enlightening
site: www.bath.ac.uk/~su2bc/cgi/gaffer/start.pl

You didn't know what gaffa tape was? What are you doing in a DIY group :-)

According to legend, you only need two things in your toolbox, gaffa tape &
WD40.

If it moves and it shouldn't - use the Gaffa Tape.

If it doesn't move & it should - use the WD40.

Dave

use a glass cutter and score the glass in front of the crack

Pinot Grigio wrote:
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.


I had an 8 by 4 foot window that cracked when I had temporally fitted it
for security, overnight.

It stayed cracked for nearly 15 years and the only reason I did change
it was because of the misting that had taken place.

As for the glass dropping out, don't forget both panes are bonded to the
separator, so cant fall out. You will be fine for 6 weeks.

HTH

Dave

Pinot Grigio wrote:
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

I've stopped glass cracks with just a self adhesive window sticker. No
further cracking for years.
One was on the corner of a double glazed patio door and I wondered why
someone would stick such a sticker there. Upon closer inspection I saw
the crack. Some years later I decided to remove the sticker as I didn't
believe it was really doing anything to stop the crack. I was wrong.
After just a few days the crack started moving further diagonally down
the pane. I stuck another sticker on it and it hasn't moved for at
least 3 years.

In message , Pinot Grigio
writes
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

Drill a hole just past the end of the crack. This will disperse the
stress - worth a try at least

--
geoff

Pinot Grigio wrote:
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.


As I wrote earlier, forget the crack, do not drill a stop hole, as you
might end up with one pane of glass in bits. Drilling a hole will
accelerate the misting between the two panes.

6 weeks is a short time in a double glazed unit.

Dave

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 17:51:52 +0000 (UTC), Dave
wrote:

| Pinot Grigio wrote:
| A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about 12
| inches toward the centre of the window.
|
| The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.
|
| What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape probably
| won't work because of condensation.
| I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.
|
|
| As I wrote earlier, forget the crack, do not drill a stop hole, as you
| might end up with one pane of glass in bits. Drilling a hole will
| accelerate the misting between the two panes.
|
| 6 weeks is a short time in a double glazed unit.

Agreed Leaving it for six weeks will cause *no* problems.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk
Sick and tired of Junk Snail Mail?
Register with http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/
IME it works :-)

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:22:12 +0000, micky104 wrote:

Pinot Grigio Wrote:
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about
12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape
probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

use a glass cutter and score the
glass in front of the crack

Don't woory about it at all.

Just tape the sections together to stop them falling out. The actual crack
will not make the window hugely more inefficient as insulation, and in 6
weeks its going to be replaced anway.

Have a whisky and stop worrying.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:22:12 +0000, micky104 wrote:

Pinot Grigio Wrote:
A large double-glazed window has developed a crack from one corner about
12
inches toward the centre of the window.

The heat and cold is making the crack grow longer.

What can I do to stop the crack travelling further. Cellotape
probably
won't work because of condensation.
I can't get the window fixed for at least 6 weeks.

use a glass cutter and score the
glass in front of the crack

Don't woory about it at all.

Just tape the sections together to stop them falling out. The actual crack
will not make the window hugely more inefficient as insulation, and in 6
weeks its going to be replaced anway.

Have a whisky and stop worrying.

If it's a large window and the crack is propagating slowly (as mine did
exactly the same as yours) it's almost certainly laminated and will be fine
left alone until fixed - nothing should fall out.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)