I bought 200 windows (Grandview 5000) from PlyGem/Great Lakes Windows in 2007. Over the first few years, 7 cracked and 5 clouded. I am told by PlyGem the cloudy ones are covered under warranty, but not the cracked ones. A local window installer believes the cracked ones lost gas pressure and should be covered under warranty.
I read one of your articles stating as such “Due to molecular differences between argon and the principal components of air, nitrogen and oxygen, argon under pressure to escape a window unit may exit the seal faster than it can be replaced with air. Under this circumstance, the glass will bend inward to accommodate the gradual reduction in pressure within the window. If conditions are right, according to USGlass Magazine, “units have been reported to shatter…”
Is it possible this could have occurred with these windows and only caused a crack versus an implosion/complete shattering as your article mentions? The cracks are as follows: a complete crack along the entire width, several cracks or single 5-12 inch cracks. The windows with the cracks have no cloudiness. The cracks appeared over the past few years.
Manufacturer will assume they were cracked physically and will assume unless proven otherwise as would any smart business not wanting to replace cracked windows.
Just because something can happen does not mean it did.
It appears from your rant to be a manufacturer issue.
However, I’ve seen them crack because of using the incorrect expansion foam as a sealant during installation…
That is my take.
Who knows?
That is correct. When you fill out the claim, you must document the failure.
Just did a job concerning Pella Windows. The mfg was replacing everything with no question. Investigation of moisture intrusion found that the windows were not installed correctly and was the cause (not the windows). They replaced them anyway.
If you can show (from the remaining windows) that excessive bowing of the glazing is occurring, you may have the documentation you need. You can often see this occurrence from the street from the reflection in the glass.
The mfg will not warrant an installers screw up, only the window.
You have to prove it, not just assume it. Generally a good business practice.