When to Repair or Replace Your Foggy RV Windows

Any owner of a pair of glasses knows the struggle of stepping outside on a humid day and having your spectacles immediately fog up. When you move glass into a moist environment coming from a cooler, dry environment, water vapor collects in-place, leaving you with foggy glasses. There is physics involved here and meteorologists call it The Dew Point, but the practical lesson here is that Fog Happens.

The same can be experienced by the windows in your RV or camper! Years of this foggy condensation coupled with failing window seals will eventually impact the quality and condition of your windows, creating corrosion, cracking and etching—and can become a big safety hazard for the RV’s driver. It also can diminish the joy of traveling in your recreational vehicle, as foggy windows decrease visibility for passengers too.

Knowing when to repair or replace your RV glass is important for taking care of your vehicle and maintaining proper visibility while driving.  Below are some tips on repairing and replacing your foggy windows for maximum safety and enjoyment of your recreational vehicle.

Why do RV Windows Fog?

RVs tend to have dual-paned windows (also known as thermal windows or insulating glass units), which are constructed using two panes of glass separated by a small space, that in some cases is filled with a gas, like Argon. The space in between these glass panes is where the moisture collects, due to the seals around the window deteriorating over time and moisture seeping inside. As imagined, removing the “fog” from within the glass system is more difficult than simply wiping the window off with a towel or rag.

Glass repairs ARE possible for small cracks and divots, and also for fogged RV window glass if too much time does not pass with the moisture trapped in between the glass layers. Once a certain amount of time has passed with moisture “sealed” between the glass, a process called etching occurs, which damages the glass surface and slowly decreases the visibility of the glass. At this point, window replacement becomes a necessity.

In general, the windows in an RV are the same as the windows in a house. Over time, the windows in a house fail and become fogged-up. Now, take those same windows and put them in an RV where they get jostled around by the contours of the road, and it’s no surprise that they fail and become foggy. The design of many of these windows means, over time, they are going to fail–it’s a matter of When not If. Repairing an existing window instead of buying a new replacement window will cost significantly less and may last just as long (or longer) than a new RV window.

RV Glass Repairs for Fogged Windows

If your RV windows are foggy but not yet etched, repairs may get the job done. A qualified vendor should be able to determine if your windows are repairable and if they are, these are the roughly 10 steps they would complete to repair your foggy RV windows:

1. Remove the window
2. Cover the opening
3. Remove the window glass from its frame
4. Deglaze (remove the old window seals)
5. Thoroughly clean the window with specialized products or replace with a new pane if etching has occurred
6. Reinsulate the window (put the glass panes together and seal them)
7. Properly cure the seals in the window
8. Reinstall the new window back into your recreational vehicle
9. Water-test to confirm there are no leaks
10. Get you back on the road!

Custom Glass Solutions, LLC. Saves Time and Saves the Day

Even if you’re an enterprising person and want to attempt the DIY route, you can tell from the steps listed above that it’s a fairly arduous process, and specialized tools and a controlled environment certainly help to speed-up the procedure and guarantee success. For these reasons, we recommend that you trust your window and windshield repairs and replacement to a professional.

Custom Glass Solutions offers the best service nationwide for replacing as well as repairing motorhome and RV windshields and windows. If your RV glass can be repaired, that’s the service we’ll pursue. If the damage is simply too great to repair, we’ll recommend an RV windshield or window replacement with a warranty included. With a network of glass shops across the country partnering with CGS to help our customers, you can often get your RV windshield replaced even while you’re out traveling the highways and byways of our great land!

Start the RV glass repair or replacement process with Custom Glass Solutions by filling out the form here or by calling us toll-free at (855) 782-5246. Contact us via form as well.