I've got these double-pane windows in my living room that have started fogging up pretty bad. You know, that annoying cloudy look between the panes that makes it seem like it's always raining outside? Anyway, I looked into replacements and nearly fell off my chair when I saw the prices. So I decided to try a little hack I found online—drilling tiny holes in the corners of the window frame to let the moisture escape. Surprisingly, it actually worked pretty well! Not perfect, but way better than before. Just gotta be careful with the drill, obviously, and make sure you seal the holes afterward with some clear silicone.
Curious if anyone else has tried this or maybe has another trick up their sleeve. I'm all ears for more budget-friendly fixes or tips...
I've done something similar, but instead of drilling holes, I tried using a hairdryer to heat the glass gently and evaporate some moisture. It worked temporarily, but the fogging came back after a few weeks. Honestly, once the seal is broken, it's tough to get a permanent fix without replacing or professionally resealing the panes. Your drilling method sounds interesting though—might give it a shot on one of my basement windows that's already pretty beat up anyway...
Yeah, I've tried the hairdryer trick too—same short-lived results. The drilling method does sound promising though, especially if you're not worried about aesthetics. Might as well experiment on a window that's already seen better days...
I've done the drilling method on a basement window before—worked okayish, but honestly, it wasn't a perfect fix. Moisture eventually found its way back in after a year or so. Have you thought about sealing the holes afterward with silicone or something similar? Might help prolong the results. Curious if anyone's tried adding silica gel packets inside to absorb moisture...sounds logical, but not sure how practical it'd be.
Might help prolong the results. Curious if anyone's tried adding silica gel packets inside to absorb moisture...sounds logical, but not sure how practical it'd be.
Tried the silica gel packets once—ended up looking like I was running some weird science experiment in my window. Didn't really help either, moisture came back pretty quick. Drilling and silicone seems to be the best cheap fix so far.
Yeah, silica packets didn't do much for me either. I remember stuffing a bunch in there thinking I'd cracked the code... nope. Honestly, drilling tiny holes and sealing with silicone was the only thing that made a noticeable difference. Still not perfect, but better than nothing.
Tried the silica packet route myself—same story, didn't do squat. Drilling and sealing definitely helps, but you're right, it's not a perfect fix. From my experience:
- Tiny holes at top and bottom corners for airflow.
- Cleaned inside panes with rubbing alcohol-soaked pipe cleaners (tedious but worth it).
- Sealed with clear silicone after drying thoroughly.
Still got some minor fogging on humid days, but way better than before. Seems like these windows just weren't built to last forever...
Glad I'm not the only one who's been down the silica packet rabbit hole—felt like I was doing some weird science experiment that went nowhere, haha. Props to you for the pipe cleaner technique though, that's next-level dedication. I tried drilling and sealing too, but ended up cracking one pane slightly because I'm apparently not as handy as I thought (oops). Still, even with a tiny crack, it's somehow clearer now than before. Go figure.
Honestly, at this point, I've just accepted that my windows have their own personality and moods. On humid days they're foggy and mysterious...on dry days they're crystal clear and cheerful. It's like having moody teenagers built into my walls. But hey, at least your method improved things a bit—that's a win in my book.
Tried the silica packets too, but honestly, didn't notice much difference. Curious about your pipe cleaner method though—did you just snake it through the drilled hole to clean inside, or was there more to it? Might give that a shot next weekend...
"Curious about your pipe cleaner method though—did you just snake it through the drilled hole to clean inside, or was there more to it?"
Tried something similar a while back, but instead of a pipe cleaner, I used a thin wire hanger wrapped in cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Snaked it carefully through the drilled hole and gently wiped the inside surfaces. Honestly, it wasn't perfect, but it cleared up most of the fogging. Definitely worth giving a shot if you're already planning on drilling anyway...just go easy on the glass edges.