How To Fix Foggy Windows In Your RV
Many RVs come with dual pane windows to help keep warm air inside when it’s cold out and cold air inside when it’s warm out. For the most part, they do this job very well.
Foggy windows in an RV indicate problems with the seals in dual pane windows. These windows are comprised of two layers of glass with a seal that separates them. These seals are supposed to keep air and moisture from getting between the two layers of glass.
Problems start when the RV has been driven or towed for many trips. Every lump and bump on a road or highway shakes and jiggles everything in the RV, including the window seals.
How soon you see foggy windows in your RV really depends on the RV itself, its windows, and the roads you drive. All the bumping and shaking eventually loosens the seals on the windows. They gradually start letting moist air in between the panes of glass until your RV’s windows fog up.
Once the moisture gets into your windows, it tends to stay there because there is no way for it to escape. Aside from blocking the view, this moisture will quickly etch the glass permanently. If your windows fog up, you’ll need to fix them right away to avoid damage to your RV.
Is There Any Way To Avoid Foggy Windows in your RV?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to prevent foggy windows in your RV. It will happen sooner or later to dual pane RV windows.
One thing you should know is that you should fix your RV windows at the first signs that they are getting a whitish haze on them. It won’t be long after your RV windows fog up that the glass will begin to etch.
Foggy window repair isn’t difficult. It’s much more cost efficient than having to replace your RV windows entirely after they have been permanently damaged by moisture.
How to fix foggy Rv windows
If your dual pane RV windows are getting a whitish haze on them from leaky seals between the glass panes, you’ll have three choices:
1. Replace the foggy windows
The easiest and most expensive option is to simply replace the foggy RV windows with new ones. If you’re handy, you can do the replacement yourself on smaller RV windows.
However, larger windows should be replaced by an RV repair specialist. Look for a repair specialist who does collision repairs. Be prepared to pay between $200 and $1800 to get a foggy window replaced with a new RV window.
If you’re handy, you may be able to replace the fogged windows yourself and save the cost of their removal and installation.
2. Hire an RV window repair specialist
Having an RV window specialist repair your foggy windows is a good option if you aren’t particularly handy, don’t have the right tools, and/or don’t have the patience to take on a painstaking repair job.
Some foggy window repair services will come to you, while others do all the work in their shop. Expect to pay between $100 and $400 to have an expert repair your foggy windows for you. RV Fog Doctor is one such company that gets excellent online reviews.
3. DIY: Repair your foggy RV windows yourself
Repairing your foggy windows yourself doesn’t require a lot of DIY skills. However, you’ll need to have the right tools and considerable patience to get this DIY job done.
You should probably leave larger windows to professional foggy window specialists. That being said, here’s what you’ll need to do to repair a foggy RV window yourself.
You can get a DIY RV foggy window repair kit or assemble the items you’ll need yourself.
tools you’ll need
- A ladder
- Painter’s tape
- Butyl tape
- Plastic trim removal kit
- #2 Phillips head screwdriver
- #2 Robertson Head screwdriver
- Flat head screwdriver
- Putty knife
- Carpet shield adhesive plastic sheet
- The appropriate window pane spacer for your RV windows
- Oscillating saw with a knife blade
- Acetone
- Glass cleaner
- Microfiber cleaning cloth
- Silicone caulk
- Caulking gun
- A helper
How To repair the foggy window
First, you’ll need to remove the window. Here’s how to do that:
- Remove the window valance.
- Using painter’s tape, tape the inside window trim to hold it in place.
- Unscrew the screws on the inside of the window trim.
- Situate your ladder in a stable location so you can work safely.
- Outside the RV, carefully cut away the window caulking.
- Carefully remove the window.
Next, you’ll want to take the window to a clean, dust-free work surface where you can do the repair. To repair the window, here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Carefully disassemble the window and label the parts.
- Use an oscillating saw with a knife blade to cut through the window spacer that holds the two panes together.
- Very carefully use a razor or box cutter/utility knife to scrape off any residue.
- Wipe with acetone to remove any remaining adhesive.
- Carefully clean the inside surfaces of the window pane. Use a good window cleaner and a microfiber cloth to clean thoroughly.
put the window back together
Here are the steps:
- Place the window spacers in place.
- Use butyl tape to fix the panes and spacers together.
Putting the window back in place
- Get your helper to hold the window in place on the outside of the RV, while you screw it back in place on the inside.
- Remove the painter’s tape from the trim.
- Caulk around the exterior of the window to seal it.
- Admire your work and enjoy your clear view.
Track your RV maintenance and repairs
Make sure you keep track of all your RV maintenance and repairs with an online tool such as RV LIFE Maintenance. Not only can you keep all of your documents in one place, but you’ll also receive timely reminders when maintenance is due to help you avoid costly repairs and potentially serious accidents.
Related articles:
