Do you believe it’s acceptable to install plexiglass with a drainage hole inside these windows if they were supposed to be double pane?
Asked by آدرینا یاسمی 
3 months ago
Last Updated: July 26, 2024
Hey, do you mind if I put some plexiglass on the inside of these windows and leave a little hole at the bottom for any condensation to escape? I thought these garage doors would come with double pane glass when I ordered them as insulated, but turns out that was my bad assumption! 🙄
Sealed units with multiple panes of glass can trap condensation and potentially cause water damage to the door if impacts are not a concern for protecting the lights.
I cut replacement fluorescent light lenses to fit, which also helps block the view for potential thieves.
Are you absolutely sure that it’s not just a thin double-pane glass?! That’s unbelievable. I would expect an insulated door to have insulated windows as well. I’m kind of glad mine doesn’t have windows now 😅
I never would have thought about getting windows again, but I’m glad I did.
Purchase insulated window kits from the same company that installed them.
I don’t think adding more R factor will help. You should get thermopane units with argon gas, low E, and the right window depth. The door installer should be responsible for this because I have never seen an insulated overhead door without thermopane glazing. It doesn’t make sense.
It’s tough to keep clean with all that dust and grime building up. Plus, spiders and bugs will start nesting in there, making it even harder to clean.
Thanks for bringing that up, Luba.
Cleaning is my thing 🤣, but I do often question how easy it will be to clean.
Did you know that you can purchase insulated windows from your garage door company? I heard that Clopay carries them.
Jimmy Germain Yeah, I’ve reached out to all of them. Some are saying it could cost around $1K per door for double-pane windows. 🙄 I guess I’ll just have to accept the cost. 🤨
Hey, let them know you’re not interested in buying a Ferrari door. Maybe try checking eBay or Amazon. I saw some options on eBay that might work for you. Hopefully, you’ll find the right size.
Really? I never even considered checking out pre-made kits. Thanks for the tip, Jimmy!
You’re welcome, ! 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
The holes you mentioned are called weep holes. They are typically located on the outside so that any water can drain outwards instead of inwards. To prevent water from collecting between the glass panes, the bottom should be sloped towards the outside. If you attempt to double-pane it yourself and water still collects between the panes, even with weep holes, it may not drain properly. It seems like phillips head screws are holding the window structure together as a complete unit. If that’s the case, you might be able to replace them with what you prefer – if they have that option for your specific door. If not, perhaps you could special order them instead.
Can you make the outside of it washable and have the inside be easily removable, since it’s going to get dirty no matter what? Maybe use Velcro or another fastener.
That’s a cool idea. 🤔 Thanks.
My friend did the same thing for his garage. There was still a slight breeze, but it improved a lot and he could easily clean them off whenever he wanted
The screws secure the window units in place. You can replace them yourself. Look for the plastic trim piece and purchase windows from a nearby glass shop, it might be more cost-effective. You might also need to adjust the door springs to support the weight – it’s also quite simple.
Maybe consider taking out the entire window and covering up the openings with sheet metal and rivets? 🤔
Installing plexiglass will make almost no difference in insulation. Visit a glass company nearby and request insulated glass units to replace the single pane. Adjust the interior trim to fit the new glass thickness.
I’ll make sure to look into that. Appreciate it, Wayne. 👍🏻
The plexiglass creates a barrier that insulates the air. Not the most efficient, though.
I have to say, there’s absolutely zero benefit to that!
We actually used plexiglass on the outside of the bathroom window and it completely solved the fogging issue. In Alaska, it’s common to use visqueen over windows. The insulation is actually the layer of air molecules on the surface, not the material itself. The finer the material, the more layers of molecules are present.
I totally agree with you. From what I gathered in the post, it seems like he was planning to install the plexiglass on the inside. I’m guessing he doesn’t reside in Alaska. Considering his goal here, I feel like investing in plexiglass would just be a waste of money. Speaking as someone who has been in the window business for 30 years.
Invest in some affordable glass and construct your own frame.
Looking for an easy fix? Try out a window shrink film insulation kit. Just place the double sided tape on the window frames, apply the film cut to size, and let it sit for a week before shrinking. This will help the tape adhesive set and grip better.
If your garage doesn’t have heat, I wouldn’t invest the money. I would recommend silver tinting the windows to help with solar energy and protect against burglars.
Wow, it’s really warm in here. 🙂
Hey ! I made sure to heat my place and added solar film to the windows, and now I don’t have any problems.
Hey ! One issue I’ve noticed is condensation dripping off my single pane glass windows during the winter – it can be quite annoying.
Hey there! , sounds like you’re frustrated by the little things. I tried both double and single pane windows and experienced the same issue. The solar film works great. Just be careful with heat sources like a vent-free propane or natural gas wall heater, as they can cause moisture buildup.
😆I totally agree – I get annoyed by little things too. I really need to work on that. 🙂I assumed that double-pane windows would come with an insulated garage door. So even your double pane windows had condensation build-up, huh? That’s interesting. I’ll research the solar film option. I haven’t heard of that before. Thank you.
I’m sorry, but that won’t work out.
Attach them using velcro so you can easily remove and clean them if necessary.