Charlotte, NC humidity fogged your double panes? $230 fix

That foggy moisture trapped between your window panes happens when the seal around the insulated glass unit fails. I see this all the time in Charlotte homes, especially in older neighborhoods like Dilworth and Myers Park where temperature swings put extra stress on window seals. Once that airtight barrier breaks down, humid air sneaks in and condenses on the cooler inner glass surfaces—and there’s no way to wipe it away from the outside. “The seal doesn’t just crack overnight. It’s usually years of expansion and contraction from our hot summers and cold snaps that finally wear it down.” Age and weather cycles: Window seals are designed to last 15-20 years, but Charlotte’s climate is tough on them. Our 95-degree summer days followed by air-conditioned interiors create constant expansion and contraction. Add in a few hard freezes each winter, and those seals start losing their grip earlier than expected. Direct sun exposure: South and west-facing windows take the biggest beating. The UV rays and heat gradually break down the sealant material, making it brittle. I’ve replaced dozens of sunroom windows where the seals gave out years before the north-facing ones in the same house. Poor installation or manufacturing defects: Sometimes the seal was never quite right from day one. If the spacing between panes wasn’t precise or the sealant wasn’t applied properly, moisture finds its way in much sooner than it should. Here’s what’s actually happening inside: double-pane windows have a desiccant material around the spacer that absorbs any trace moisture during manufacturing. When the seal fails, outside humidity overwhelms that desiccant, and you get visible condensation. Once you see that fog, the insulating properties of your window are already compromised. The good news? You don’t always need to replace the entire window frame. Often we can replace just the glass unit itself, which saves you money and keeps your existing frames intact. If you’re seeing condensation, it’s worth having someone take a look before the problem spreads to other windows.