Recently I asked Is there a way to remove condensation and clean inside a double pane window? The answer appears to be "no", at least not without resorting to very dangerous chemicals.
Two of the windows in my house with failed seals are on an unheated porch. For these windows, I don't see any reason why I need to have double panes. I don't need the insulation that the double panes provide.
I'm thinking that I could just remove one of the panes. Is it possible to safely remove one of the two panes? What technique should I use?
If I do so, should I remove the inner our outer pane?
The two windows in question are fixed windows (they don't open). They were installed when the house was built 20 years ago. They are above a sliding door, so they are fairly high off the ground. The gap between the panes appears to be about 1/2 inch.
Best Answer
I woud not try the "cut out or smash one pane" approach. I might try removing the pane as a unit (yep, you're going to have to dis-assemble wherever it was "built in place" a little) and drilling the seal/separator full of holes to ventilate it - or simply go ahead and replace it. If ventilated, the ventilation should be to the outside air in a heating climate.
If you replace it with a single pane unit you will very likely have condensation on the single pane, leading to sill rot. Even an unheated porch (which is connected to a heated house) is going to be warmer and moister than the outdoors in winter.
If the glass is tempered, you'll have crumbs, not shards, if you try to cut it or break it. It may or may not be tempered.
To borrow from my comment on the incredibly dangerous answer to your prior question, IF the panes are not tempered, you could try drilling two holes top and bottom on the outside pane, and glue screen over the holes.