Large double windows-moisture ruins appearance

We have some large windows in our mausoleum that have a southern exposure. The windows are 2 sheets of 1/4" glass, sealed within an anodized metal framework. The windows were installed about 20 years ago...and the major problem is there are signs of "fogging" and actual surface moisture INSIDE of the glass....on the outer glass pieces.
A contractor pulled and cleaned the glass and recaulked about 2-3 years ago, but the same problem has come back to haunt us and it really ruins the appearance of the structure.
The weather in our area (Butler, PA) is severe and one could say there are extreme thermal deltas over the course of a year. However, I was wondering whether there is a process whereby after cleaning and reinstallation, a special vacuum pump could suck-out all of the air and then have it replaced with an inert gas like argon or similar gas that is used by Pella or Anderson in the construction of their premium windows.
Any suggestions here greatly appreciated.

 

No. You need to replace the insulating glass units. If you prefer, you can order your new IGU's with any kind of glass and gass fill you like.

 

..can you educate me a bit on the construction of IGU's ?
How do I know for instance if in fact we have an IGU or just two pieces of glass...one inner, the other outer ?

 

Sure. IGU's are usually separated from one another by an aluminum spacer bar. You can usually see some very small engravings on it that indicate the date of manufacturer and sometimes a brand name. Sometimes the spacer bar is not aluminum but is made of a black butyl material or other spacer material. The IGU is usually sealed together with a black butyl rubber material that surrounds the exterior edge of the spacer bar.

I've never seen an aluminum window assembly that is 2 pieces of glass that are seperately glazed. If it is, I would assume the interior one should be removable, and you should see small round vent holes of some sort around the perimeter of the sash, or at least at the bottom. These vent holes would allow a small amount of fresh air into the unit so that it does not get steamed up. Sometimes if these units get caulked up tightly (or the vent holes have somehow become plugged), they'll fog up because they need this air exchange to keep from getting steamy.

Either way, if you have an IGU that has a failed seal and depleted dessicant, you can't just pump air out and pump something in... you have to replace it. If you have 2 seperate pieces of glass that are not sealed together in any way, you have the same situation, it's not possible to add argon. It's a common misconception that IGU's have a vacuum between the glass. It is more correctly a sealed, gas or air filled dead air space.

 

You stated that "a contractor pulled and cleaned the glass and recaulked about 2-3 years ago, but the same problem has come back". It would seem to me that they are 2 pieces of glass seperated by a strip of aluminum and caulked. You should replace them with insulating glass units which should be good for at least 20 years.