Window and Glazing Gasket Replacement: Preventing Air and Water Infiltration

Commercial Property Services

Failed window gaskets are a leading cause of air leakage, water infiltration, and glass unit fogging in commercial buildings — understanding replacement timing and methods prevents costly consequences.

Window gaskets are the compressible seals that hold glass panels in the frame system and prevent air and water infiltration at the glass-to-frame junction. They're typically made from EPDM rubber, neoprene, or silicone and are designed to compress under the glass weight and frame retention hardware.

Industry Best Practices

Gasket failure signs include: visible cracking or embrittlement of the rubber material, gaps between the gasket and frame at corners or along runs, visible movement of glass in the frame when wind loads apply, water staining at the inside of the frame below the glass, and air movement detectable at the frame during windy conditions.

EPDM gaskets have a typical service life of 15 to 25 years before UV and ozone degradation causes significant hardening and crack formation. Buildings constructed in the 1990s and early 2000s may be at or approaching end of gasket service life, particularly on south and west elevations with high UV exposure.

How D&D Commercial Services Can Help

Gasket replacement requires careful glass handling and may require temporary bracing to support the glass while the frame system is opened. For curtain wall systems and storefront systems, the glazing subcontractor who originally installed the system has the best knowledge of the specific system design and disassembly sequence.

Wet seal repairs — replacing failed silicone sealant at glass perimeters rather than the full gasket system — are appropriate when the gasket itself is sound but perimeter sealant has failed. Silicone sealant at glass perimeters typically has a service life of 10 to 15 years before UV degradation causes cracking and separation.