Replacing broken glass in roof vent.

When we moved, a few months back, I inherited an 8ft x 5ft. greenhouse, which is in very good condition (thpough now, because of the rain, it'as getting a good coating of moss!). I’ve never had a greenhouse before and only noticed today that the glass in the roof vent is broken very badly and lets the rain in.

I’ve had a look but can’t see how I can replace the glass. It’s out of reach unless I stand on a ladder and then lie across the roof, which I don't fancy doing as it seems to me to be very dangerous because of the light aluminium frame and all that thin glass.

How is replacing glass niormally done, please? is it possible to replace the glass from inside the greenhouse? If so, how do you do nthat and if not any suggestions, please?

I notice that someone on this forum said that they had removed all the glass from an old greenhouse, cleaned each pane and then was putting them back! I can't even see how to replace this one! Help!

 

Aluminium frame? or Wooden? (or something else?)

Photo of the damaged pane, from outside, would help

 

Might need to remove the pane below the vent first so as to gain safe access to the vent.

As its Ali, I'm guessing the glass is just held in by clips which are usually easily removed. Problem might occur if the glass has been there a few years and become stuck, or the bedding tape/rubber gasket has deteriorated in which case you will need to clean everything up and apply new bedding.

You could just lay an offcut of ply or similar over the lower glass to lean on if the broken pane is not out of reach.

 

Searched carefully for that information in the O/P :(

 

As I said, it's aluminium, very light and I wouldn't want to lean too heavily on the surroundong panes.. A photo wouldn't help - it's just broken into three peices.

 

I never thougth of removing the pane below but that's an idea. The panes are held in by clips and may not be too difficult to remove though they are a few years old.

The ply might work (theoretically it should!) but I'd hatre to prove it wrong!

 

I was hoping a photo would show the style of clips etc. attaching the glass to the frame, and the accessibility, or otherwise, of the damaged area.

 

If it was like mine I had W clips and had to remove the side section of glass from the main roof to gain access. Thus when it all got clipped back together with all clips in place, rigidity was restored to the greenhouse. I even went to the extent of replacing all the rubber seals for the entire house.

One point though it is advisable to get some polycarbonate sheeting, just in case of wind or hail problems.

 

Hi Kristen, thanks for the thought - I wondered if that was the idea but I don't think I could get a photo that would be of any use to us. One problem at the moment is that I've been trying to get the moss out of the clips to see what they're like but that's not as easy as it sounds. I'll have a look at the clips and try tomorrow - the days are now too short to do much and I've got a lot of gardening to do!

 

Thanks! Removing the panes near the vent so as to get access, seem to be the idea, just as you and Pete suggested. It would, also, give me the chance to check seals, etc.

Not having had a greenhouse before, it's new to me but I'm learning!

 

If like me the thought of taking the whole lot down and then cleaning every part of it before putting it back together, then just remove all the glass and jet wash the frame off before changing the seals completely.

 

Thanks to all for your help and advice - I think I'd be better off doing what you suggest, landimad, but I'll, probaby, leave this until Spring when the weather can be a bit more guaranteed (if ever it can). At the moment, I've got a clear plastic sheet stretched over the vent (I have some plants I'm over-wintering but they shouldn't be a problem) and that should do - until, and unless, a gale comes along, of course!