Here are some key indicators and methods to determine whether the glass curtain wall of an office building needs to be replaced:

1. Glass breakage

Observe whether the glass has obvious cracks, breakage or fragments. If the glass has large cracks or fragments have fallen off, this is usually a clear signal that it needs to be replaced. For example, a penetrating crack appeared on a piece of glass, affecting the overall structure and safety of the curtain wall.

2. Aging of sealant

Check whether the sealant has hardened, cracked, or peeled off. Failure of sealant can cause rainwater penetration and air leakage. For example, many small cracks appeared on the surface of the sealant and lost its elasticity.

3. Damaged hardware

Check whether the hardware connecting the glass to the frame, such as screws, hinges, etc., are loose, corroded or deformed. If the hardware cannot fix the glass normally, it may need to be replaced. For example, the screws are severely rusted and cannot provide sufficient tightening force.

4. Glass self-explosion

When the glass self-explodes and affects the appearance and safety, it is necessary to consider replacement. Self-exploding glass may be potentially dangerous and reduce the overall performance of the curtain wall.

5. Reduced thermal insulation performance

If the office building is overheated in the summer and too cold in the winter, and the air conditioning and heating energy consumption increases significantly, it may mean that the thermal insulation performance of the glass curtain wall has decreased, and it is necessary to evaluate whether to replace it with better-performing glass.

6. Appearance deformation

Observe whether the overall appearance of the curtain wall is obviously deformed, twisted or uneven. This may indicate that there is a problem with the structure of the curtain wall.

7. Frequent leakage problems

If the curtain wall often leaks rainwater and cannot be solved after multiple repairs, it may need to be replaced.

8. Exceeding the service life

- If the glass curtain wall has reached or exceeded its expected service life, even if there are no obvious problems at present, detailed inspection and evaluation should be carried out to determine whether it needs to be replaced.

9. Regulatory and standard requirements

   When the current building regulations and standards change and the existing glass curtain wall does not meet the new requirements, it may need to be replaced or renovated.

For example, the glass curtain wall of an office building has been in use for 20 years. The sealant has aged severely and leaks occur during the rainy season. In addition, some glass has exploded but has not been replaced in time. In this case, an overall assessment of the curtain wall is required, and large-scale replacement work may be required to ensure the normal use of the office building and the safety of personnel.