Signs Your Windows Need Replacing

Plenty of windows get replaced years before they need to be, and plenty get patched long after the frame has gone. Working out which one you have is a ten minute check.

Run through the list below and note which faults are frame problems and which are only hardware or glass.

Signs the frame itself has failed

• Soft or crumbling timber at the bottom corners of the sash or cill
• uPVC that has cracked, bowed or split at welded corners
• Frames that no longer sit square, so the sash catches on one corner
• Water reaching the inside of the reveal in driving rain
• Rotten or missing timber sub frame behind the window

Signs it is only the glass

Misting between the panes means the sealed unit has failed, not the frame. On a sound frame the unit can be swapped, which is far cheaper than a new window.

Chips, scratches and single glazing in an otherwise good frame are also unit level problems.

Signs it is only the hardware

• The handle turns but the sash does not pull in tight
• The window drops or scrapes when opened, which is usually hinges
• Draughts along one edge, which is usually a perished gasket
• Locks that stiffen in cold weather, which is usually adjustment

The colour problem, which is not a fault at all

Faded, chalky or dated brown and white uPVC is a finish problem on frames that are often mechanically fine. On site spraying resolves it with a durable two pack coating and a ten year guarantee, at a fraction of replacement cost.

Questions people ask