Does anyone have any experience of replacing double glazed windows where the seal has gone? I have been told that it should be possible to just replace that particular unit. Also, can anyone offer any advice on how much I would expect to pay for a window which is approx. 5ft by 2ft 6ins? Thanks in advance for any help.
The sealed unit itself will be £50-£100. Replacement will depend on how easy it is to remove the beading. Do you know if the beading is internal or external?
that price the guy came to measure up, had the sealed unit manufactured and came back to fit it.
It looks to be internal (assuming I am looking at the right thing). Do you know how the whole thing works, does someone come out and measure the window unit or do you have to do that yourself and pass on your requirements?
Thanks for the price estimate. The window I need to replace has no leading or anything and is just plain glass.
If it's one of many fitted at the same time, the others won't be long in failing too. So it might be worth getting a quote for replacing all the panels at once.
If you find a nice, friendly local DG company, I'm sure they would come and measure up for you. I'm sure they'd replace it for you too for a modest fee.
Avoid the nationals at all cost ;-)
There are various options depending on how much you want to pay. The cheapest option is to measure the unit itself and order direct from a sealed unit supplier (i.e. where the DG companies go to buy their glass).
How you go about getting access to the existing unit will depend on the type of winodow and how it is made. What sort of frame is it, wood, uPVC etc?
Many thanks for the info, I was wondering how the whole thing worked and whether someone came out to measure up. Did you use a double glazing company ?
years installing double glazing. If you live in the Sunderland area I'll gladly give you his tel no. If you have to look in yellow pages try and avoid national "Window Doctors" as they tend to be more expensive. Also would be worth asking friends and neighbours to see if they know anyone - it's a fairly common problem. By the way sealed units are usually guaranteed for ten years - worth checking if yours is still in warranty?
All good advice Alex. I might add that when I installed some units in new frames recently, the glazing beads were mitred at the corners such that you needed to bend the bead so as to insert the corners first, and then work your way toward the centre walloping the bead into position. This was easy enough on the bigger windows but required a supprising amount of effort on a small fanlight window since the glazing beads were so short and hence not that flexible!
I've an idea someone once posted about repairing these. Matthew Marks? Anyone keep the info?
THAT hard to change yourself.
Just so you know, even if you get someone to do it, this is (usually) how it works:
Alex
I should add this only applies to upvc windows, not wooden double glazed units etc. Well most of it does, just not the glazing beads.
Alex
It's uPVC. I suppose the only drawback with measuring it myself is if for whatever reason I'm not 100% accurate and I've really no experience with this kind of thing.
Thanks for the detailed info on how to replace the unit, very helpful. However, I'm not sure whether I would have the confidence to do it myself as I've never done anything like this before and it's the window to the main bedroom at the front of the house. I'll see what kind of rough quotes I can get and then have a think about it :)
Once you have the unit out of the frame it is easy to measure accurately. Note also that you do not need to be spot on - the depth of the rebate in the frame that the glass sits in, will allow for a variation of several mm either way. Also you typically do not get glass that is a snug fir for the frame, it is normally 5mm or so under size - as you will see when you take the beads off the frame, there are usually spacers inserted round the edge of the sealed unit to poistion it roughly in the middle of the frame.
No problem, at least if you get someone in you'll have a rough idea of what they are doing. I should add that a 5ft x 2ft sealed unit will be quite heavy, and a bump on an unprotected corner of glass can crack the unit easily - so be careful!
Good luck
Alex
OK, that's decided it, I'll get someone to do it ! :-)
My sister lives in the Sunderland area but I'm down in Sale in Cheshire. I think I'll take a look in the Thomson Local for a small local firm and see what they quote. I'm pretty sure the window is more than 10 years old.
Indeed, I forgot to mention how the beads do not usually fit 'straight on' but will angle back against the window when clicked in. Hence, it's impossible to simply slot a glazing bead into place (even though it's the correct length) when one has been installed on an adjacent face of the frame.
On a small opener, its sometimes necessary to actually bend the bead before installation with your hands, so that it retains it's bent shape. Only then will you be able to fit it in (unless you are Hercules or similar - and have
3 hands).Alex
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.