Sometimes is just not a viable option to repair some double-glazing faults, broken windows, doors etc.

It is a sad fact that certain types of repairs are just not economical. The list below is not a complete list but it’s a cross section of some of the situations that crop up.

Failed Sealed Units
This not really a true uneconomical repair as frankly there really is no option but to replace, whenever a sealed unit breaks down / fails / gets condensation in it. We just mention it here as homeowners often think double glazed units are repairable. However just because the double glazed units gets condensation inside it does not mean that the whole window, including frame needs replacing. In most cases a competent double glazing service engineer will be able to replace the units only which in relative terms is a fairly economic “replacement repair”

Faulty Patio Doors
Quite often when the locking mechanism or running gear on a patio door fails, its not longer possible to get replacement parts. This is especially so when doors are more than 10 years old. In particular the operating / running gear on a type of PVCU patio Door called “Tilt / Slide Patio Doors” can be difficult to locate. Sometimes the running gear for this style of patio door has to be specially imported from abroad, where this type of patio door is more common. As an example if all the gearing has to be repaired we have heard of repairs costing as much as £600. A new patio door will cost more but in many instances people would prefer to put the money to a new door than repair an existing.

Leaky Conservatory Roofs
Some conservatories roofs, especially of the DIY variety and when badly fitted, are only really fixable with complete replacement. Unfortunately there are not many companies who will replace a roof only and if they do, the costs can be quite high when compared to the cost of building a completely new conservatory. Sometimes people will wish to swap from having polycarbonate in the roof to glass in the roof. In this case – because the glass will be so much heavier than polycarbonate and there could be structural issues it’s usually best to build from scratch again.

Broken or Failed Toughened Glass Sealed Units
This is a similar scenario to “Patio Doors” above. For example very old aluminium patio doors with what in the trade is called “wrap round glazing” can be very difficult to fit new sealed units into. New toughened glass units alone could be £400 - £500 (much more than the original cost of the patio door all those years ago) and by the time labour is added it would be a far better idea to fit a completely new door.

As a generalisation, we would suggest that if the cost of repair represents 40 – 50% of the cost of new replacement it may well be worth considering replacing instead. The benefits on completely new, guaranteed, modern window and door would for many people make up for the additional cost.

If you feel your repair maybe uneconomical and would like to request a brochure on new windows or doors, click on the Brochure Request link below.