The nine signs and what each means
Take them individually first. Several of these have cheap fixes and it is worth knowing which, because an installer who calls every one of them a replacement is not diagnosing.
| Sign | What it usually means | Repair or replace |
|---|---|---|
| Draught you can feel | Perished gasket or dropped sash | Often repair |
| Misting between the panes | Failed sealed unit | Glass, sometimes window |
| Handle needs forcing | Worn gearbox or misalignment | Often repair |
| Black mould at the reveal | Cold bridging and poor ventilation | Usually replace |
| Rattling in wind | Worn keeps or loose hinges | Often repair |
| Chalky, brittle white frames | Ultraviolet degradation of the profile | Replace |
| Rot in a timber frame | Water ingress at the joint or sill | Assess, often replace |
| Room never holds heat | Poor glass and air leakage combined | Replace |
| Cannot open in an emergency | Painted shut or seized hardware | Replace or urgent repair |
When several signs point the same way
One sign is a job. Three or four at once on a frame past twenty years is a replacement, because you would be paying for hardware, gaskets and glass separately on a profile that is already degrading.
The clearest single indicator is mould at the reveal alongside a draught. That combination means the frame is both leaking air and cold bridging, and no amount of hardware adjustment addresses it.
What we do at survey
We check the frame for square, test every handle and hinge, look at the gaskets, check the drainage slots and, where there is a draught, run a smoke pencil around the sash so you can see exactly where the air is coming in.
Then we tell you what needs doing rather than what we would like to sell. Repairs are quoted as repairs. We are family run with over 40 years behind us and we would rather have the next job than the biggest invoice today.
Get a straight diagnosis
We will tell you which of your windows need replacing and which need an afternoon of hardware work.