Repairs
Misted double glazing repair
A misted pane means the sealed unit has failed, not the window. If the frame is straight and the hardware works, a glazier replaces the glass alone for roughly £60 to £180 per unit, against £400 to £850 for a whole new window. Replace the frame only when the frame is what has gone.
This is the repair most often turned into a replacement sale. If somebody has quoted you for new windows because a pane has misted, it is worth asking exactly what is wrong with the frames.
Indicative guide, not a quote
per repair, parts and labour
£60 – £180
These figures come from published industry price guides, not official statistics, and several of those sources are installers or comparison sites with a commercial interest. They are a starting point for a conversation, not a quote. Your installer sets the actual price after measuring.
Checkatrade double glazing cost guide · checked 2026-10-09
What has actually failed
A sealed unit is two panes bonded to a spacer bar, and that spacer contains a desiccant which absorbs the small amount of moisture sealed in at manufacture. When the perimeter seal fails, outside air gets in, the desiccant saturates, and moisture condenses between the panes where you cannot reach it.
Once that has happened the unit has lost most of its insulating value as well as its appearance, and it cannot be resealed in any lasting way. What it has not done is damage the frame, the hinges or the locks.
What the glazier actually does
The glazing beads come off, the failed unit comes out, the new one goes in on setting blocks, and the beads go back. On a standard window it is under an hour.
The replacement is made to the measured size of the old one, so there is usually a few days between the measure and the fit while the unit is manufactured.
It is also the moment to upgrade the glass at almost no extra cost: a modern unit with a low-emissivity coating, argon fill and a warm-edge spacer will outperform a twenty-year-old one noticeably.
When the frame does need to go
Replacing the glass only works when the rest of the window is sound. The frame genuinely needs replacing when:
- It has distorted, so the sash no longer closes squarely against the seals.
- The hinges or locking mechanism have failed and parts are no longer made for that system.
- Several units have failed across the house at once, which usually means the installation is at the end of its life.
- The frames are early uPVC with no low-emissivity glass anywhere, where a whole-window upgrade changes the performance rather than patching it.
Be wary of a quote for the whole house that follows an inspection of one misted pane without explaining why the frames have to go.
What it should cost
Expect roughly £60 to £180 per unit supplied and fitted for a standard size, with larger panes, toughened or laminated glass, obscure patterns and leaded or Georgian bars pushing it higher.
If the units are still inside the original guarantee, sealed unit failure is normally covered as a materials defect, so check the paperwork before paying for anything.
Misted unit replacement: common questions
- Can misted double glazing be dried out rather than replaced?
- There are services that drill, dry and reseal a unit. The gas fill has already gone and the seal is compromised, so it tends to be a short-term cosmetic fix rather than a repair.
- How long does a replacement unit take?
- The glazier measures, the unit is made to size, and it is fitted a few days later. The fitting itself is usually under an hour per window.
- Is it worth replacing just one pane?
- Yes, if the frame is sound. There is no need to replace a working window because the glass in it has failed, and the cost difference is substantial.
Other repairs
- Usually a hinge, not a door
Door lock and alignment repair
A door that needs lifting to lock has usually dropped on its hinges.
£60 – £250
per repair, guide only
- Parts, not products
Window hinge and handle repair
Stiff, dropped or draughty windows are usually hinges, handles or seals rather than the window.
£60 – £250
per repair, guide only
- Same frame, new pane
Replacement glass
Cracked, broken or inappropriate glass can be replaced in the existing frame, including toughened, laminated and obscure glass to order..
£70 – £250
per repair, guide only
TrustedGlazing does not make, supply or fit windows and doors, and the prices above are published industry guides rather than our own. We match your enquiry to one vetted local installer, who quotes and contracts with you directly.