Your windows can be a bane of frustration the longer you live with them. As they age, small issues may begin to arise, most typically, problems like draughts, condensation, rotting etc.

Some of these complications are initially treatable with minor repairs but rarely do these stopgap measures prove an effective cure, causing them to evolve into more serious headaches, inciting diminished home comfort and security.

Relying on our immense bank of window-based knowledge, we’ll offer some simple fixes to everyday window dilemmas and advise when it’s best to call it quits on your existing designs and proceed to have window replacements fitted.

• Draughts and air leaks:
  Most of us have either lived in or found ourselves subject to a draughty home when visiting someone close, with the cold air worming its way in through poorly sealed or poorly installed windows.
• Condensation and Moisture:
  Inadequate ventilation and vast temperature differences are a renowned catalyst for water droplets to accumulate on or between glass panes, which in the worst cases, prompts mould and rotting.
• Sticking or Jammed Windows:
  Traditional wooden windows are bad for swelling, making it difficult to operate their design. Painted timber frames can spawn some sticking too when trying to fashion an opening or closing them.
• Broken Locks and Handles:
  When one or more of a window’s moving parts fail e.g. lock or handle, it leaves you vulnerable to intrusion, as the lax security could be pounced upon by a burglar.
• Rot, Rust, or Fading Frames:
  The finish on some types of windows, such as original wood-crafted windows, deteriorates over time, as does the material, impairing aesthetics and functionality.

Homeowners are compelled to replace their windows for any number of reasons. Draughtiness is one of the biggest motives that we get notified of as to why someone is in the market for new window openings.

For air leaks to creep their way in, it only takes the tiniest of gaps and cracks in the frames of standard window sizes, and once they accumulate inside, they negatively impact comfort levels and heating efficiency.

Low-effort fixes, such as sealing gaps with weatherstripping or foam tape or adjusting hinges, can resolve draughts for a decent timespan if well-executed, but it’s incredibly likely the problem will eventually re-emerge.

Application of tape may only have an impact for a season or two before it requires some attention. Thorough resealing can endure for longer, potentially for several years if the window frame is still largely in good shape. However, these, and separate measures like replacing gaskets and adding insulation around a frame, have their limitations if a window is dwindling in quality.

They can make a noticeable difference for a little while, but in the not-too-distant future, you will find yourself repeating the repair process. Incessant draughts point to a deep structural issue, which is best remedied by swapping your draughty old windows for energy-efficient replacement windows to herald abiding insulation and long-term comfort.

Windows feature a host of moving parts, entailing handles, locks, hinges and cranks, and once any of them break or wear out it complicates their closing mechanism and initiates a genuine security concern.

Ageing sash windows often suffer broken pulleys and ropes and in a lot of cases, are fixable without the need to undergo a full replacement.

What can also be corrected simply enough is the tightening of any loose hinges or updating a dodgy lock (get the professionals in for that!).

Assuming that a window frame and sash are undamaged, integration of a fresh new lock or hinge could see that these components don’t need replacing again for years or even decades.

The occasional bit of lubrication will invariably help to extend the life of any replacement locks or hinges and stave off rusting.

Continual parts failure or difficulties aligning hardware are figurative of a window in dire need of replacement.

Very rarely do you need to swap your windows for replacements if it’s just a broken lock or hinge that needs dealing with.

It is futile to upgrade window parts if any snag is the fault of warping or misalignment, as it won’t offer a solution. For that, you need to invest in new windows.

There are plenty of instances of perceived “broken” locks just being stiff due to the presence of dirt or dust, which lubricant will usually efficiently take care of.

Home kerb appeal is hugely spoiled when window frames degrade in appearance, whether it’s because of rotting, rusting or fading, and it has the potential to interfere with functionality.

Moisture is the kryptonite of a classic timber window, as it brings on rotting once it settles in a wooden frame, while metal windows are liable to rust, and poorly made UPVC windows tend to discolour and become brittle sooner or later.

A filler repair to deal with rotting might only do a job for a couple of years if a wooden window gets particularly wet or flexes. What you may also find is that once rot materialises in one area, it appears elsewhere too. 

When having to deal with rust, removing and repainting (so long as it’s conducted thoroughly and assuming the window isn’t in a particularly harsh climate) can halt its re-emergence for a considerable time. 

Any UV-induced fading or yellowing in a material is extremely hard, if not impossible to shift. Cleaning helps to a point, but a repaint is advocated, lasting 5-10 years before the process needs repeating.

It’s not so bad when only one small area of a window is affected by rotting, rusting or degradation, as you can purely focus on repairing that compromised section or component. 

Where it becomes a hassle is when a series of parts suffer degradation, requiring much time and effort to repair them, which is a probable scenario if your windows are quite old in age. 

You’d be far better off here to just bite the bullet and order some replacements, which will deliver style, safety and structural integrity.