MistedDoubleGlazingFixed,NotReplacedinPoole&Bournemouth
If your glass has gone cloudy and wiping it does nothing, the sealed unit has failed. In most cases that means new glass, not a new window. Here's why it happens and what it takes to put right.
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Does your glass look like this?
Tap an example to see it up close. If yours is not quite one of these, just call and describe it.
These are illustrative photographs, not photographs of a completed Wilshaw repair. Our own before-and-after glass photos are going up here shortly.
The same window, before and after
Our own callouts. In every pair the frame is untouched, the hinges are untouched, and only the glass has changed.
Every photograph on this page is our own work. None of it is stock.
New glass, or a new window? An honest answer
A misted unit almost never means you need a new window. Here's when swapping the glass is the right call, and the handful of cases where replacing the window genuinely makes more sense.
| New glass makes sense when | A new window is worth considering | |
|---|---|---|
| How many units have gone | One or two panes have misted on an otherwise sound window | Units are failing one after another across the whole house |
| Age and condition of the frame | The frame, seals and hardware are still in good shape | The frame is ageing, discoloured or already showing its own problems |
| What the glass costs against the window | New glass costs a fraction of a replacement window | The glass bill is creeping toward about half the cost of replacing it |
| What you get back | Clear glass again, and you keep everything that still works | A new window resets the warranty and the energy performance too |
Swipe to see every column
Which of these sounds like you?
The same honest read as the table above, by situation rather than by pane.
One or two misted panes
Prone toA pane or two has clouded over on an otherwise good window. Frame and hardware are sound.
How we treat itAlmost always just new glass into the existing frame. No reason to replace the window.
Units going one after another
Prone toSeveral units failing across the house, or an older frame starting to show its own age.
How we treat itWorth talking through honestly. Sometimes still glass, sometimes new windows make more sense.
Not sure if it's the glass
Prone toCondensation somewhere on the window, but you can't tell if it's inside the glass or on it.
How we treat itDescribe it on the call, or send a photo. Josh will tell you which it is before anyone comes out.
Not sure which is yours? Send a photo and we'll tell you straight.
Typical UK costs, not a Wilshaw price list
What replacing the glass typically costs
Misted or blown double-glazed unit
Typical £80–£180 per unit
Broken or cracked pane, replaced like for like
Typical £80–£180 per pane
A single-window callout, diagnosis plus the glass
Typical £120–£200
These are typical UK costs, not our price list. What yours comes to depends on the size of the unit, the glass spec and the frame. We'll give you the exact figure on the phone.
How a glass replacement works
No salesman, no hard sell.
Call, WhatsApp or send a photo
Describe what you can see, or send a picture, and Josh will tell you whether it is a failed unit there and then.
Looked at, where needed
Where it can't be settled on the call, Josh comes out, measures the unit and arranges a fitting time that suits you.
A straight price
You get a straight price before any work starts. No surprises when the bill arrives.
What Poole & Bournemouth customers say
Every review is real, straight from our Google profile.
5.0
Andrea Aslett
We rang Josh as we needed some exterior doors removing so an item could be set in place. Josh turned up exactly when he said he would to remove the doors and then returned 2 days later and reinstalled them perfectly so it looks as though they hadn't been moved at all. Josh and his team were friendly, efficient and did the job for the agreed sum. I would thoroughly recommend him.
ant martin
Found them on checkatrade. Josh was friendly and professional. Quoted a fair price. Came to fit on day promised. I will Def keep his no. As I'm sure more panes will blow
Cailey Hart
Josh and his team have always provided a fantastic service, consistently and efficiently managing repairs and replacements to our rental property portfolio to a high standard.
The bits people worry about before they call
Will you just replace the glass, or try to sell me a new window?
Glass replacement is a service we keep available, not a foot in the door. If new glass is what it needs, that's what you get.
Is this going to be a big, disruptive job?
Usually not. A misted unit is swapped out of the existing frame, so the window itself is left alone.
What if the condensation turns out not to be a failed unit?
Then we'll say so and you won't be charged for glass you don't need. Two of the three kinds of condensation aren't a fault at all.
Why double glazing mists up, and what fixes it
The three kinds of condensation people ring about, and which one is actually a fault.
Mist or droplets BETWEEN the two panes, which will not wipe off
What it actually isThe edge seal around the sealed unit has failed and let damp air in. The desiccant inside the spacer bar has soaked up all it can, so moisture now condenses on the inside faces of the glass.
What it needsThe sealed unit is replaced. The frame, the hinges and the rest of the window stay exactly as they are.
Condensation on the INSIDE face of the glass, in the room
What it actually isNot a fault. Warm, damp air in the room meeting cold glass — cooking, drying washing indoors, or not enough ventilation.
What it needsVentilation and trickle vents, not new glass. Worth saying out loud, because it gets sold as a failed unit.
Condensation on the OUTSIDE face of the glass, first thing on a cold morning
What it actually isAlso not a fault, and usually a good sign: the glass is keeping so much heat inside that the outer pane goes cold enough for dew to form on it.
What it needsNothing to fix. It clears as the sun comes up.
Only the first one is a failed unit. If you're not sure which yours is, send a photo and we'll tell you straight.
The small jobs too
Why people call us for the small jobs too
Josh answers the phone himself, no call centre in between. We're fully insured and established locally, and glass replacement is a service we keep available rather than push. Send a photo of the window and you'll get a straight read on whether it needs new glass at all.
- Josh answers personally
- Fully insured, established locally
- A straight answer on whether it even needs doing
Why has my double glazing got mist inside it?
The sealed unit has failed. Two panes of glass are bonded to a spacer bar with a seal around the edge, and that spacer holds a desiccant that mops up the small amount of moisture sealed in at the factory. Once the edge seal goes, damp air gets in continuously, the desiccant saturates, and moisture starts condensing on the inside faces of the glass. That's the cloudy film or the tide mark you can see and can't wipe off.
Can a misted unit be fixed without replacing the whole window?
Yes, where the frame is sound. The sealed unit is swapped out of the existing frame on its own, usually within a couple of hours, and the frame, hinges and handles are all left as they are.
Can you dry out a misted unit instead of replacing the glass?
You'll see drilling-and-drying services advertised. We don't offer it, because it doesn't restore the failed seal or the gas fill, and the misting commonly comes back. A new unit is the fix that lasts.
How much does it cost to replace a misted unit?
Typically £80 to £180 per unit, depending on the size of the pane, the glass spec and the frame. See the cost section above, and call for the exact figure on your own window.
The condensation is on the inside of the room, not in the glass. Is that the same thing?
No, and it's worth knowing the difference. Condensation you can wipe off the room side is warm damp air meeting cold glass, which is a ventilation issue rather than a fault. Condensation on the outside face on a cold morning is a sign the glazing is working well. Only moisture sealed BETWEEN the panes is a failed unit.
Is it worth replacing the glass in 25-year-old double glazing?
Often, yes, if it's one or two units on a sound frame. See the new-glass-or-new-window section above for when replacing the window makes more sense instead.
Where we replace misted glass
Poole, Bournemouth and the towns around them.
Got a window that has misted up?
Call Josh now, or send a photo, and get a straight answer. No hard sell.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a price. No pressure, no hard sell.
Prefer to talk, or email? Call Wilshaw Glazing on 01202 156 611 or email Josh.Critchley@wilshawgroup.com