Has anyone done this themselves? I have heard that it is not that tricky but a decent guide would be handy.

Any hints or tips from anyone?

Cheers

UPVC?

Pop the beads out with a pallet knife, remove unit, take to glazing place, ask them to make another unit up just like this one.

Fit new unit (if it has K glass in it, make sure you get it the right way round), move the packers around the outside edge so it sits straight. Tap the beads back in with a rubber mallet.

If you’re confident with measuring the old unit, do that once you’ve got it out. Make sure you get the bar width too. Probably 4mm window glass both sides with 10 or 14mm bar.

Mark the beads, top bottom left right for reinstalling, sometimes there is just a little bit of difference.
Other than that as above, unless beads are outside then you’ll need to slice the security tape from inside.

Oh and make sure the packers are sitting on the edge of the glass, not in the gap, oterwise over time the seal could fail.

Oh and how old? Some units have/had a good guarantee..

Brilliant, thank you. Units are of unknown age as they were in when we bought the house.

Just have to find somewhere to make new units now.

Oh and yup, UPVC

Cheers

There are some guides on line as how to fix them if they are not gas filled. Looks a lot of hassle though.

@wrightyson how do you get to the security tape if the unit is in the way? I have some with outside beads and it looks like they just pop out. ~20 years old mind.

Security tape is on the inside between the glass and frame. Run a stanley knife around to cut it. It will however need replacing as it compresses when the glass and bead goes in.

Just did one myself. Local glazing company wanted £170 to do it.
Measured it, ordered it from K Glass (a large local manufacturer / trade place). £20 and 5 mins work for me.
That was a 1m x 55cm unit with 4mm glass.

Boblo, as above. It’s basically a double sided sticky foam. Sometimes find the hook type Stanley blades are good for doing this. When you get your glass quote ask for a roll of the tape to be chucked in with the price.

Ok, ta. Is it very likely to have the tape on older windows? IIRC, there were a few stories years ago about ne’er do wells taking out sealed units to ‘de clutter’ people’s houses. There is a bead of what looks like black sealing gasket on the inside so this could be covering the tape up.

I had one changed the other night. A unit about 1100mm x 460mm a local bloke I know who’s done a lot of work for me did it for £45. Watching how he did it I can definitely say I could do the next one myself.

It’s one of those jobs that looks daunting but a simple one once you’ve seen it done.

In my old house I used to remove the front windows in the bay for getting large furniture in as it wouldnt go through the porch and sharp turn into the front door, 10-15 min job. 🙂 I used a wallpaper scraper to pop the UPVC beads off, then a hammer a small piece of wood to pop back in