Gavin Mansfield Limited

Use the "Get Free Quotes" form on this page. Your job details go to FENSA or Certass registered installers covering the SG postcode area, who contact you directly. Stevenage has 34 registered window and glazing businesses in this directory, though the installers who quote are not necessarily among them. It is free and there is no obligation.

Not much, but not none. Wipe the frames a few times a year, lubricate hinges and locks annually, and keep the drainage channels along the bottom of the frame clear so water can't pool and find its way inside. There is no statutory annual service like a boiler needs.

Repair makes sense for a failed seal (misted double glazing), a worn handle or hinge, or a damaged lock on an otherwise sound frame — usually a straightforward swap. Replacement is the better value once frames are warped, draughty, rotten (on timber) or past roughly 20 to 25 years old, or when several units across the house have failed. Ask the installer to price both where it's borderline.

uPVC frames typically carry a 10 year manufacturer or insurance-backed guarantee, and sealed glazed units are usually guaranteed separately for 5 to 10 years against misting. Register the guarantee after installation and keep the FENSA or Certass certificate — a buyer's solicitor will ask for it if you sell the property.