The short answer
Usually, yes. A sealed glass unit is a made-to-measure item, so it does not depend on the skylight still being in production. We measure the rebate and build a matching unit. Where the frame has no future, because it is corroded, bowed or has no spare parts for its hinges, we say so plainly and quote a whole new rooflight.
Why an old name on the frame does not stop a new unit
The brand that made your skylight may have closed, merged or dropped the model. The glass inside it is a separate matter.
A sealed unit is two or three panes, a spacer bar and a perimeter seal, assembled to a size. Glass processors build them to order for every kind of frame. They do not need the manufacturer’s part number. They need the exact outer dimensions, the thickness the frame can take, the shape of the edge and the glass makeup you want. That is why a unit for a rooflight fitted decades ago can often still be made today.
What changes is that nobody can post you a stock part. The unit has to be measured on site and ordered as a one-off. Our page on how a failed rooflight is measured for its replacement describes what we take, including the small differences in glass thickness that decide whether the new unit seats properly. The wait depends on the glass, and replacement unit lead times explains it.
Three situations, and what each one leads to
Discontinued frames fall into three groups. The survey tells us which one yours is.
- The frame is sound and the glass has failed. Aluminium or timber that is straight, dry and firm can take a new unit. We order a made-to-measure one, often with a better glass build than the original.
- The frame is sound, but it has moving parts we cannot match. A hinge, stay, handle or motor from a dead range may have no replacement. The glass can be renewed, and the sash may then stay closed. If opening matters, a new opening rooflight is the better answer.
- The frame has reached the end of its life. Corrosion, warping, cracked corners or a rotten timber kerb mean there is nothing reliable to hold the new glass. A whole new rooflight is the sound choice.
The third case is the one people would rather not hear, and it is the one we state openly. Fitting a fresh unit into a frame that is already failing only moves the problem along by a few seasons. Our page on when the frame has failed too covers the signs we look for.
What the choice looks like in practice
Put side by side, the two routes differ in cost, disruption and what you end up with.
| Route | Best when | You get |
|---|---|---|
| New glass unit | Frame is sound | Fresh glazing |
| New rooflight | Frame is failing | Whole new product |
A new unit in an old frame usually costs less and disturbs the room less, since the frame and the roof dressing stay put. A whole new rooflight costs more, takes a little longer, and gives a clean start: new frame, new glass, new seals, the current thermal standard and the option to change the size or add an opening sash. Our costs guide explains what moves the figure either way, and the page on replacing the glass unit or the whole rooflight explains how the decision is weighed.
Whichever route is taken, the new glazing meets current expectations, not the ones in force when the skylight was first fitted. That usually means a low-emissivity coating, a warm-edge spacer and a laminated inner pane overhead. Older units were built to a lower standard, and a replacement is the chance to catch up. The laminated inner is covered in our answer on laminated glass for a failed unit.
Particular products and particular roofs
Some discontinued rooflights are simple, and some carry quirks.
A 1960s or 1970s aluminium rooflight in a New Town flat roof extension is usually a straightforward rebate and a straightforward unit. A timber roof window from a brand that no longer trades can be trickier, because the glazing bead, the ventilation slot and the flashing kit may all be unique to it. For roof windows of a well-known make, the choice is often between a new pane and a new window, and our page on misted VELUX windows explains how that decision is made. Older polycarbonate domes have a page of their own, failed dome rooflights.
Photographs help. A few clear pictures of the frame, any label or stamp on the edge, and the inside face of the unit let us form a view before we visit. Labels are not essential, but a date stamp in the spacer can tell us roughly when the unit was made.
Questions about skylights that are no longer made
Can the manufacturer supply a unit?
Where the brand still exists, sometimes. Where it does not, a made-to-measure unit from a glass processor does the same job. We handle the ordering and the fitting either way.
Will the new unit match the old look?
The glazing will look clear and modern. The frame stays as it was, so the outline is unchanged. If the frame is being replaced as well, we agree the new profile with you first.
Do I need Building Control involved?
Replacement glazing in a rooflight can be notifiable. Where it is, we handle the notification and install to current Building Regulations.
What if I cannot tell who made my skylight?
That is common, and it makes no difference to the glass. We measure what is there. See what a blown double glazed unit means for how we confirm the unit has failed.
If your rooflight is an old model, get a quote and send a photo. The wider service is described on our misted and failed rooflight replacement page.