Keep your House in Good Order....
Windows
Replacement windows of one sort or another are often the first piece of "modernisation'. They can be expensive, unnecessary and damaging to the appearance and value of your house.
Why change? Let's look at the usual arguments:-
Replacement windows save on fuel bills.
Yes, if they are double glazed. But secondary glazing which is fitted behind your existing window can limit heat loss and reduce draughts at least as effectively as more expensive double-glazed replacement windows. Secondary glazing also provides better noise insulation and in creased security.
Remember, too, that only 10% of heat is lost through the glass of your windows (the rest goes through the roof, walls, floors and cracks), so loft insulation and draft excluders are likely to be better value for money than costly replacement windows.
Lop-sided Casement
NO
Wooden Sash
YES
PVC/Aluminium
NO
PVC and aluminium replacement windows seldom look right in a house built more than fifty years ago. It is almost impossible to reproduce the detail of original timber windows in plastic, in spite of the efforts of some manufacturers to do so.
Wooden windows need frequent repainting.
This is quite true but it has been shown by research that it is cheaper to paint windows every five years than to install "no maintenance" alternatives. You may not have to paint UPV or aluminium replacement windows but think of the high initial cost and ask yourself how long will they last. Most plastic, for instance, has ingredients which are weakened by sunlight, whereas most 100 year old houses have their original windows!
Old windows tend to jam and rattle.
This is probably something a craftsman can put right relatively cheaply. It is most unlikely to mean wholesale replacement. Look in the yellow pages for specialist firms who can do this economically.
Old wooden windows become rotten.
Older windows are often quite sound and, because they were made of the good timber available when the house was built, they may outlast replacements. If the rot is confined to the bottom rail or cill, they can almost always be repaired economically, particularly now that new resin-based systems exist.
Replacement Windows look smart.
This is a matter of opinion of course! But remember that more and more people, including, of course, housebuyers, are coming to appreciate the charm of "original features' such as slimmer glazing bars and traditional mouldings.
If you do have to replace the window try and match the original design and materials as possible.
A window that looks wrong can let your house down badly. A valuable "original feature' has gone and everyone knows it - including a potential buyer.