I have draughty wooden frame sash windows. What should I do?

There are lots of homes across the UK with draughty wooden sash windows, and we often get asked the best way to make them more energy efficient.

• Should you just draught proof or go through a full restoration process?
• Should you switch to standard double-glazing?
• What kind of sash double-glazing is available?

In this blog we take a look at your options and help you find out what is best for your property – beginning with the cheapest options first:

Draught proofing your sash windows

Draught proofing is something you can get done professionally whilst refurbishing the windows, or as a separate service, and it is also covered under the Green Deal. Draught proofing is the most cost-effective way of improving the efficiency of your windows, and is particularly effective on sash windows, as they are more prone to draughts than standard windows. It essentially involves creating an air tight seal around the frame of each of the sliding windows in the sash frame.

Draught proofing your windows can save you around £50 a year, so it is definitely worth considering. You can get a professional to draught proof your home, and this will cost between £200-400, but you can also DIY it if you feel up to the task, at a fraction of this cost. You can find out more about draught proofing sash windows here, and buy window draught proofing here.

Installing curtains and blinds

Thick curtains are also often overlooked as a means to help reduce heat loss from windows. If you have a pair of existing curtains on the sash window, see if you can install thermal curtain lining to the back of them to improve their thermal efficiency.

If you have no curtains at all, consider installing them since during the winter a thick pair of curtains can really help stop cold draughts.

The advantage of this option is that if you’re adept at DIY around the house you should be able to install the railing and curtains yourself. The disadvantage is that not everyone likes the sight of curtains and they may block some useful light, making the place look gloomier than it should do.

Is triple glazing worth it?

Read more

Installing secondary glazing to sash windows

There are two types of secondary glazing available on the market place today – fixed permanent glazing and temporary secondary glazing.

Fixed secondary glazing normally has panels that slide over one another, but cannot be removed from the window frame. Once frowned upon as a cheap, ugly addition to a home, modern secondary glazing can actually look fairly stylish, and vastly improve the thermal performance of the window.

Both secondary glazing options are significantly cheaper than new double glazing, and they allow you to keep the period features intact, since your home will look identical from the outside.

Permanent secondary glazing is also covered under the green deal, and you could be looking at a bill of around £300 per window compared to the cost of new double glazed sash at well over £1,300 per window. Temporary secondary glazing is cheaper than permanent secondary glazing too, with a typical install cost of around £110 per square meter.

Refurbishing sash windows

Sash windows are designed to be refurbished regularly, every decade or so. Over time, the frame and glass will become loose in the sash box, as a result of the movements of the house along with the expansion and contraction of the wood – this means that gaps for draughts are more likely to develop over the years. In addition, since most older sash windows are made from wood, they are more likely to rot over time, so regular painting is essential to help prevent this.

Refurbishing will of course cost far less (approximately £200 a window) than new windows, and could give your windows a new lease of life. The refurbishing process involves being dismantled, eased, adjusted, re-aligned, re-corded and re-assembled, and having a brush pile draught sealing system installed. As well as improving the efficiency of the windows it will also make them smoother to open and help cut out draughts. It is an ideal time to get professional draught proofing installed as well.

A typical cost for this service is around £200 per window, so it is not dirt cheap, but significantly less expensive than new windows! Sometimes it can save you just as much as new windows as well.

Double glazing sash windows

Replacing your sash windows with double glazing sash units is the last option and the most expensive.

To give you an idea of cost, wooden sash windows can cost around £1,300 each, whilst uPVC tend to be cheaper at about £700 per window. Sash double glazing windows are still much more expensive than getting traditional double glazing, which works out at about £300 per window on average.

As we have mentioned elsewhere, it is never cost-effective in terms of energy efficiency to switch to double glazing, even on an older property with large sash windows. The energy savings by replacing single glazed windows with double glazed are nowhere near as substantial as many window companies claim. Having said that, new windows can absolutely improve the appearance of the property and also make rooms feel far more comfortable in terms of temperature, so it is still something we would recommend if funds are available.

uPVC sash windows

uPVC sash windows are now available, and they are about a third cheaper than wooden sash equivalents. The advantage of uPVC of course is that less maintenance is required, and they generally come with lengthy guarantees, but their lifespan is likely to be less than well-maintained wooden sash windows. Unfortunately, uPVC also have the potential to devalue a period property, as people prefer the original wooden windows aesthetically.

Can I get a Government subsidy to cover sash window replacement ?

There are no national grants as such for new windows, but one option for those still keen on new double glazing is to speak to your local council’s domestic property services. Some councils have offered grants in the past for windows, so it is always worth a try.

Sash windows don’t have to be hard work!

As you can see, you don’t need to fret if you have sash windows; there are plenty of options available to you, with a range of costs. Think hard before completely changing your windows, as this is likely to be the most expensive option.

Installing new windows

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If you would like us to find you a local installer, just fill in the form below and we will be in touch shortly!

As soon as the temperature begins to drop outside and we start firing up our central heating systems, it is quite common to witness condensation appearing on windows throughout the home.

Many of us blame the “shoddy” windows and immediately think that replacing them is the only option, however this is certainly not the most cost effective approach to take.

Why does Condensation form on windows?

The reason condensation forms on the windows is pretty simple – basically the warm moist air circulating in the home comes into contact with cold windows and then the water condenses.

This can be particularly prevalent in bedrooms for example where you might have a couple of people breathing all night in an enclosed space, but other causes of condensation include showering, bathing, cooking and drying clothes.

Is Condensation on windows a problem?

On the whole, condensation isn’t really a problem – except that it is rather unsightly.

However prolonged condensation can lead to mould forming, which obviously is an issue, since it can cause health problems and damage furnishings. In addition, if water is in constant contact with timber elements of the property, such as the wooden frames around some windows, then the wood may begin to decay, which will be very costly to replace in the long run. Prolonged excess moisture also reduces the effectiveness of insulating materials, which means that you will be paying more for your heating costs.

A few solutions to combat condensation

Firstly you can replace all the windows – however this is the most costly solution. Retrofitting all your existing glazing with new double-glazed windows may set you back a whopping £20 to £30k (depending on the size of property and the number of windows). Most people don’t have that kind of money at hand.

You can leave the windows open – this ensures that the air can circulate and escape the home. The issue is that if it is zero degrees outside, why would you want to keep all your windows open?!

A dehumidifier can also stop condensation – this works by removing the excess moisture from the air – these are costly to buy however and also you need to pay to keep them running. Since they work relatively slowly you are going to need to keep these on pretty much constantly, and there is the constant emptying of the water out of the dehumidifying unit.

So, is there a better and more cost effective solution?

Ecoease secondary glazing – the cheaper alternative to double glazing.

Ecoease secondary glazing is a neat way you can reduce the window condensation problem as it easy to install and will hopefully not stretch your budget too much. Also the product will ensure your rooms are more energy efficient by increasing the heat retention so you feel warmer and cosier.

So how exactly does Ecoease stop condensation forming – read on to find out!

How does Ecoease stop condensation on windows?

The secondary glazing panel is made out of a UV stabilising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet and high performance plastics. The panel, which is positioned inside of your existing window, will prevent the warm moist air inside the room meeting the cold glass surface, stopping condensation in its tracks!

Don’t worry – the Ecoease secondary glazing is fully transparent and will not leave you in the shade when you put it on your windows. It sticks to neatly disguised magnetic strips, which you place on the edge of your window frames. You then simply position the Ecoease panels on top of it and then they should stick together like glue. The panels are easy to take off, so if the weather suddenly warms up and you want to open the window, you can simply remove the Ecoease panel and replace it again when it gets cold.

Additional benefits of Ecoease secondary glazing

The Ecoease secondary glazing panels also has great acoustic insulating properties, which should help muffle out some of the street noise. The product can also be made to measure to your windows, so you literarily require zero DIY skills to put it in place.

Final Tip – Reduce the overall humidity in the home!

There are simple ways to limit the amount of moisture in the air, which will in turn help limit the condensation issue.

• Don’t dry wet towels (after showering or bathing) on radiators.
• Take cooler showers / baths
• Cook with lids on your pans
• Use exhaust fans (if possible) while cooking
• Plants produce a lot of moisture, so think about moving them from the house to the greenhouse
• And finally my personal favourite (although unproven!) – leave a bowl of dry rice by the window (I would definitely advise trying the other tips first!)

So there you have it – our comprehensive guide to reducing the build up of condensation on windows in the home.

If you do find you get condensation on the walls and there is mould present – it suggests that your property struggles with ventilation. If this is the case, we suggest you get professional surveyor to give you some advice.