Don’t rip out your old windows – REPAIR them instead!

Read on to understand why putting double-glazing into a period property is a massive mistake.

(1) Beauty -

Double-glazed windows are ugly compared with Victorian glass and thin original wooden joinery.  PVC plastic windows are a total eyesore.  Even double-glazed wood replacements are inferior as they involve black rubber seals and thicker joinery to carry heavy modern tinted glass that restricts light coming into your house.  The modern option is a far cry from the beauty of the elegant original windows made by the local craftsmen of the past.
 

(2)  Double-glazing costs huge sums of money -

Houses with double glazing are less attractive to home buyers  – your selling price drops by £10,000 to £20,000.  The double glazing may save you 6 pounds per window in annual heating bills (source: Energy Saving Trust), but they cost at least  £ 600 each, so they would need to last 100 years to pay for themselves.  In fact double-glazed units deteriorate quickly, with rubber seals failing and plastic yellowing, so most double-glazed units are replaced every ten years.  (source: Waste Resources Action Programme)

(3)  Think of the environment -

Some naïve “environmentalists” claim double-glazing is good for the environment because it cuts fuel bills and therefore carbon emissions.  In fact, this is wrong.  Large amounts of energy are used up making double-glazing, disposing of it and then remaking it every 10-20 years.  Repairing existing windows is the only environmentally sound option.

Draughts are good for health, but if your house is simply too draughty, then secondary glazing is a good option (which can be removed in summer), as are discrete draught proofing systems.

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