Archive for the ‘windows’ Category

UPVC Windows, the Right Choice

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

UPVC is the number one choice and the perfect material for making windows. The sustainable materials are extremely versatile and can be used in window frame designs to suit any building from traditional-style, modern architecture and low-energy consuming homes.

It is a good idea to think of replacing your windows for UPVC to save money and conserve energy. The materials used by specialists Double Glazing on the Web can be recycled up to ten times over and there are more A energy rated UPVC windows than any other framing material. In this time of financial unstability the choice to use UPVC in your windows is the right one as you will benefit not only from it being very affordable but the smart, robust appearance, low maintainence and long life.

Double Glazing on the Web specialises in replacement UPVC windows and years of experience in the industry will guarante that you will receive the best price, the highest quality and a rapid installation from the professional team. Further information about UPVC windows can be found on the website or call your nearest showroom.

Replacement Windows: Double Glazing on the Web

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Need some help with replacement windows? Double Glazing on the Web specialises in replacement UPVC windows. Double Glazing on the Web’s commitment to Speed, Quality, Price means no intrusive salesman, savings passed direct to our customers and a fast and efficient installation process carried out by trusted and experienced fitters.

Whether you are looking for replacement windows for your entire property or just a one-off project, Double Glazing on the Web can help. Specialising in high quality, cost effective UPVC replacement windows, years of experience within the glazing industry means that we can offer the best possible service for the best possible price. Visit our website or call into one of our showrooms to find out more about replacement windows.

Replacing Windows and Doors: FENSA

Friday, March 12th, 2010

It is the responsibility of home owner when replacing window or doors on their property, to ensure that works are carried out in line with current government Building Regulations.

If the works are undertaken privately or by an installer who is not FENSA registered, then an application under Building Regulations will need to be made to the your local authority. A representative will then be sent to the property to inspect the installation and if standards are met, the local authority will issue the home owner with a certificate for their HIP (Home Improvement Pack).

There can often be charges associated with this process. Saving this money and inconvenience are the main reasons people prefer to use a FENSA registered company when replacing windows and doors.

Because of the strict regulations and regular inspections imposed by FENSA, home owners can be sure that the installer is regulated, reputable and completely compliant with national Building Regulations.

Being FENSA registered enables installers to self-certify the replacement of windows and doors without the involvement of local authorities. The registered company then issues the home owner with the relevant HIP certification on receipt of payment.

A-Rated Windows: The right way to go?

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

Are A-rated double glazed windows really the way to go, or are double glazing retailers simply taking advantage of our childhood conditioning? Surely A is always better than C because it comes earlier in the alphabet…?

Funny, but when you stop and think about it, choosing double glazing isn’t an exam. Mine is not necessary better than yours because it ‘scores’ higher. Well perhaps on paper it means something and if the letter A is very important to you, then A-rated windows are most certainly out there to buy.

Personally however, there is more to my purchasing decision than the boxes a product ticks on an industry checklist – I have to weigh that against the other crucial list in my life: my bank balance.

Browsing through statistics I came across an interesting set of figures. Money saved through installing new energy efficient, A-rated double glazed windows, on your average 3-bed semi, over 20years is roughly – wait for it… £8,300.00 Wow – impressive! BUT the savings on the same property, over the same 20 years, with C-rated double glazed windows is £7,700.00.

If I’ve got this right, and believe me I’m no mathematician, that’s a saving difference, over a 20 year period, of just £30 a year, approximately £600 in total. Given that I’m unlikely to be staying in my property for the full 20 years, probably more like five, if the cost to upgrade from A to C is more than £150 total, than I’m afraid my bank balance wins out and I’d go for C over A any day!

Councils install Double Glazing

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

The benefits of double glazing are being drummed home by government into our local councils. Hundreds of thousands of pounds have already been spent upgrading windows and doors in council houses and in some cases councils are even being threatened with reduced budgets if their housing standards do not comply with government expectations.

Carbon emissions have now become priority to our UK government and the buck literally will be stopping in some cases. Wasteful Councils should prepare to be named and shamed under the new Carbon Trading Scheme. Among the plans to reduce emissions is double glazing; the insulation properties of double glazing can reduce energy use enormously. New windows and doors also provide better security for occupants, and reduce noise pollution.

Our government and local councils are striving to make a difference and double glazing is helping in that fight! Reduced energy consumption indoors due to improved insulation from your windows and doors is helping to conserve the environment. Keep up the good work folks!

Windows: Equals Transparency?

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Well you’d certainly hope so.  Double Glazing on the Web believes in complete transparency of service, therefore we make no bones about what our service includes right from the outset and we’ll even clear up for free!  When you decide to invest in new windows for your home, we believe strongly that there should be no grey areas when questioning ‘what do I get?’ 

Our quoted prices include everything; costed exactly and openly so you no can not only see what you are paying for, but remain in control and with plenty of choice.  DGOTW execute the work from start to finish: from carrying out the initial survey work through to wiping clean the cills after your beautiful new windows have been installed.  We even dispose of your old windows.

Don’t play the guessing game where double glazing is concerned; make an informed decision with DGOTW.  Transparent and upfront, we are compliant with all current FENSA and Local Authority Building Control standards; you’ll even get a certificate when the job is complete.

UPVC Colour and Quality

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Did you know that the quality of the UPCV used on your double glazed windows and doors, not only has a direct effect on their life span, but also their colour retention? Clearly all UPVC gets dirty and a quick wipe over with washing up liquid can work wonders in the short term. However, if you want your UPVC to continue being sparkly and white, it’s worth investing in high grade materials during installation.

UPVC or Unplasticised Poly Vinyl Chloride, comes in many different grades and colours. Seen under a microscope, high quality grades, which have the greatest resistance to fading and sun damage, are far smoother than poorer, more porous compounds.

HIPs and FENSA Registration

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Did you know that when you have your windows fitted by a FENSA registered installer, you will receive a certificate from your local council which goes in your properties HIP?

The government introduced the HIP Home Information Pack, to aid home buyers as part of the 2004 Housing Act. Essentially a set of documents concerning the property, they contain an energy performance certificate, details of local authority searches, title documents, guarantees etc. They became mandatory for homes with four or more bedrooms from 1 August 2007 and were extended to three-bedroom properties from 10 September 2007.

Professionally installed double glazing has a significant impact on your homes carbon footprint. So much so that local councils feel the need to document the quality of your double glazing and more importantly, the fact that your new windows were installed by FENSA a registered company.

The bottom-line is that if you are investing in new windows or any double glazing upgrade, then it is well worth sourcing a reputable double glazing firm. Check that they trade in high quality raw products i.e. uPVC and toughened glass and that they are FENSA registered with an experienced team of fitters.

Double Glazed Windows and the Time of Year

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

With the big freeze still bearing down upon us, for many without double glazed windows it can’t help to learn that up to 50% of the heat in our homes is lost through our windows and that’s while the windows are closed! This equates roughly to £135 per year for an average household, or for the environmentally conscious, that’s around 720kg of CO2.

It’s no wonder then that as the cold weather continues, across the country there has been a noticeable increase in double glazing enquiries for new double glazed windows. Similarly there’s been a dramatic rise in interest in new boilers…strange that. The trouble is that doubled glazed windows, just like boilers and water tanks, don’t rate highly on many of our ‘things we would like’ lists – it’s not until they shoot to the top of the ‘things I really must get’ list that we actually do something about it.

It’s a shame because although few people start to shop around for boilers or double glazing in August when the weather’s nice, that’s likely to be the time when the best bargains are to be found. Leave it till the heating’s broken or your energy bills are the equivalent to burning £5 notes for warmth and it’s guaranteed that every engineer and double glazing fitter in the country will be rushed off their feet!

snow

Ethical Double Glazing

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Stephen Waddington, managing director of Speed, a London-based multi-sector PR firm, writes some great pieces for an environmental site called Greenbang. He and his family are attempting to renovate a 300-year farmhouse whilst maintaining their eco principals.

Currently he’s come up against the complex absurdities that can permeate English Heritage, in particular in regards to windows and ethical double glazing. He puts his point across so well I thought it was worth sharing…

“I’ve done the sums. Unplugging the TV at night or using eco-light bulbs doesn’t make a blind bit difference when more than 30 per cent of the energy used to heat a house is disappearing though the windows.

Both solar panels and double glazing are dismissed on grounds of authenticity. Solar I can understand, but the argument that sympathetic double glazing would change the character of the building is beyond me, especially with the quality of craftsmanship available in the UK. But, according to preservationists historical detail must be the top priority where a historic building is concerned.

A study by management consultants McKinsey more than 18 months ago found that emissions from buildings generate two-thirds of London’s CO2 and that the greatest reduction could be achieved through improved insulation. Domestic insulation makes both economic and environmental sense.”

I couldn’t find a better recommendation for the benefits of double glazing if I tried. Luckily (or not, as the case may be), the majority of us do not live in listed buildings, leaving us free to reap all the rewards, environmental and financial, that good insulation can offer.