The Heat Saving Window

There is an incredible amount of heat lost through windows in the UK each year. The problem lies with poorly fitted windows and glass that just is not good at keeping the heat in the home. The price of the new styles of energy efficient windows has dropped significantly and is now more affordable to the public. London Glaziers use all energy saving glass.

Energy Efficient Windows:
This style of window is made from two single glass sheets that have a gap in between of around 16mm. This is an air gap that will provide the insulation that does not allow any heat to escaping through it. In some styles this gap could also be gas filled. This is called a ‘double glazed’ window, however, there can also be three sheets in thickness or better known as ‘triple glazed’. There is some doubt however as to whether the 3 sheets are better at insulating than the two. These windows also have frames made of different materials which also vary because of the level of sunshine that the window will allow through, the air that is able to escape around the edge of the window and their performance of heat retention. There is a type of Glass that is the best for this and it is ‘Low E Glass’ which is highly energy efficient and uses a very slight metal oxide coating that is normally inside with the air gap. The gap that sits between the panes can also be filled with a gas such as, xenon, argon and even krypton for more energy efficiency. London Glazing tradesmen are experts in all types of glass. Below are some benefits of efficient windows:

– A substantial saving on the quarterly energy bill.
– Little or no formation of condensation, with fewer drafts from the windows.
– Drastic reduction in the noise from outside.
– The green footprint is much smaller.

Is it possible to repair your wooden windows, whilst retaining their style and good looks, while benefiting from modern draught excluding double-glazing. There are companies that specialise in this field, who can repair and upgrade your sash windows and bring them up to modern specifications. In most cases this type of company will take the following steps:

• Take out the window from the sash box and remove any rotten timbers to expose the good wood. London Glazing know sash windows.
• Pieces of wood will be slotted in where needed or the holes will be filled and altered to match the timber.
  The sash cords are replaced and the glass is resealed.
• The window can then be upgraded by adding a bead around all the railings. This will prevent the window from rattling and keep the heat in.
• Secondary glazing can also be installed on the inside of the property. This will mean that the sash window will still look the same from the outside, but the look on the inside may be gone. London Glaziers supply all glass.

DIY:

• Dismantling and removing your sash window can be a difficult task, however, the window can be repaired while still fitted.
• Sand the wood and remove any rotten sections and use filler in any holes and sand so it matches the profile of the sill or rail.
• Cover with a primer and wood preservative and then paint with a quality outdoor paint.
  Scrape away and replace the old putty if required.
• Handles and locks can be bought in DIY stores and can be easily replaced.
  If the sash cords are broken, you can replace them yourself.

Broken Sash:
Take off the beading at the bottom of the sash and cut the cord. The sash will come out in one piece. Remove the old cords from the sash and detach them from the weights. Drop the new cords through the sides of the sash and tie them to the weights. Ensure each cord is the same length and sits straight. Fit the sash back into place and replace the beading.

Two styles of glazing are available to fit today. The first is the sealed glass unit and the second is called the secondary glazing unit that will add to and sit behind an existing windowpane. By its description it is quite obvious that that the send form is the easier to fit, but if you have some credible skills and a “can do” attitude then you could consider the first example also. London Glazing tradesmen can advise.

Secondary Glazing:

• The normal way to fit secondary glazing is to fit it to the frame of the window itself or to a timber framework inside the window frame.
• An ideal width between the original glass and the new glass is around 20mm, making the first option more efficient.
  There is no need for glass because clear plastic sheeting plastic film will work well. London Glaziers supply glass.
• Be careful when placing materials like plastic or glass in front of a window opening and not attached to the window casement, as it can prevent the window from opening.

Demountable Glass:
This type of glass is set in the window casement and secured to the existing window with clear tape or magnets. They will allow you to remove the secondary sheet of glass or plastic if you need to use the window. Or even to take it out in the warmer months.

Operable Glass:
This is a secondary glazing unit that can be fitted into sliding tracks and then attached to the window frame. There are cases where, the window may be hinged to allow it to open. The glass is edged with draught proof strips for added insulation when it is shut. The units are available in kits and are straightforward to fit.

Confirm that the size of the replacement glass pane is correct. Any measurements should be taken from each edge of the frame. Make sure the width is correct. When there is more than one then sketch the window with all the relevant dimensions. Your local glass merchant will advise on sizes and thickness. London Glazing is expert with all types of glass fits.

Prize the old beading material from the window. With the scraper, remove the fixing compound from the frame. If made of wood, then you will have to nail the beading with the nail punch after the glass is fitted. Leave the top part until the end so you can support the glass. Cut away putty if it is a wooden frame. Lay the beading out in the shape that it came out for replacing later. London Glaziers are qualified tradesmen. Offer up the glass pane to the frame to see if it fits correclty, try not to put any force on the glass. Once you are happy that it is done correctly you can now go ahead and fit the pane properly. If the glass is double-glazed then it will have two pieces of sealed glass with an air gap in between to protect against moisture ingress or condensation forming.

Put the whole pane into the frame, and check for markings that tell the correct orientation. Place the spacers around. Refit the beading pieces and snap them in place. Make sure they go back in their original position. Check that the glass is square and tight. Check all around the window frame for squareness and clean away any putty etc.

What You Need:
Tape Measure. Hammer.
Nail Punch. Scraper.
Double-Glazed Unit. Butyl Putty.
Security Glazing-Tape. Spacing Blocks.
Beading Tacks.

Many of the windows fitted in properties are older types that are not too efficient when it comes down to retaining heat and stopping droughts. Today there is a massive movement to the more efficient types of windows and doors to save these influences. This means that there is a huge selection of windows and doors for this purpose. These new, energy conscious windows should give a good return for the money, through low heating and cooling costs, and maybe even the cost of lighting your home. As long as they are sensibly chosen and installed, energy-efficient windows will reduce those heating, cooling, and lighting costs. Improving window performance in your home involves design, selection, and installation. London Glazing will supply and fit this type of glass. You need to understand the energy performance ratings of windows so you will know what energy performance ratings you need for your windows based on your climate and the design of the house. For the energy-efficient windows, ENERGY STAR® has created minimum energy performance ratings by climate. These criteria, however don’t account for a home’s design, such as the window positions. These passive types of solar design plans use the glass to maximize solar heat gain in winter and minimize it in summer. In climates that are dominated by heat, major glazing areas should generally face south to collect solar heat during the winter when the sun is low in the sky. In the summer, when the sun is high overhead, overhangs or other shading devices stop excessive heat gain. London Glaziers work with all types of glass. It is hard to control heat and light through east and west facing windows when the sun is low in the sky.

The glass that we take for granted everyday in the form of windows, jars and bottles are known in the glass making trade as commercial glass or even soda-lime glass (this because the glass contains soda ash). London Glazing know how glass is produced. The main element for the manufacture of this type of glass is sand, which is melted at around 1700°C which is an incredibly hot temperature, so other minerals are added to reduce the temperature at which the melting occurs. Sodium carbonate or soda ash reduces this fusion heat to around 800°C, with the mixture then being 75% silica and 25% sodium oxide. The glass is made even more stable by adding magnesium oxide and calcium oxide, contained in limestone, after which the glass is pure. This commercial glass is usually colourless to allow the transmission of light, which is great for the window and other uses also. Other chemicals for colour can be added. Flat glass has a very similar construction but has more magnesium oxide in its composition. These days, recycled glass from place like bottle bank collection points, known as cullet is used to make the new glass that we use, with the environmental benefits being very important, as cullet will melt much easier than new glass which will save lots of energy and also emissions in the production process. There is an infinite proportion of this cullet that can be added (this is known in the trade as ‘Batch’) as long as its condition is good. Green glass for example that is made today will be made up of 85%-90% of the recycled cullet batch. London Glaziers recycle glass. Recycled glass can be sourced from countries all around the world, but the important point is the colours shouldn’t mix. Cullet is free from impurities, particularly any metal or ceramic material.

Storm windows can be fitted to most styles of windows, either internally or externally to a main window. Whatever type you choose, the storm window frame must be fitted square to the chosen window and sealed to the opening. External storm windows must have holes at the bottom of the frame to allow any moisture that collects between the primary window and the storm window to drain away. Although the drain holes detract a little from the energy that’s saved, the window would rot without them and would not work correctly. The windows can be a cheap inexpensive plastic sheet or film manufactured for one heating season to triple-track glass units with low emissivity coatings that give many years of use. Storm windows may use glass, plastic panels, or special plastic sheets that have specific optical qualities. London Glazing know this style of window.

The ones manufactured from polycarbonate plastic or laminated glass can offer a high resistance to shattering in really bad weather storms or from a burglar. Interior storm windows give greater ease of use than exterior storm windows. They are easy to fit and remove and need less maintenance as they are not exposed to the weather and, because they can seal tight to the primary window, and they are great at reducing air infiltration. London Glaziers supply all types of window glass. Interior storm windows can be the best choice for flats and houses with one floor or more. If you can afford to buy exterior storm windows, you will probably be able to afford new, more energy efficient windows, and a better investment. The glass pane type give a better visibility and longer lifespan than plastic panes, however, glass is heavy and brittle. Normally, plastics are the most economical for people with small budgets or who live in apartments. However, while inexpensive and relatively easy to install, they are easy to damage. Plastic panels, such as Plexiglas and acrylics are tougher and lighter than glass, but may scratch easily. Some may turn yellow over time as well. Some plastic films may significantly reduce visibility and degrade over time when exposed to sunlight. Wood, aluminium, and vinyl are the most common storm window frame materials. There are advantages and disadvantages to all types of frame materials. Although very strong, light, and almost maintenance free, aluminium frames conduct heat very rapidly. Because of this, aluminium makes a very poor insulating material.

All of the glass that we use can be recycled 100%. This can go on forever and it will not lose any of its quality, purity and clarity. Glass is manufactured with materials that are very safe and glass has been used for has been a loyal packaging material for over 2000 years. As the description states glass has no limits to the benefits associated with the recycling of glass. Looking at this from an environmental position, glass recycling will minimise the use of precious raw materials and reduces the pressure on our very limited natural resources. It also has the potential to lower the world’s collective carbon footprint. More usage of waste glass lowers the energy needed to manufacture the glass in the first instance. This type of recycling process can reduce the emission of harmful greenhouse gases. London Glazing do recycle glass.

Do You Know?

• The recycling of glass can be done again and again and still not affect the quality or integrity of the new glass product.
• The first glass was formed from molten volcanic rock that cooled down really quick.
• The Egyptians made the first glass containers.
• Glass is thought to be one of the best containers. This is because glass is pure, and does not affect or change the properties of the contents within it.
• Cullet is the name for waste/recycled glass.
• Glass recycling figures have increased from 147,000 tons to 295,879 tons. This is a massive increase of more than 100% in the short history of recycling. London Glaziers have all types of glass.

Did you know that during the process of melting the waste glass known as cullet there is no fusion lost. This means that 5tons of waste will make 5tons of the new product. However it would take 5.2 tons of raw materials are required to manufacture one 5tons of glass

There is an ever growing selection of new window types on the market. This is good as this will allow all kinds of window requirements to be satisfied. Many years ago the choice was limited to side hinged or the sliding sash style of window. Today there are a couple of options for the mechanics that provide a hinge for our windows such as a pivot and friction type which is quite common. There has also been a revolution in the materials that our windows are made from and also the shapes and sizes are really quite considerable. The process of window fitting has become quite straightforward as well. If the house is an older style and you need a new window it could be that a new replacement window needs to be made to measure for you. London Glazing can supply and fit all your window needs. Normally, when a window is renewed, the materials and also the functionality and hardware mechanics are made in a sympathetic way in order to keep to the original design and promote an authentic product that will not look out of place. There are some windows like a sash for example that will feature a more modern balancing system that will not be made from hazardous material like lead.

The window frame is also very important, so you must always ensure that if the old window is fitted with a sill, then, that you make sure that the replacement is the same. London Glaziers fit all types of glass.

Aluminium (Metal):
These window frames are slim but very strong, durable and able to support large panes of glasswork. They have a big problem, however and that is they conduct heat and are also prone to massive condensation issues. The older of this type of frame used to rust, but the new ones are protected and require little or no maintenance.

Hardwood:
The wooden type are still very popular, with many people picking hardwood for its hard wearing qualities and looks. Hardwood can be painted or just oiled for protection, it is quite expensive but good value.

Vinyl Covered:
This type a replacement option for older windows and come in double glazed units, in white and a varied colour option.

The storm windows can be used for most types of windows. They can be fitted on either the inside or outside of a primary window. They can be a cheap inexpensive plastic sheet or film manufactured for one heating season to triple-track glass units with low emissivity coatings that give many years of use. Storm windows may use glass, plastic panels, or special plastic sheets that have specific optical qualities. London Glazing know these windows. The ones manufactured from polycarbonate plastic or laminated glass can offer a high resistance to shattering in really bad weather storms or from a burglar. Interior storm windows give greater ease of use than exterior storm windows. They are easy to fit and remove and need less maintenance as they are not exposed to the weather and, because they can seal tight to the primary window, and they are great at reducing air infiltration. London Glaziers can fit these. Interior storm windows can be the best choice for flats and houses with one floor or more. If you can afford to buy exterior storm windows, you will probably be able to afford new, more energy efficient windows, and a better investment. The glass pane type give a better visibility and longer lifespan than plastic panes, however, glass is heavy and brittle. Normally, plastics are the most economical for people with small budgets or who live in apartments. However, while inexpensive and relatively easy to install, they are easy to damage. Plastic panels, such as Plexiglas and acrylics are tougher and lighter than glass, but may scratch easily. Some may turn yellow over time as well. Some plastic films may significantly reduce visibility and degrade over time when exposed to sunlight. Wood, aluminium, and vinyl are the most common storm window frame materials. There are advantages and disadvantages to all types of frame materials. Although very strong, light, and almost maintenance free, aluminium frames conduct heat very rapidly. Because of this, aluminium makes a very poor insulating material.