How to buy double glazing

Double Glazing Sales And Quotes

Double glazing salespeople often have a dubious reputation. Here I will explain how to get the best quote, and steer clear of the tricks that some double glazing companies use.

Double Glazing Sales Tactics

A Which? investigation in July 2010 found that double glazing salespeople frequently quote a higher price to begin with, which they drop over the course of their sales visit. The price you're quoted could drop by 75%, or over £10,000, during a sales pitch.

You should also avoid signing up to a double glazing contract on the spot.

 Double Glazing Prices

In their May 2012 investigation, a quarter of Which? members said that they initially had no idea how much double glazing should cost. To find out how much you should expect to pay for various double glazing jobs, from sash windows to doors, see our reliable free Window Quoter here

Find A Reputable Double Glazing company

Ask neighbours, friends and family to recommend good local double glazing companies in the area. Smaller local companies are less likely to use the aggressive sales techniques of the nationwide big boys, such as calling the head office for a bigger discount. 
In 2010, a new Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme was set up as an independent regulatory body for the double glazing industry. All its members go through a 12-point vetting process covering public liability insurance, guarantees, references, etc, to protect customers. This is a great starting point for securing a quote. Which? Local and Check-A-Trade will also tell you if a company is a recommended installer. 

It’s always good practice to get quotes from three different double glazing companies to give you a good idea of the range you should be paying. There’s no harm in letting each company know you’re seeking competitor bids.

Good luck on your double glazing,

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

What You Need to Know Before You Insulate Your Home

Insulating your home not only helps you to cut down on energy bills but also plays a crucial role in ensuring that your house is warmer and comfortable all the time. Insulating an old house is however quite tricky. You therefore need to be extra cautious when adding insulation because any slight mistake can compromise on the overall performance. Do you want to insulate your old house now? Well, here are some tips on what you should know before you decide to insulate your old home:

 Be sure that your home need insulation

This is actually very important. Think of it in the perspective that you have wasted your time and resources insulating what needed no insulation. You definitely will feel wasted. So how can you ascertain that your home needs insulation? To begin with, you need to check if you have insulation. Check your exterior walls if they have patched holes and if they do, then this is an obvious sign that there is a blow- in insulation. Similarly, check fireplaces and chimneys to ascertain if you are losing heat. Once you have the facts right, then you can go ahead to insulate your house! 

 What about the existing insulation?

Your house may be insulated but you feel that it is not up to your standards. Before you decide to do away with the existing insulation, get to know the materials used to insulate your house. If you suspect that the material used is asbestos, you need to have the material tested. This is because complete removal of asbestos has serious health concerns and would be better if left the way it is. By comparing to new home, you will certainly realize that old homes need to be insulated. This is because most new homes have been constructed with special attention and thus are effective. But again be cautious about the materials used.

The form of insulation you need to use

Building insulation is classified into four broad categories namely: rigid boards, loose fill, batts and expanding sprays. For major restorations such as replacing walls, rigid and batt insulation are the most suitable. The most commonly used installation is loose fill because it reaches places where other insulation cannot reach. It is therefore prudent to know which insulation to use and when.

The amount of insulation required

InsulationR-value is what matters here. The lower the R-value, the worst the material insulates and vice versa. The smaller values are appropriate in warm weather places while the high value ones are appropriate for chilly climates. It is therefore advisable that you know your place and the type of R-value required.

 Where to install insulation

This will vary from house to house. Most heat loss occurs through the roof and since cool air has a tendency to fall and warm air to rise, it would be ideal to begin insulation at the loft. In case the loft is not finished, then insulation has to be done on the floor. However, you should be extremely vigilant to only insulate when there is a good ventilation path between a building exterior and the insulation. Also take note not to place thermal insulation around old wiring.

With these tips on your mind, you are certainly going to insulate your house in the right manner. Staying warm is all you need and thus you should act appropriately. Do not let yourself stay in the cold while all you need to do is to insulate your house. But again, before you insulate understand the tips above.

LUMINOUS GRAVEL

Tired of tripping up on your driveway? 

Fear no more, your clumsy stumbling will be a thing of the past with glow in the dark gravel. I mean, who hasn't stumbled or slipped up on their driveway one drunken Saturday night? With glow in the dark gravel, you'll see where you're going, hopefully. It might even illuminate the mistake you're about to drag into the bedroom!

On a serious note

Glow in the dark gravel is suitable to use outside in gardens as a decorative garden feature, to highlight plantpots or the edge of paths for example or could be used in fish tanks, vases in windows etc, the only limit is your imagination! These decorative aggregates are the bright eco friendly lighting choice that uses no electricity or battery power. They absorb light throughout the day and then slowly release the light as an afterglow throughout the evening. The brightness of them are 10 times brighter than traditional Zinc Sulphide 'Glow in the Dark' products such as 'Glow Stars' used in kids bedrooms. Green glows the brightest, Aqua glows the longest, but Blue is the most popular! The 'glow' time really depends on a number of factors such as which colour you choose, how much light they get in the daytime, and how dark an area they are in, ie they look better the darker the surrounding area. Even down to how different people see 'glow' in the dark so theres no concrete answer but 'afterglow' is around 10 hours. These Pebbles will glow again and again for years and years. Try mixing Pebbles and Gravel together perhaps in different colours for a bespoke effect!

SAVE THE SKIN ON YOUR KNEES - GLOW IN THE DARK GRAVEL