Noticing these signs? You probably need new windows

Are you thinking about updating your windows, but not sure if it's really necessary?

In some cases, you may be able to hold onto old windows. However, if you're experiencing serious issues with their structure or efficiency, it's a time to update to a new model because its most likely costing you money!

Photo Credit: Katy Silberger

We've noticed a dramatic increase in people replacing windows recently and we would like to let you know of our free service. If you want window quotes from installers based in the UK in your area use our website here and we'll find you the best quotes possible free of charge!

Check out these clear signs that it's time to replace your windows.

You Can Feel Draught in Your Home

Obvious, but means more than you think. Even the highest quality windows will allow a slight amount of air enter, but it should never be something you can feel or notice, your comfort shouldn't suffer!

Why? Because your windows will wear out over time and let more air in/out, resulting in you feeling a bit cold. For example, wooden windows can become warped from exposure to moisture in the air resulting in making the window too tight to function properly in some places, while creating gaps in other areas.
Also, another indication would be when the corners of the sashes and frames become loose and create gaps that allow air to penetrate the window

And while your first instinct may be to apply weather stripping, it's good to note that noticeable drafts often indicate an air leak caused by more than missing or damaged weather stripping. In fact, sealing and weather stripping should not be considered as anything more than just a temporary fix and should not be relied upon to perform properly.

The only solution to fixing these drafts is to replace your windows entirely. Trust me, it's worth doing it otherwise you're just going to pump wasted heat out the house, might as well just throw your money out the window!

You Have Some Difficulty Operating Your Windows (Shutting/Opening)

Again this is obvious, but people do tend to ignore this like it is no big deal! The windows that are most effected tend to be the bigger models. This is especially true for older double hung and single hung windows, which have issues with balance. When the balance fails, the window will no longer remain up when opened and can slam shut, posing a potential hazard.

Also be aware that wood and metal windows can also experience similar operating failures, if not properly cared for they can rot or rust so look after your windows like it's your baby!

There's Condensation Inside the Glass of Double- or Triple-Paned Windows

Photo Credit: David Dodge

If you have double or triple-paned windows and notice condensation or fog inside the glass, you might need to replace the glass or the entire window!

Why? Because condensation and fog between the glass panels can indicate seal failure. When the seal fails, moisture is able to enter the space between the panes of glass and as a result, air will condense on the glass. And when this happens, the insulated glass is no longer doing its job.

TOP TIP: Condensation in between the panes of glass will leave a white film which is caused by calcium deposited on the glass. If you see this white film, even if there is no visible condensation, it's a safe bet that the insulated glass unit has failed.

Your Electric/Gas Bill is Expensive

If your heating and cooling costs are high, it's likely that you have an inefficient furnace, or old windows that are simply not energy efficient, to keep your home at your desired temperature.

So, should you replace your windows?

Photo Credit: Ken Teegardin

According to Energy UK, "If your home has old and/or inefficient windows, it would  be more cost-effective to replace them than to try to improve their energy efficiency. New, energy-efficient windows eventually pay for themselves through lower heating and cooling costs, and sometimes even lighting costs."

We've noticed a dramatic increase in people replacing windows recently and we would like to let you know of our free service. If you want window quotes from installers based in the UK in your area use our website here and we'll find you the best quotes possible free of charge!

http://windowquoter.co.uk/

Photo Credit: Evan

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

£1000 Or More Towards Your Double Glazing

Government Grants For Glazing?

A new campaign gathering momentum online calls upon the government to provide a grant for energy saving double glazing installations. Whilst current grants exist to cover installation of cavity wall insulation and other energy saving measures, this is unsuitable for many homes and some people are left unable to claim any money for improving their energy efficiency.

If your home is not adequately insulated, you could be bleeding money through your walls every single month. As your heating system struggles to provide warmth to your home, your walls may be leaking it out again just as quickly.

Replacing single glazed windows with double glazed units with an energy saving rating of ‘C’ or higher can have a dramatic effect on your fuel consumption and reduce your energy bills dramatically. Double glazing also has benefits in reducing noise and improving safety and security.

The government’s ‘Warm Front’ scheme offers a grant to enable people to install cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and other energy-saving measures. Whilst this is very welcome and helps thousands of people stay efficient, not every home has cavities in its walls suitable for fitting cavity wall insulation. Many people end up being unable to take advantage of the available grants and unable to insulate their properties.

And so, many people get left behind, unable to insulate their homes and unable to get grants to improve the energy efficiency of the building they live in.

That’s why a campaign has begun to ask the government to make a grant available to people who are unable to insulate their homes with cavity wall insulation and wish to install double glazing. On the Number 10 Downing Street website, the petition reads:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to make available a grant to purchase Double Glazing enabling those house holders who do not have cavity walls to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and cut energy bills

If the campaign is successful, homeowners could potentially receive grants in excess of £1000 to carry out double glazing projects and improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

To get an instant, online quote for double glazing and discover how much you might expect to pay to re-glaze your house, use WindowQuoter.co.uk, part of the Home Improvement Quotes family of Quoter websites.

Reasons to replace your uPVC double glazing

Believe it or not, a sizeable chunk of the double glazing market is for replacement replacement windows and doors. Although PVC windows have a considerably longer lifespan than the softwood windows they may have replaced, their life isn’t infinite and do need replacement eventually.

But it’s not all about wearing out. There are quite a few other reasons why people replace replacement windows and doors – and quite often well before their sell-by date has arrived:

Looks:

If your uPVC windows have been in place for 3,4,5 years or more , it’s almost certain that the frame manufacturer has updated its profile to add more curves and more stylish joins. Woodgrain effect windows are now virtually indistinguishable from real wood from only a few paces.

Although it’s usually possible to find and replace loose and wobbly or tarnished and scratched handles, it isn’t alway possible – and the latest window furniture is also available with virtually indestructible finishes. uPVC frames become scratched over the years and as they do – they become even harder to clean and pick up dirt easier.

It’s even possible that your old windows have developed an interesting shade of pink or yellow over the years? This isn’t uncommon and it’s something that can only be cured by tearing them out and starting again.

Security:

Once upon a time the majority of window systems were designed with the glass sealed units installed and removed from the outside – what the industry calls ‘externally glazed’. In the early days of uPVC these systems weren’t as secure as they are nowadays, and there are more and more systems being sold with internal glazing.

Locks and bolts are a completely different proposition now to those fitted 10 years ago also. Ask your supplier about the “Secured by Design” standards and special locks that will withstand the most common forcing techniques.

Economy:

New and ever-changing energy efficiency targets being placed upon window manufacturers mean that modern uPVC windows are likely to be much more energy efficient than older designs. Fuel isn’t cheap and replacing windows might seem like an expensive option, but it could be one that would pay for itself sooner than you think. Triple glazing and ‘designer-gas’ filled units are now available that weren’t a few years back.

As you can see there are numerous reasons to replace your old double glazing - and you can get a free, instant online quote for all your double glazing needs from WindowQuoter.co.uk

Reasons to replace your uPVC double glazing

Believe it or not, a sizeable chunk of the double glazing market is for replacement replacement windows and doors. Although PVC windows have a considerably longer lifespan than the softwood windows they may have replaced, their life isn’t infinite and do need replacement eventually.

But it’s not all about wearing out. There are quite a few other reasons why people replace replacement windows and doors – and quite often well before their sell-by date has arrived:

Looks:

If your uPVC windows have been in place for 3,4,5 years or more , it’s almost certain that the frame manufacturer has updated its profile to add more curves and more stylish joins. Woodgrain effect windows are now virtually indistinguishable from real wood from only a few paces.

Although it’s usually possible to find and replace loose and wobbly or tarnished and scratched handles, it isn’t alway possible – and the latest window furniture is also available with virtually indestructible finishes. uPVC frames become scratched over the years and as they do – they become even harder to clean and pick up dirt easier.

It’s even possible that your old windows have developed an interesting shade of pink or yellow over the years? This isn’t uncommon and it’s something that can only be cured by tearing them out and starting again.

Security:

Once upon a time the majority of window systems were designed with the glass sealed units installed and removed from the outside – what the industry calls ‘externally glazed’. In the early days of uPVC these systems weren’t as secure as they are nowadays, and there are more and more systems being sold with internal glazing.

Locks and bolts are a completely different proposition now to those fitted 10 years ago also. Ask your supplier about the “Secured by Design” standards and special locks that will withstand the most common forcing techniques.

Economy:

New and ever-changing energy efficiency targets being placed upon window manufacturers mean that modern uPVC windows are likely to be much more energy efficient than older designs. Fuel isn’t cheap and replacing windows might seem like an expensive option, but it could be one that would pay for itself sooner than you think. Triple glazing and ‘designer-gas’ filled units are now available that weren’t a few years back.

As you can see there are numerous reasons to replace your old double glazing - and you can get a free, instant online quote for all your double glazing needs from WindowQuoter.co.uk

Price Engines Ltd - The name behind Home Improvement Quotes

Price Engines Ltd are the company behind your favourite instant online home improvement quote websites - the 'Quoter family of websites.

Price Engines pioneered instant online quotes in 2000 when they introduced WindowQuoter - instant online quotes for double glazing - windows, doors and conservatories.

Since then, they've gone on to develop the same online quoting technology for a range of other home improvement projects including fitted kitchens and bedrooms, paving and driveways, fascia, loft conversions and even exterior rendering to name but a few.

Getting an online quote is only part of the service Price Engines offer. They also manage a database of home improvement companies across the UK, all vetted and approved for your additional peace of mind. Once you've got your online quote, their own customer team will call you and offer you the opportunity to get your online quote confirmed in writing by up to three local companies to you (from our approved database).

The quotes are free and valid for 6 months.

If you decide to accept one of the quotes, then you'll find you get access to your own online area where you can not only view details of the companies we recommend, you can also leave your feedback on them. We use your feedback to help us monitor each and every companies performance as part of our continual vetting processes.


Price Engines Ltd - Derby, Derbyshire.

Double Glazing - What You Need To Know

In readiness for winter you need to think about keeping your house warm, and one of the quickest ways to lose the heat you are paying for is to have large single pane windows letting it out. According to the Energy Saving Trust, double glazing can reduce your heat loss by half, and can save over £100 a year in energy costs.

Pictures Courtesy of Thames Valley Windows

When you add to this the problems of condensation, of rotting window frames and of drafty windows with no locks, double glazing seems an obvious improvement to consider while readying your house for the winter.

Luckily for you, double glazing is very much a buyer’s market, with huge competition between suppliers. This means that searching around and keeping your options open can really save you money on your double glazing. If that sounds too much like hard work you can let us do it for you by heading over to windowquoter.co.uk for a free quote, and we’ll help you get in touch with the best local suppliers in your area.

Before beginning your double glazing project, it’s worth having a look at the Home Improvements Quotes Double Glazing Checklist to see if you’ve thought of everything.

• What frames do you want? Double glazed windows can be fitted with wooden, aluminium or uPVC frames. Try and think about which material will most suit the style of your house, and if your house is listed make sure you find out if you need planning permission from the local council before altering the exterior.

• How many windows do you need? On a shoestring budget it might be worth considering just having your largest windows replaced, or sticking to the rooms that you use the most. The great thing about glazing is that it can be done in stages, so you can tailor the size of your project around the funds you have available now, and sort the rest out when you have some extra cash available.

• Case Study As well as standard casement windows, many companies offer tilt and turn or sash case options which allow you to let air into the house without opening a large window up.

• What About ‘Low-E’ Glass? Low-Emissivity (a.k.a. Low-E) glass is coated with a special substance that allows heat and light to pass into the house, but blocks it from leaving. In most cases this will lead to an increase in the efficiency of the glazing by up to 30%. Many suppliers now provide Low-E Glass as standard in their double glazing installations, so be sure to ask about it.

• Something Extra? Frosted or leaded glazing can make your windows look gorgeous, and if your windows face east or west it might be worth considering having them tinted to keep the sun out of your eyes.

Head over to WindowQuoter.co.uk today and save money on your double glazing with a free, instant online quote.

Double glazing - why summer is the perfect time to get a double glazing quote

Double glazing – Summer is the perfect time to get a double glazing quote

A double glazing quote? In the Summer? (when the sun is normally shining and drafty windows are preferred).

Well actually yes! Summer is the perfect time to get a double glazing or if you prefer replacement window quote, for your home.

There are a number of reasons for enquiring now about double glazing. Firstly, because double glazing companies are traditionally quieter during the summer, they usually have some really good deals on double glazed windows, doors and conservatories.

Secondly, having double glazing installed in the summer means (hopefully) that the weather will be drier, so whilst the double glazing installation team are removing your old windows and doors, although they work extremely quickly, there's less chance of bad weather blowing into your house or affecting your double glazing installation date.

Not to mention how cold it can be when there's just a blank hole in the brickwork where a window or door used to be.

If your thinking of having a conservatory added to your home, then again the same reasons apply, but also consider (if the weather is warm and sunny) that because conservatory installation usually involves a lot of groundwork – preparing footings for walls and flooring etc, then this job will be less messy in the warm weather and should be able to proceed quicker.

Of course, just because you're thinking about getting double glazing installed – a rotten window replaced or leaky front door, the conservatory you've always dreamed of so you can at least pretend to be outside enjoying your garden or a upvc porch to keep all those wet shoes and wellies in – doesn't mean you have to start shopping around and endure evenings besieged by sharp salesmen.

Window Quoter was designed to give you an instant online quote for all your double glazing requirements. You login, choose your style of opener and enter your own measurements and get an instant online double glazing quote without the need for a salesman to call.

It works for all windows – from non-openers to bay windows, all types of doors and even conservatories. (treat a porch quote as a conservatory quote and just enter the correct measurements).

If you prefer, you can talk to one of our customer advisers and we can arrange for up to a maximum of three local double glazing companies to you, to visit and leave a no-obligation written quotation that's valid for 6 months.

Click on windowquoter and see just how easy it is to get an instant online quote for double glazing now. We're market leaders in providing instant online quotes for homeowners and were the first company to offer instant online quotes for double glazing. Since then we've expanded our network to include everything from fitted kitchens and fitted bedrooms to paving & driveways, fascia & roofline to patio and window awnings.

Click here to visit home improvement quotes and get instant online quotes for any of the services listed above plus loads more services.

You can also read more about our Deposit Protection scheme which is also completely FREE to homeowners who use one of our recommended companies.

About Home Improvement Quotes

About Home Improvement Quotes:

Home Improvement Quotes provides home-owners with free, impartial advice on home improvement projects, as well as a nationwide directory of recommended companies – from local tradesmen to national organisations.

We deliver instant quotes to over 3,000 people every week through our ‘Quoter’ web sites which include Window Quoter, Paving Quoter and Kitchen Quoter.

Since its formation in 2000, Home Improvement Quotes has provided over 1,700,000 quotes for projects totalling £1.4 billion. The service was developed by Price Engines, the leading UK provider of targeted, qualified intelligence in the home improvements industries.

For more information, please visit www.homeimprovementquotes.co.uk