Winters on it's way and Double Glazing will cut heat loss

If you have found yourself shivering in your home, it may be time to think about improving your windows.

They are very good at letting in light, but are unfortunately also very good at letting out heat.

About a quarter of all the heat lost from your house escapes through the windows. But this can be dramatically reduced by fitting double glazing. This is done by replacing the one pane of glass with twin panes.

Because the inner pane is relatively warm a double glazed window dramatically reduces cold down-draughts, and also suffers much less from condensation than a single glazed one.

Two methods are commonly used for double glazing windows. In the first new frames are fitted with sealed unit double glazing consisting of two panes of glass.

In the second, existing single glazed windows are fitted with secondary glazing which is a second separate pane of glass or other clear sheet of material installed in the room side of the window.

You can install sealed units in some existing single glazed window frames, but it is generally quicker and better in the long run to replace the entire window rather than to reglaze an old frame.

The simplest form of secondary glazing involves fixing a second pane of glass over each individual sash or casement of the window, or covering the whole of the window opening.

Most commonly the second pane is fixed to the window frame itself.

You can use glass, clear rigid plastic sheeting or renewable plastic film to create fixed secondary glazing.

However, if the first two materials are fixed to the window frame rather than to individual sashes or casements, they can prevent the window from being opened for ventilation, or more importantly, from being used in an emergency as a fire escape.

Why choosing the right Double Glazing company is important.

Like all major industries and trades, double glazing is governed by guidelines that protect consumers from being taken to the cleaners by unscrupulous operators.

Work should, where possible, be undertaken by an installer registered under a Competent Persons Scheme such as FENSA, CERTASS or the British Standards Institution (Kitemark).

Installers who are not registered with a Competent Persons Scheme will need to involve the Building Control department of their local council to approve and issue the necessary certificates.

The Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme (FENSA) was set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) to ensure the quality of work provided by glaziers across the UK is of an adequate standard and fully guaranteed.

Under FENSA guidelines, installers are required to offer customers a guarantee or warranty to cover the cost of rectifying work after installation.

This must in turn be backed by an independent insurance policy in case the firm goes under and all deposits taken prior to work beginning must be protected by a deposit indemnity scheme.

If you are in doubt of an installer’s credentials, walk away.

You will find that most double glazing specialists will offer a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee on their work which covers you in the event of faulty craftsmanship. Some even offer 15-year guarantees which cover specific products such as gas-filled units.

Offers can vary in the type of work that is covered. Again, a detailed read of the small print is essential before committing.

Claire Lynam, head of communications and alliances at the BSI recommends only buying products that have been Kitemark approved.

“We would suggest using a Kitemark product and opting for a Kitemark-approved installer when entering into an agreement,” she says. “BSI-approved glaziers are re-assessed annually and inspectors visit them to look at the work being done to vouch for its quality.”

Key points

• Reputable installers should always be fully accredited under a Competent Persons Scheme
• Ask to see their guarantee documents before agreeing to any work
• Check to see whether the guarantee is insurance-backed

Wet Wet Wet!!!

Monday is here and the sun was shining and I was out fitting today so we could get a job finished that we started on Friday, and all in all it’s been a good start to the week but the weekend was so wet and miserable.

So as usual on Saturday I set off to Conwy Golf club to tackle one of Wales finest links.  As I’m driving down the A55 towards the North Wales coast the sky suddenly starts to look grey and dismal, but I was determined not to let it spoil my enjoyment....or so I thought!!

As I spanked my ball off the first tee with my trusty 3 iron it soon became very obvious it was going to be a wet day, and by the time I’m marking a bogey 5 on my card on the 2^nd tee it’s seriously throwing it down, Cats, Dogs and all.

After a wet 4 hour walk and and not much luck on the Links I found refuge within the clubhouse and a nice pint of beer.  And it was in the 19^th that I was reminded that I was doing it again on Sunday.  This thought didn’t fill me full of joy and yes Sunday was worse than Saturday and I did get wet, very wet.

So it’s back to pricing up work in the morning and then blogging about the Double Glazing industry in the afternoon.  But please please let the sun shine....like it does for our friends down in the south!!

Fire Escape Windows and Building regulations

Recently the query arose regarding clarification of the word “dwelling” and in particular where egress fire escape windows need to be fitted.

Firstly, the definition of dwelling” is a unit of residential accommodation which has either single person or family occupancy but with no more than six people. The word dwelling does not include flats or apartments.

Flats / Apartments are categorized as being a “building other than a dwelling house”. Therefore, it is important to note that should you have a development / project where windows are being fitted to flats / apartments then it is Building Regulation B, Volume 2 which applies in this instance and not Volume 1.

Where are Egress Windows required?

Ground floor dwellings

All habitable rooms (not kitchens) which open directly into a hall way which lead to the main entrance door do not require egress windows, however egress windows may be fitted if the client should want them. In this case the window must comply with the egress specification stated in the approved document. Egress windows will be required however for any “inner” rooms where egress is not directly to the main exit door.

Upper Floor Levels no more than 4.5m Above ground level:
All habitable rooms (not kitchens) within the upper storey of a dwelling which has only one stairwell must have egress windows fitted in compliance with the Building Regulation unless that stairwell is protected in which case no egress window will be required.  Using an Egress window that is over 4.5m above ground level is not viable as it is unlikely that if a fire should occur that the occupants will jump through and out of the building at such a height. Therefore the Part B approved document states: -

“The dwelling may either have a fire protected stairwell or the top storey of the dwelling is separated from the lower storeys using fire resistant construction materials and provide an alternative escape route leading to the main door.  If the dwelling has more than one stairwell which are separate then this is deemed as an alternative means of escape and therefore the ruling above for floor levels above 4.5m need not apply.”

What is the specification for an Egress fire escape window?

As stated in the Building Regulations, any window which is provided for emergency egress should have an unobstructed clear opening area of at least 0.33m2 and must have a MINIMUM dimension of 450mm high and 450mm wide. The bottom edge of the opening window should be no more than 1100mm above the floor level. The window should also be in such a position within the dwelling that the person escaping is able  to reach a place free from danger (i.e away from the fire).

A conservatory really can add value to your home.

Part of the beauty of kicking back and relaxing in your new conservatory with a glass of wine as you watch the sun go down is the contentment you feel knowing that every pound put into your new development will be repaid with interest when you sell your home.

As a conservatory is simply an extra room in the house, it fits neatly into the tried-and-tested housing market formula of more space = more cash.

Getting the best value out of any development to your home relies on striking a balance between keeping costs down to maximise your resale value and not skimping on a cheaper offer by a questionable builder that could shave thousands off the value of your home.

In terms of resale value, a conservatory sits alongside new kitchens, double glazing and parking space on the list of shrewd home improvement investments.

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), adding a conservatory to your home can add between 4% and 5% to its value, which in the current market place is surely a bonus.

An attractive conservatory can also be a real deal-clincher to prospective buyers.Even if a conservatory is not on a buyer’s ‘must-have’ list, it can be an eye-catching prospect that could turn a potential sale in a definite one.

No pockets in shrouds..

More than a third of over-50s households are in need of DIY home improvements, according to a new survey by Saga.

The group found that 34 per cent of homeowners over the age of 50 need to carry out some form of repair work on their property.

Some 16 per cent of respondents said they need to fix their roofing, while 13 per cent named drainage and guttering as a necessary DIY project.

A further eight per cent said their central heating needs mending.Over-50s households in London are most in need of property repairs, with 42 per cent claiming their homes require work.

By carrying out DIY home improvements, older homeowners could make their properties more energy efficient.

Indeed, fixing faulty central heating and replacing old boilers and installing Double glazing could help them reduce their heating bills dramatically.

Roof repairs could also result in savings by preventing heat from escaping.

Connaught buyout saves 2,500 jobs

Around 2,500 jobs at collapsed firm Connaught were rescued today after administrators struck a deal to sell the bulk of its social housing division.


The £28 million deal with construction firm Morgan Sindall comes two days after the appointment of KPMG as administrators for the main company, and its subsidiaries Connaught Partnerships and Connaught Technical Solutions.

Morgan Sindall said its affordable housing division, Lovell Partnerships, had reached an agreement to acquire "the majority" of the ongoing contracts and assets of Connaught's social housing business.

John Morgan, executive chairman of Morgan Sindall, said: "Our focus now will be to ensure a smooth handover of the contracts and to minimise disruption to essential maintenance services."

Leeds-based Connaught Partnerships, which was the largest division placed into administration, employs 4,400 staff across the UK, so while the deal will be a relief to many, some jobs remain at risk of redundancy.