Ways to Make your Sash Windows Energy Efficient | Glaze & Save

Sash windows are often an integral part of the historic character of your home. However, original windows can be extremely energy inefficient.

Sash windows have been designed in such a way that they can be dismantled for repair or the replacement of broken sash cords with relative ease. Unfortunately, many people do not realise this, and often think that replacement of the whole window is the only option when they run into difficulties with maintenance or enhancing energy efficiency. This is simply not the case.

Why retain sash windows?

Replacing sash windows not only affects the look and character of your building, it is also extremely expensive and potentially damaging to the structural integrity of the building itself.

On top of this, replacing original sash windows can be incredibly wasteful. The high-quality wood that forms the basis of original timer windows is extremely hard to come by these days, meaning that the replacement and eventual discarding of these frames would be an unnecessary waste.

Not only that, but plastic double glazing tends to only have a useful life of around twenty years or so. After this they often end up as landfill, consuming vast amounts of energy in their production to become waste. As we enter an era of ever-scarcer resources and climate uncertainty, reducing waste and energy consumption is of paramount importance.

So without further ado, let’s look at four simple things that you can do to make your sash windows for energy efficient.

1. Maintenance

Keeping your sash windows in a good state of repair not only ensures that they will last for years to come, but it will also make them more efficient. Ensuring that windows are well painted will reduce cold and damp in the window area, and attending to cracks will reduce draughts. Inspect your windows annually and be prepared to seek out the most common of problems:

· Cracked and flaky paintwork: counteract this by repainting every 5-8 years.

· Windows sticking: this can be due to the poor refitting of the staff bead about report or recording, which can easily be fixed. Alternatively, it may be due to a build-up of paint, which is easily removable.

· Look out for failing putty and broken or cracked panes of glass: these can be easily repaired.

· Broken cords

· Timber decay: minor repairs can be carried out by painting, more substantial repairs can be carried out by a qualified joiner.

2. Draught-Proofing

Did you know that the gaps around your sash windows can be the equivalent of an opening measuring a minimum of ten inches? Draughtproofing your sash windows is one of the most beneficial and cost effective ways to make your home more energy efficient, saving you from exorbitant heating bills and draughty, rattling windows.

Depending on the type of draughtproofing you choose, your payback is usually anything between five and twenty-five years. Luckily, Glaze & Save has InvisiSeal™ a unique liquid silicone draught-proofing product that dries like rubber and is virtually invisible. The payback can also be as low as three years, meaning you start to reap the rewards of energy efficiency much more quickly. Just to compare: it can take between 60 and 100 years for your double glazing to start saving you money! It really does pay to restore your beautiful windows and take advantage of new draught-proofing technologies.

3. Secondary Glazing

Heat can also be lost through the glass of your windows themselves, leading to cold spots and condensation. You can immediately tackle this with a pair of heavy curtains, which can cut heat loss by up to one third. Or go for Glaze & Save InvisiTherm™: our innovative bespoke magnetic glazing can be used in listed and historic buildings and cuts heat loss by 63%

Double glazing, on the other hand, ultimately means the loss of your original windows. This can be have serious repercussions for the character and charm of your home, particularly if you live in a historic or listed building and cannot obtain double glazing that adequately follows the original window pattern.

4. Shutters

Shutters are perhaps the most traditional of means to keep in heat at night, and making your sash windows more energy efficient. Sash windows were often made with accompanying shutters to retain heat and provide privacy in the evenings. Not only do original shutters look good, well-fitting shutters can perform as well as double glazing. However, the main issue with shutters is that they block out the light and are unsuitable for daytime use.