To double glaze or not?

jennihen

Good morning all!
I bought my first house in August last year knowing that over the next 10 years I would be doing extensive improvements to it.
The general plan is to repleace the windows, (old sash windows/ insecure front and back doors), have the boiler looked at (gas condenser) update the electrics, knock out one wall and cosmetic overhaul from top to bottom.
Its a four storey terraced stone cottage dating back to pre 1906.
My first priority is going to be the windows but I'm undecided on whether to have double glazing.
I know little about the subject but in terms of heat efficiency, adding value to the house and aethetics, on the whole do people in general think its worth the extra expense?
Also what are the pitfalls and other considerations I should be aware of.
Thankyou in advance
Jenni

ormus

certainly worth doing for all the reasons you mention.
other benefits inc, stopping noise pollution, saving on future maintenance.
i cant think of any downsides to DG.

the only real problem is the cowboys and scammers in the trade.
esp the major national companies.

Doozergirl

I think double glazing is a no-brainer if the house isn't listed.

When you come to sell again, if it had single glazing I think most people would knock off the cost of replacing the windows again with double glazed units.

Other than maintaining the character of an old building, I can't see any argument for putting in single glazing at all. And even on an old building if I was trying to stay true to the original, I'd be trying to get double glazed units into the frames.

Niv

You can maintain the character of a building and have double glazing. You dont need plastic caskets for a start and you can get double glazed sash if you want. If the existing frames are in good nik you could probably fit the double glazed units yourself. I got a new back door double glazed unit and it only cost ~£30.

jennihen

Doozergirl wrote: »

I think double glazing is a no-brainer if the house isn't listed.

When you come to sell again, if it had single glazing I think most people would knock off the cost of replacing the windows again with double glazed units.

Other than maintaining the character of an old building, I can't see any argument for putting in single glazing at all. And even on an old building if I was trying to stay true to the original, I'd be trying to get double glazed units into the frames.

I have to admit I negotiated the price down citing that as a reason!

Call me wet but I love living in an old house and don't like central heating - I'm worried about stifling the building and it not being able to 'breathe' properly.

macman

A house doesn't 'breathe' through properly fitting windows, whether single or double glazed.

jennihen

True! I have visions of condensation and mould! We had condensation anyway with the heating on over the winter but it was mainly frozen on the inside of the windows on the two top floors!

I really want to preserve the character of the building so will look at non-pvc frames.

macman

DG will reduce condensation, as the inner panes will be warmer-but you still need proper ventilation.

996ducati

Ventilation shouldn't be a problem in older houses. They were never built to be air tight or even insulated in a lot of cases.

Think of the amount of air that flows through an open chimney stack or under the floors through the cracks in the floorboards.

Airbricks were quite commonplace so in effect you have a howling great hole through the wall.

Hope this helps

jennihen

Thankyou - that does help! I've only lived in very modern DG'd houses and they do seem to get a lot of condensation!

ormus

if you want to keep to the same style of wooden sash windows, then be prepared to pay maybe twice the price of normal everyday DG units.