Green Deal MSE Guide Discussion

lstar337

Johnandabby wrote: »

But new windows don't significantly reduce energy bills

they do if the current windows are falling out of their frames.

I haven't seen a single person here say that they are trying to use GD to have perfectly good single glazed windows exchanged for double glazing. I have however, seen people on here who have very poor condition single glazing, get overlooked due to simplistic modeling by GD software.

Don't try and say 'double glazing doesn't help' ignoring the condition of the current glazing. In a lot of cases it would help, just not by the fact that it is 2 sheets of glass instead of one. This is the same mistake the GDA are making, and why our ageing house stock will never get any better.

lstar337

Johnandabby wrote: »

Wall and loft insulation does, which is why most GDAs will only recommend these and won't include windows.

then why bother to assess us in the first place?

We told them over the phone, no cavity in walls, no loft, and no chance of external insulation due to the fact that it would have to be agreed upon by all the flat owners. Yet they still came out anyway.

lorrimag32

Thanks everyone. Why advertise windows as being available under the green deal if they are not energy saving? Whole things a con, wonder if I phone the guy who did the survey, will he be willing to "recommend" companies to do the other work he suggested, most likely is my guess & possibly getting paid for it too!

spacemanc

lstar337 wrote: »

I haven't seen a single person here say that they are trying to use GD to have perfectly good single glazed windows exchanged for double glazing. I have however, seen people on here who have very poor condition single glazing, get overlooked due to simplistic modeling by GD software.

The problem is that if the software wasn't "simplistic" I believe it would be open to abuse, because the assessor could rate the house lower than it really was by saying things are in bad condition.

The scheme isn't intended to make up for the lack of maintenance on your home (any windows should last more than 20 years if looked after). Call a joiner out and get your frames repaired out of your own pocket. New double glazed windows for the average home cost a small fortune, so you'd be pretty lucky to have them covered in full by the green deal due to the golden rule, but they could be eligible for partial funding.

John_Pierpoint

The double glazing "industry" managed to turn replacement windows into the must have deal breaker for house sales in the 1980's (as well as producing numerous spiv miss-selling issues).

When punters are prepared to pay for replacement windows, possibly unneeded on grounds of energy, condensation or noise; even with a 20% surcharge bunged on top by the tax man, why bother to subsidise that sort of energy saving, when it is proving impossible to get loft insulation put in, even for free?

lstar337

spacemanc wrote: »

The scheme isn't intended to make up for the lack of maintenance on your home (any windows should last more than 20 years if looked after). Call a joiner out and get your frames repaired out of your own pocket. New double glazed windows for the average home cost a small fortune, so you'd be pretty lucky to have them covered in full by the green deal due to the golden rule, but they could be eligible for partial funding.

Not my home, It's rented accommodation, so I'm not paying to upgrade it.

Most landlord stance is, if the glass panes aren't falling out, the windows are fine and they don't give a toss about tennant utilities cost.

I'm happy to pay a little for the added benefit of DG (ala GD), but I'm not going to pay for my landlord to reap the benefits of extra rent after I am gone.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Because we are able to purchase at cost & self install :

- double glazing from single glazing and ;
- double glazing whole replacement
- double glazing insert only replacement

is a 'doddle' both in financial & other terms. I have a much loved but eejit brother who changes with regularity his double glazing to the latest 'fashion' style. It's a nonsense but it is his money and happens about every 5 years. This thread is making an unclear case for replacement glazing, I for one wish that those making that argument made it clear for the rest of the readers that replacement glazing that does not need changing is what's being debated.

Heat Loss Reduction Values for single glazed to 'other form' glazing are - ish !

- secondary glazing + insulated shutters 77%
- secondary glazing + heavy curtains 66%
- stand alone insulated shutters 60%
- double-glazing 55%
- honeycomb blinds 36%
- modern insulated roller blinds 22%

[Deleted User]

I live in a solid walled property, built in 1902 with 100mm of loft insulation. I had gas installed to the property last year and paid to have central heating, including a new combi boiler.

A green deal assessor come to my home this morning and told me that it was not worth him carrying out the assessment as I had a new boiler installed and that any measures he suggested including installing solid wall insulation would not be covered by the green deal as savings would not outweigh the installation costs.

He also told me that as I have over 50mm of loft insulation, I would not be eligible for a top up.

I asked about the ECO and he told me that was means tested even for solid wall insulation (although I'm sure I read that it wasn't). I phoned another assessor, who's number I got from a friend and he told me the same thing (although he also told me that he ad been trained by the same company as the first assessor). The assessor who came to my property actually said "this green deal scheme is rubbish really". Can anyone tell me if the information I was given is correct, as I'd like to try and get funding for solid wall insulation. Thank.

John_Pierpoint

There is a company in the UK doing research on behalf of the EU into reducing the costs of "aero gel" ("frozen smoke") so there just might be a technological affordable solution to the challenge of solid walls on the horizon.
http://www.instagroup.co.uk/instaclad/insulation-range.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel

It is a pity you missed the "give it away" offers on loft insulation last autumn.

Johnandabby

lstar337 wrote: »

then why bother to assess us in the first place?

We told them over the phone, no cavity in walls, no loft, and no chance of external insulation due to the fact that it would have to be agreed upon by all the flat owners. Yet they still came out anyway.

Exactly why the whole Green Deal is a massive failure - they came out anyway so that they can charge for the assessment, even when they would be able to predict exactly what the assessment would say over the phone.