Windows have lots of opportunity
This balance and proportion is the same for a wildly modern house with jagged asymmetrical windows slicing up the sky, as it is for a politely classical facade of a neo-Georgian townhouse. We have a fascinating gene level understanding of the Golden Ratio of 1:1.618. Created in the 3rd century BC, this is a mathematical formula still used by architects and designers today as it rings a bell in the human head for rightness. This ratio can be used to not only determine how many and where the windows go in the walls, but how each one is divided up with framing and openings. When the ‘disposition’ of the windows is off, they may look perfectly adequate in the diced up rooms indoors framing the views, but as a collective they can be troubling outside. Many older bungalows retain a firmly 1970s look with standard 1:3 horizontal (a third of the window opening) set 800mm from every floor.
We’re not all in the market for a new build or even an extension, but it’s possible to largely re-imagine existing elevations placing better windows in those rectangular voids when you come to upgrade. Considering the inclusive wonders of 3D computer-aided technology, the excellence of training for architects in Ireland, and the long-term misery of vastly expensive mistakes being recognised as the render is drying — this is not an area to hurry past to finishes and decorating. Adding the much derided dormers and mansards to make living space of roof space in a renovation could make a building or vandalise its proportions depending on the eyes on the project at the drawing stage. It’s appropriate to be excitable when it comes to your windows and exterior doors. Your first stop should be the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland. www.riai.ie to get appropriately qualified help.
Triple your Money? The return on the seamless installation of good quality replacement, double or triple glazing is comfort above all.
In terms of financial payback, this was always going to be a long-term investment.
Unless you’re going for double-glazed units over single pane bald aluminium rattlers, and given the relatively high price of windows the recoup could be the lifetime of a building at least.
Draught-proofing an existing otherwise sound window could recoup your loss for a touch of sealant in as little as a year (SEAI).
New or replacing, in terms of ‘U’ values and how the window retains heat in the home, triple glazing is generally supposed to improve a window’s thermal performance by around 30% compared to its double glazed rival but much higher percentages are bandied about by manufacturers.
A reasonable double glazed unit has a ‘U’ rating of around f 1.6 W/m2K or even better, and 2.2W/m2K is acceptable with the Building Regulations.
Pushing this down to .7 W/m2K with triple glazing will improve your BER rating but the comfort difference splitting percentages in our temperate climate may be imperceptible.
Triple glazing does improve sound insulation, a huge selling point if your house abridges a busy road. Cutting down on heat loss with another sandwich of glass and gas, reduces the ability of the unit to admit a small proportion of light and passive solar gain. Expect to spend in the area of 30% more for triple units over doubles in a great product with independent Passive House certification. To really put your supplier on the spot, forget individual pricing per window and ask for a comparison of the glazing and framing options by the square metre over the whole house. It’s amazing what something seductive like a continental tilt-turn option can do to a budget.
* Since July 2013 all new windows sold in Ireland must be CE registered. If you are using a local joinery, ensure their windows are up to standard.
* The soul of a period house can be all but ripped out with its sashes or casements. Do what you can to replace like with like. Alu-clad and PVC units come in a range of classic profiles and actions with energy efficient options from sealed units set in each pane to secondary glazing options. In a protected structure, your conservation officer will insist on careful treatment of the windows whether restored or replaced. Specialist manufacturers can deal with the challenge of uneven sills or headers.
* PVC windows are maintenance free because they cannot be maintained. A quality unit won’t rust, fade (if white) or warp and slip into industry standard window openings. Highly economic, and potentially attractive in the right design, even the best carry a 10 year guarantee, which is — well it’s 10 years isn’t it? Insist on responsible disposal of older PVC units taken from site.
* The sightlines, where the glazing meets the framing should be a consistent depth throughout a window and will be disfiguring otherwise.
* Wood windows, whether softwood or hardwood will have to be painted or stained every 5-7 years and in a budget unit, this may be you doing the work on-site when they show up. If you want the look without the work, vouch for more expensive wood grained PVC or a composite (clad) window with a texture and colour to indicate timber.
* A modern window will have security features included such as bolts that shoot into the frame when closed. For extra convenience add virtually invisible in-frame restrictors that allow the window to be opened to 50mm for ventilation without compromising child safety or defences.
* Glazing units on site as opposed to receiving finished sealed units is a highly skilled job, and if done poorly can impact the energy performance of your windows. This is a more likely scenario in an all timber window.
* For walls of glass, more glass and less attention to the frame is generally favoured. Don’t get too precious about a stout alu-clad support when it’s the view that really counts.
* Go easy on those decorative glazing bars. Mock Tudor forms, diamond panes and worse are often installed in a moment of weakness. They can not only shatter the look of an otherwise nicely proportion window, but spoil the styling of the house.
* Carefully examine and rehearse the action of the windows you choose on the showroom floor including the look and performance of the window hardware. Features such as tilt-in sections for easy cleaning can deliver authentic detail to the eye without the hassle of waving around on a ladder three times a year.
* You can have that bare wood window indoors with a weather resistant face outdoors including a highly convincing casing (outlining the window) in modern materials. Alu-clad windows with a tough anodised finish on the exterior are highly favoured for this two-faced talent. Marvin Architectural offer windows with curved tops outdoors that appear as purely rectangular indoors.
* If you want a step up from PVC but can’t throw the budget down on hardwood, take a look at GRP (fibreglass) window framing. They are strong, reasonably energy efficient and come in fine and chunky profiles.
* The new Home Renovation Incentive Scheme, offers 13.5% VAT back on your spend of €4,050 up to €30,000 (total before VAT) on certain improvements to the home by a VAT registered, tax compliant contractor. This includes window replacement and renovation taking place before December 2015. Go to www.citizensinformation.ie.
* It's largely the quality of the glass and the attention to detail in its installation that marks out a window as an active heat insulator. Up to 25% of the heat in your home can leach out through single pane glass and cold-bridging in a shoddily engineered frame. Where the frames are in good condition, consider replacing and upgrading the glazing itself with a quality choice such as Viking Energy Glass for searing U-values as low as 1.2 in a double glazed unit. Energy glass not only retains the passive solar gain gifted by light entering through the windows, but reflects more of this warming energy back into the room. There's a free no obligation survey by the firm, and the savings compared to a full window replacement could be as much as 50%.
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