At Home with Sarah Beeny Autumn 2015 - 116

| GLASS ACT|

IN K E E P I N G W ITH
T H E P E R I OD

If you're fortunate enough to call a
period or heritage property home,
it's important to choose windows
that are in keeping with the style
of the building. The proportion and
details of the windows should not be
altered, as they're an important part
of the character of the property.
This is especially important in
a conservation area, to maintain
the aesthetic integrity of the
district - your local authority will
be particularly concerned with the
windows at the front of the house.
In the case of a listed building,
you'll need consent from the local
planning authority if you want to
make any changes to it.
Fortunately, some companies now
specialise in the replacement of
windows in heritage properties,
and can sensitively recreate any
style, in keeping with the rest of the
building and the area, while still
offering the enhanced energy
efﬁciency of modern windows.
Even the distinctive stained-glass
windows of Art Deco properties,
aluminium-framed lead glass
windows, and curved, shaped windows
can be carefully replicated, with
the thermal performance people
now expect from their homes.

S H O W M E T H E S AS H

Sash windows became popular in
the Georgian and Victorian period,
and are found on many period
properties. If you have a house or
ﬂat with wooden sash windows,
you'll know how beautiful they are,
but also that they tend to be draughty
and can let out a lot of heat.
This is especially true if they
haven't been well maintained, and
the frame or glass has become loose
in the sash box, or the wood has
started to rot due to age or moisture.
There are a number of companies
that specialise in double-glazed
sash units. They may be more
expensive than standard window
units, but they will maintain the style
of the property while improving the
warmth and sound insulation in
your house. There are PVC or
wooden double-glazed options, and
some designs with ultra-slim glass
are suitable for conservation areas
- but check ﬁrst with your local
planning authority, because if
they're not deemed 'like for like',
you will unfortunately be made
to take them out again.
116 | NOVEMBER 2015

TAKE A S E COND

Want or need to keep your
property's original windows?
Secondary glazing can be a good
compromise. It's a less expensive
choice if you don't have the budget
for a total window replacement.
It can also be a solution for
boosting the warmth and energy
efﬁciency of your home if the local
planning authority has decided your
original windows must stay in place
because you're in a listed building or
conservation area.
Made-to-measure glass panels
are attached inside your current
windows using magnets (if
temporary), or set permanently in
sliding panels (if ﬁxed). They're
unobtrusive and take up virtually
no space on your window sill, and
they allow you to keep the period
features of your property intact
while enjoying the beneﬁts
of double glazing.

P LAS TIC
FANTAS TIC

Shedding light

If you don't live in
HERITAGE WINDOWS
a conservation area
CAN BE REPLACED,
or listed building,
you have a broader
EVEN IF STAINED OR
range of options for
LEAD GLASS
your windows, and
you may decide that
uPVC double- or tripleglazed window units are your
best choice. They offer security and
are great for keeping the cold out,
the warm air in and increasing the
energy efﬁciency of your home.
They're good for cutting down
on sound pollution from outside.
They're highly weather-resistant,
long-lasting and need very little
maintenance. They're less expensive
than wooden double glazing, but that
doesn't mean they have to look
cheap and nasty - they've come a
long way in recent years, and can
even be designed to mimic your
original windows, including stained
glass effects. Wood effects mean they
can be virtually indistinguishable
from wooden windows. Different
colours are available, too. >

'IF YOU WANT OR NEED TO KEEP ORIGINAL
WINDOWS, SECONDARY GLAZING CAN BE A GOOD
COMPROMISE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET
FOR A TOTAL WINDOW REPLACEMENT'
At Home with Sarah Beeny Autumn 2015

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