What to look for when shopping for new upvc windows

[richieboy]

I've been looking to either replace a blown pane in my 15year old upvc windows or just replace the whole unit and so far have only gotten one proper quote back to replace the whole thing from a local company but realised from seeing the quote I have no idea if the spec Is any good. It says this:

To supply and fit liniar a rated white upvc window. Glazed with clear 28mm soft (low e) argon filled, black super spacer bar sealed units with white Georgian grille (internal) bar. Window locks with shoot bolt locking and white handles.

It's 1800x1200 with three panes total, one small opener at top and opener on side and a fixed window under the top opener, £600, so...essentially I'm wondering does the product itself sound OK in terms of wanting decent quality unit with hopefully very little condensation, and OK price?

 

[Johno please?]

Just make sure its a local company not a national, price doesn't sound bad though, if you want a good "spec" then ask for triple glazing.

The condensation will be down to your house and airflow etc, nothing to do with what window you buy.

 

[rodders]

Triple glazing is best for noise reduction.
If you want the best for thermal insulation, double glazed units are better, they make an A+ rated double with insulated frame as well. Triple glazed units cannot fit in the insulation in the frame, thus only A rated.

Two different windows for two different tasks.

 

[roadie]

I need to replace the single glazed timber sash windows in the flat I have just bought with double glazing. Every other flat has replaced their windows already, with those also on the first floor using top hung UPVC frames with internal Georgian bars. I will match this.

I'm considering 3 local companies, each who fit windows from different manufacturers; Duraflex, Rehau and Veka. What I am struggling with is the difference between each manufacturer. There doesn't seem to be much information out there to compare what is different and better/worse between the different profiles available. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Triple glazing is best for noise reduction.
If you want the best for thermal insulation, double glazed units are better, they make an A+ rated double with insulated frame as well. Triple glazed units cannot fit in the insulation in the frame, thus only A rated.

Two different windows for two different tasks.

Do you have anything to back this up?

When I was looking (pre house move) the concensus was that triple gave an improvement in noise and insulation, but that the gain in insultion over double was limited compared the gain from double over single.

I was advised that people dont like the extra depth and slightly higher distortion, but if you are happy to accept them then why not go for triple.

It was explained to me its like stand next to a single glazed and it feels like a cold zone and draft, double gets rid of the cold zone feeling but the draft is still there to some extent. Triple basically makes it feel like both have gone are vastly reduced.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Just googled and this seems to match what I was being told before

"Which is where triple glazing comes in. Because if double glazing makes a modern house more comfortable to live in, triple glazing makes it even more so.

The physics involved here have been worked out in Germany by the PassivHaus Institute. It has shown what happens to surface temp*eratures on various forms of glazing when it gets really cold outside, and the internal air temperature is designed to be at 21°C:

Next to a single glazed window, the internal surface temperature is around 1°C.
Next to a double glazed window (2000 vintage), the surface temperature is around 11°C.
Next to a modern, energy-efficient double glazed window, the surface temperature is 16°C.
Next to a triple glazed window, with a centre-pane U value of just 0.65, the temperature is 18°C.
So you can see that whilst a double glazed window is perfectly adequate, a triple glazed one is just that much more comfortable, because it hangs onto heat just that little bit better. So whilst triple glazing may make little difference to your heating bills, you will notice the difference inside the house."

https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/does-triple-glazing-make-sense/

 

[robj20]

Triple is better than double, if your getting new anyway and can afford them go for it.
Look for insulated frames as well.

 

[Spike_UK]

The only advice I can give, having recently replaced two windows, is to get more than one quote from different companies and stick to local companies. The national companies are way overpriced.

I ended up getting four quotes. Two from the market leading national sellers and two from locals.

For two windows (one bay window, one bedroom window) the price ranged from £1200 to £2500!

 

[Simon42]

How does the overall glazing thickness affect the benefits between double and treble glazed?

When I looked at samples from two companies they were the same thickness no matter whether double or treble. However the figures I found online always showed treble glazed as thicker which seems logical given the importance of the air gap.

 

[Hedge]

Under no circumstances give Safestyle any business. Most vile company I've ever encountered.

 

[rodders]

Do you have anything to back this up?

When I was looking (pre house move) the concensus was that triple gave an improvement in noise and insulation, but that the gain in insultion over double was limited compared the gain from double over single.

I was advised that people dont like the extra depth and slightly higher distortion, but if you are happy to accept them then why not go for triple.

It was explained to me its like stand next to a single glazed and it feels like a cold zone and draft, double gets rid of the cold zone feeling but the draft is still there to some extent. Triple basically makes it feel like both have gone are vastly reduced.

The last DG company I had in, had A+ rated double glazed and A rated triple.

I questioned this thinking triple is obviously better and that was the response he gave. I assume their rating bases is on some official test (albeit we shouldnt assume) and is some what credible.

 

[Johno please?]

The last DG company I had in, had A+ rated double glazed and A rated triple.

I questioned this thinking triple is obviously better and that was the response he gave. I assume their rating bases is on some official test (albeit we shouldnt assume) and is some what credible.

Triple glazed windows with a 38 to 40mm sealed unit will be the best you can get, just replaced them all in my place, so quiet and warm in there now.

 

[ristac]

My future son-in-law works for Saint-Gobain, he used to work for CET a double glazing glass supplier.

1) Triple glazing (if being purchased for keeping the heat in benefits) would actually take a lifetime to pay for itself, that is the extra cost to supply it over new standard double glazing.

2) Anglian windows are the only people that manufacture their own frames and glass, they are by far the best. All others use 2-3 different suppliers for frame and glass combinations.

Local firms probably get their glazed units from Epwin http://www.epwin.co.uk/our-brands/ taking Anglian Windows out of it, your double glazed units are basically all the same whichever company you go for, the costing is all in the frame supplier.

The spec in the op is standard, price a little high. Time to replace a window should be not much more than an hour, I wouldn't be happy paying more than £100 labour, take a look at http://www.justdoorsuk.com/diy-windows.php for an idea of costs.

For the record, he has just shelled out big money for Anglian Windows double glazing. He could have had triple glazing through his contacts and a local guy fit it for under half the price he paid.

Me personally, I've been using a local firm to replace mine one at a time for affordability, most expensive window so far £500 for our largest bedroom window, two side openers, one middle top opener and cheapest £200

French Doors are coming in between £950 and £1100 Georgian

 

[Johno please?]

My future son-in-law works for Saint-Gobain, he used to work for CET a double glazing glass supplier.

1) Triple glazing (if being purchased for keeping the heat in benefits) would actually take a lifetime to pay for itself, that is the extra cost to supply it over new standard double glazing.

2) Anglian windows are the only people that manufacture their own frames and glass, they are by far the best. All others use 2-3 different suppliers for frame and glass combinations.

Local firms probably get their glazed units from Epwin http://www.epwin.co.uk/our-brands/ taking Anglian Windows out of it, your double glazed units are basically all the same whichever company you go for, the costing is all in the frame supplier.

Ah we buy our stock glass from Glass Solutions in bristol, owned by saint gobain.

Well yea, Anglian (like Everest) are a huge company and charge huge prices.

All sealed units are most definitely not the same....we've replaced glass units that are a year old in the past. Some companies like to cut costs by using hardly any mix around the edges, thus shortening the life of the unit.

2) Anglian windows are the only people that manufacture their own frames and glass, they are by far the best. All others use 2-3 different suppliers for frame and glass combinations.

Not true im afraid, because my old mans business make frames and sealed units (the only company in swindon who do) Although we would probably make more money if we bought it in like other companies, seeing as everyones (in the industry) totally devalued PVC windows.

I'm sure theres plenty of other small firms that make everything as well.

Triple glazing has another benefit apart from helping keep heat in, which is obviously sound insulation, if you live on a busy road I would insist on it.