Steel Window And Doors

If you have been window shopping (no, literally) lately, you will have likely come across the term ‘double glazing’. Sound familiar? Double glazed windows have two layers of glass with a space between them, designed to reduce loss of heat and exclude noise.   But is it worth choosing double glazing over single glazing? As steel window and doors specialists, Jennyfields will give you a run down of why you should choose double glazing every time.   Better Insulation   Double glazing is developed to provide better insulation than traditional glazing. The double glazed windows provide a better barrier, and end up reducing the amount of heat loss from your house to the cold outer air. This way your house is better placed to retain the heat gained from the sun during the day.    Noise Reduction   Nobody likes noise pollution. Luckily, with double glazing you will not have to worry about this. As we stated in the previous point, they provide better insulation for noise compared to single glazing – this means they are great at keeping the outdoor noises, well, outside!   Double glazing ensures that your house is a quiet and relaxed environment away from the loud world outside. From neighbours, to street sounds, you will be able to forget it exists. The windows also keep any noise coming from your house inside. This keeps your conversations within the house.   Increased Property Value   Double glazing allows your house to retain heat that has accumulated during the day from the sun. More insulation also leads to reduced heating bills, as you’ll find that you need to turn on the heat far less often during the winter months.   Not only this, but during the summer months when the weather is much hotter, the cool house means you do not need to turn on the air conditioner as much.   It is Eco-friendly   Now more than ever, there is a heightened focus on protecting our planet. The impact of fossil fuels has been extreme, and it is vital that we reduce our negative effect on the Earth. As double glazing reduces energy consumption, it is much better for the environment, and can add to the eco-friendliness of your home.  Reduced Interior damage   Sunlight can be harmful to your physical possessions. As you may have noticed, UV rays can slowly cause damage to fabrics, affecting the colour in many cases. To prevent this, installing double glazed windows can minimise the amount of UV radiation that gets into the house. The insulation provided by double glazing means that your possessions won’t end up as damaged.   Get In Contact – Steel Window And Doors   Our expert team of specialists within the steel window and doors industry are confident in our ability to provide you the top quality service you need. We are a trusted family-run business operating with domestic and commercial clients throughout the South East of England for 35 years. For any questions or further information about our services, get in touch with us here. 

How do you stay within building regulations whilst replacing windows? As specialists in steel window and doors, we will guide you through everything you need to know. Complying to building regulations for replacement windows will not only benefit you in terms of energy performance. Should you ever sell our home, the buyer’s surveyor will require to see evidence of any windows replaced after April 2002. Failure to provide this information will be noted by the purchases solicitor and may lead to further problems finalising the sale.  Regulations Overview  Since 2002, it has been a requirement that you must see approval from the Building Control Department of your local council to show that replacements have been made in accordance with building regulations. The regulations apply for both England and Wales. However, there are some differences should you live in Scotland and Northern Ireland.  New replacement window fittings must comply with regulations. It is important to note that the replacement of glass only is not covered by the regulations. How To Ensure You Comply With Regulations There are a couple of ways that ensure that you comply with regulations. For both, you will need to obtain a certificate to prove your compliance.  Firstly, you can apply to your local council building control officer to get a certificate. This certificate will confirm that installations are completed in accordance with the regulations.  Alternatively, you can get a competent person who has been registered to self-certify under a competent persons scheme to provide a certificate after installations are complete.  All windows, including any roof-lights and roof windows, must meet the requirements in the regulations. They must also be fitted to comply with any relevant sections of the building regulations.  What Regulations Must Be Met Regulations that you must comply with when replacing windows include, but are not limited to:  L1 Conservation of fuel and power – This means that windows you use must attain the required U value. To achieve this you may be asked to prove that the glass you use is of a recognised quality and make. You may also be required to provide calculations to show how the U value has been attained.  N1 Glazing protection against impact – These rules surround the height of windows as well as the type of glass used for them.  Structural regulations in Approved Document A considers the support above windows and whether they are suitable.  Approved document B considers how occupants may escape in the case of a fire.  It is of utmost importance if your home is listed on a conservation area that you acquire planning permission. However, there may be exceptions or exemptions with regards to particular aspects of the building regulations to ensure that planning rules can be adhered to.  Summary  It is essential when you replace any windows in your home that you comply with building regulations. Doing so will help you improve the energy performance of your home. It will also help, should you ever wish to sell your home. Some key regulations that must be followed include the L1 conservation of fuel and power which requires your windows to attain the required U value. Additionally, the N1 glazing protection against impact regulations must be adhered to when it comes to the height and type of glass used in your windows.  Jennyfields – Steel Window And Doors  Our team of specialists for steel window and doors can confidently provide you the top quality service you need. We are a trusted family-run business operating with domestic and commercial clients throughout the South East of England for 35 years. For any questions or further information about our services, get in touch with us here. Give us a call on 01252 978238 or email us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! Take a look at our steel replacement services and features here.