Losing heat from your home is a headache for most people; after all it doesn’t only mean that you feel the chill more, but also that you may be faced with higher energy bills too.
So what can you do to help?

There are a variety of things you can do to minimise the amount of heat lost through your windows, however, one of the most effective has to be installing double glazing throughout your home.

But how does double glazing reduce heat loss?

What Is Double Glazing?

Whilst many of us know the term double glazing, you might not completely understand what it means. Double glazing is simply a double pane of glass placed into a window frame.

Thanks to the use of a spacer bar between the panes, there is a minimal amount of space (sometimes only millimetres), which is not only energy efficient, but also can block out noise too.

How Does Double Glazing Reduce Heat Loss?

If you looked at a thermal image of a house you would see that heat gathers around a variety of places in the property, including the roof, the walls and the main culprit; the windows.

To reduce the loss of heat through the windows, double glazing is always recommended. The gap between the two panes of glass trap air; this air filled gap then becomes a barrier to the heat loss thanks to the air being a poor conductor of heat. This means that the heat cannot travel through the gap and be released outside.

How Much Can Double Glazing Save You?

We now know that double glazing can reduce heat loss through the windows of your home, but what does this actually mean for the average home owner?

It is thought that by installing energy efficient windows into your home, you could save as much as £8,211 in a typical detached house over a 20 year period.

Is Double Glazing Expensive?

Whilst there is an initial cost associated to double glazing, it may surprise you to know just how little it can cost. When deciding whether or not to opt for double glazing you should balance this cost with the on-going savings that you will see from lower energy bills.

Call The Experts At Cosyhomes Windows

Want to know more about how double glazing can help you cut down your energy bills? Why not get in touch with our expert team here at Cosyhomes Windows. We have the knowledge and expertise to give you stylish windows that will completely change the feel of your home. Give us a call now on 0208 397 4040 or drop us a message here.

In this day and age, it seems that we are a nation of DIYer’s; always looking to cut costs and do jobs ourselves. However, sometimes we may not know the right way to go about it and we usually end up creating more of a mess than we initially started.

Installing a window may seem like an easy task, when in reality it can be a very complicated process that requires expert knowledge and tools to complete to a high standard.

Here at Cosyhomes Windows, we have put together a ‘how to guide’ on the window installation process and explain how we can assist to ensure the job is finished to the highest standard.

Before You Start

It is extremely important that before you start you make sure that you have the right size, style and handing that you ordered. You will also want to check the opening size against the new window pane. The new window should be approximately 10mm smaller in both width and height than the opening.

Take Out Existing Windows

Once you have moved all of your ornaments, photos, blinds or curtains out of the way and laid down dustsheets, you can start to remove the existing window:

• You will need to remove all opening sashes with a screwdriver before you can remove the glass.
• Removing the glass is usually done by carefully cracking the glass and removing the shards. You will need to ensure that you have heavy duty gloves and goggles for this part of the process and always start from the top corner, discarding the shards of glass into a plastic bin as you go.
• Once all of the shards have been removed you will need to use a stanley knife to break the plaster seal that can be found around the window frame before using a crosscut saw to cut through the remaining mullion (vertical) and transom (horizontal) frame parts to remove them.
• It is important that during the frame removal process that you do not damage the plaster, brickwork and damp proofing of your property. Once you have cut through the frame it should be possible, by using a nail bar, to remove it away from the plaster.
• Any remaining debris can be removed using a masonry chisel.

Fitting The New Window Frame

Once the old window has been removed and the area has been cleared of debris, it is time to install the new window:

• The sill will need to be fitted so that it has around 5mm clearance between itself and the brickwork. Once you are happy that it is level (by using plastic packers) you can secure it using 8x 100mm fixing bolts 150mm from each end and at 600mm centres after that. You should not overtighten the bolts.
• Now it is time to run a bead of silicone along the back edge and secure the end caps into position using either silicone or superglue.
• You should remove the glazing beads from the window frame, marking their position up on the frame so that they can be returned to the correct position.
• Now it is time to pop the window frame into position. The base should fit snugly against the sill, ensuring that a tight seal is created with the silicone. You should make sure that you clean off any excess silicone that you find at that time. Once in place you will want to make sure that it is level.
• The window frame will need to be wedged into position using plastic packers, but you shouldn’t over pack as this can bend the framework.
• Open the vents of the window frame so that you can access the outer frame jambs. The bottom of the window can now be secured to the sill from each internal corner. Once it is secured to the sill, the window jambs should be secured into the brickwork that surrounds the window.
• Once completed, you should check that the screw heads are not standing proud as this can cause an issue with the positioning of the glass.
• Now you can close and lock all of the sashes, checking the outer frame to ensure a square fit.

Glazing

The last stage of the process is glazing. Glazing requires a gentle touch to ensure that the new glass does not crack or break during installation.

• Before you fit in the glass you will need to secure glazing bridges into the recess of the frame. Once you have done this you can position glazing packer, using silicone onto the glazing bridges, starting from the bottom first. If you have side hung sashes then you will want to secure an additional packer onto the bridge opposite the hinge side of the frame.
• Now is the time to add the glass into the opening. You will need to ensure that it is central and resting squarely on the packers. The glass should then be pushed in gently as far as it will go into the opening.
• You should position 2mm glass packers to square up where needed.
• Test the sashes by gently unlocking and opening them. This is to check that there is free movement between the glass and frame and to adjust if required.
• Replace the glazing beads into their marked original positions. You should always place the top first, then the bottom before finally replacing those on the side.
• To secure the window frame to the outside masonry, you will need to gun some silicone between the two. This should be left for 1 hour.
• Once you are happy with the window and that everything is dry, you should then remove all of the protective tape, clean and leave to dry.

Ask The Experts At Cosyhomes Windows

As you can see, installing a new window into your property is a complicated process that requires professional grade tools and experience. You also have to understand and translate heavily technical regulations from Local Authority and seek approval from Building Control to change any window or door. Whilst you still may want to give it a go yourself, you may find that it is a better idea to get in touch with a professional window installation company that can install quality windows into your home. This is where we can help. Give us a call now on 0208 397 4040 or contact us via our online form and one of our team will get back to you shortly.

Designed to replicate traditional timber box sash windows, uPVC sliding sash windows manufactured from the REHAU Heritage system will provide you with a traditional looking sash window combined with the numerous benefits of uPVC.

The REHAU Heritage system has been developed following extensive consultation with conservation bodies and as a result sliding sash windows manufactured from the system are the most distinctive and authentic-looking PVC-u sash window available on the UK market. Successfully approved and installed in conservation areas across the UK, REHAU Heritage Vertical Sliding Windows are suitable for any home. To add to that sliding sash windows manufactured from REHAU profile are now available in a range of finishes and colours.

Superbly engineered and of exceptional quality, sash windows manufactured from the REHAU Heritage system will add real value and style to your home without sacrificing performance. You will still experience the benefits of noise reduction, low maintenance, safety and security, and energy efficiency – our Heritage system can achieve an A-energy rating.

Classic-style hardware and fittings, and optional decorative horns replicate the traditional timber sash window to create a stunning finish. Further attention to detail in the form of brass, gold or chrome fixings, a deep bottom rail, optional Georgian or Astragal bars, and run-through horns add to a simply superior uPVC sash window. Cosyhomes can provide you with advice on the aesthetic features and options available.

A Record Year

We have had a record year on sash replacement with Rehau Heritage windows. Do take a look through our Gallery to see our latest completed installations – https://cosyhomeswindows.com/galleries/ or we are happy to accompany you to visit a property where we have recently replaced sash windows. Our community of customers are only too happy and proud to show off their new installations, and you can see on our reviews page what people think of us.

It’s all very well having the best window in the world but if you don’t have the right team to install it, you might as well have chosen from the low-end of the market. Our experienced team are experts and that is why we were accredited with the REHAU Authorised Partner status; for our consistency and standard of installation we have maintained over many years.

Now we could talk windows all day, and seeing a sample in the show room is helpful. However, the real testimony will be seeing it at a real home in real working order.

Contact us and let Cosyhomes be part of your double glazing surrey project. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Now, you have probably heard Cosyhomes say for a long, long time that all our windows come A-energy rated as standard and now I’m going to give away our secret on why…

Since 2010 Government legislation demanded that windows have a minimum Window Energy Rating (WER) of C or above. Around that time Cosyhomes was inundated with requests from glass suppliers trying to do business with us, attempting to oust our glass supplier whom we had a long-standing relationship with. This gave us some buying power and the excuse that we simply had to have the best.

We have always been a company that believes in high quality products and fitting the best available on the market. Not only does this fit our company ethos and the way we choose to work, it also makes our jobs easier and free-flowing at the same time as benefitting you, our customers. Cheaper products have proven not to stand the test of time, are harder to install, often entail problems, tend to need constant adjustments and tweaks – all of this impacts our customers, and us as a small business.

Leading up to the legal requirement on energy rated windows, Cosyhomes were one of the first companies around the Surrey area to say we only fit A-energy rated windows, at no extra cost. The big boys (we’ll mention no names) were confusing customers offering A, B and C rated windows, many stating that B rated windows were their standard, and our direct competitors were simply lagging behind. Now, not wanting to sound smug and arrogant but simply sing the praises of our team and support network, we stormed ahead and customers were impressed. Our window profile was already a top quality Rehau 5-chambered system; all that was left to sort out was the glass unit. The glass had to have a Warm Edge Spacer and had to be Argon Gas filled as well as specifications on the type of glass used to put the unit together. We struck such a great deal on the cost of our A-energy rated glass units – paying not much more than standard units – that we could swallow the difference and use it as a marketing opportunity.

Being a small, family business we haven’t got massive resources or expensive consultants – that’s how we keep our prices competitive. It would have been a massive task, and a confusing one at that, to have 3 different energy rated options for our customers; 3 sets of prices, different order forms for each, staff training, meetings with suppliers… the list goes on. Quite honestly, we wanted simple. Simple quotes, simple information, a simple ordering process – for us but more importantly our customers. That’s what people like about us – no gimmicks and no complications. The proof was in the pudding – all our customers were offered A-energy rated windows at no extra cost. Our forward thinking approach meant an increase in sales and customers approaching us as they had seen and heard about our A-energy rated windows.

Obviously many companies followed suit and in the last four years saw sense to only offer A-rated windows as standard. Now with the new 36mm and 44mm triple-glazing options from Rehau the energy ratings system has been all shook up again. Keep your eyes peeled for a future post on triple glazing and how to achieve an even better rating.

For more information, get in touch. We’d be happy to show you how your home could be more thermal efficient reducing heat loss and cutting down on your heating bills.

Cosyhomes Windows. Honest. Reliable. Family-run.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.