Are Crittall's steel-framed windows of yore that much worse for insulation than cheapo plastic-framed double-glazed units?
In terms of heating bills, how long would it take to amortize the cost (ca. £5,000) of replacing steel-framed windows with the uPVC variety? I reckon it would take literally years before one had paid off the costs through fuel savings.
What if the steel-framed windows are furnished with secondary double-glazing? Doesn't this make them equal to uPVC?
MM
"Mike Mitchell" wrote | Are Crittall's steel-framed windows of yore that much worse for | insulation than cheapo plastic-framed double-glazed units? | In terms of heating bills, how long would it take to amortize | the cost (ca. £5,000) of replacing steel-framed windows with | the uPVC variety? | I reckon it would take literally years before one had paid | off the costs through fuel savings.
Quite possibly longer than plastic windows last.
If your windows are old and draughty you could consider replacing them with new Crittall windows - they're still made, but to updated standards of insulation - which might be more in keeping with the period of your property.
Owain
How much is your heating bill? How many square meters do your windows add up to?
Not quite.
I don't mean for me. I mean just as a general rule.
Interesting, I didn't know that Crittall were still about. Mine are 85 years old (I think) with mainly original oak frames and good quality brass furniture. All leaded lights with individual glasses. Still serviceable but a little draughty at times. I've been thinking about replacing them but haven't been able to find a good alternative. Leaded lights are essential but this reduces the light by approx. 20%. This is an old house with small and few windows, maximum light input is also essential. Plastic/aluminium frames have very much larger glazing bars which further restricts the light input. I will try to find a little more info on modern Crittalls. Many thanks Phil
them crittal windows look great to me. when my placy ones are getting tired after their 20 year lifespan, i will fit new crittall ones to match what was once there.
steve
In article , Phil writes
I've read up on draught proofing steel windows with a carefully applied and formed bead of silicone - left to set before the window is closed of course ;-), but can't find the link. Probably came from one of the sites linked from members page of the steel window association if you fancy having a search.
I have draught-proofed my wooden windows. Take some packing tape (you probably want to dust it with a little flour so that it does not stick very hard, or use proper low-tack tape). Now, place inside where the window seals. Smear a light layer of margarine on the tape. Now, run a bead of silicone along the outside edge of the window. Close window. Leave a couple of days. Remove tape, wipe edge of silicone with a hot soapy rag to remove grease.
"Phil" wrote | "Owain" wrote | Interesting, I didn't know that Crittall were still about. Mine are 85 | years old (I think) with mainly original oak frames and good quality | brass furniture. All leaded lights with individual glasses. Still | serviceable but a little draughty at times.
Mmmm, nice. Bet there arent' amny of them left these days.
| I've been thinking about replacing them but haven't been able to | find a good alternative. Leaded lights are essential but this | reduces the light by approx. 20%. This is an old house with | small and few windows, maximum light input is also essential. | Plastic/aluminium frames have very much larger glazing bars | which further restricts the light input. | I will try to find a little more info on modern Crittalls.
Owain
As a general rule, installing double glazing for energy efficiency alone never pays. If you have money available for improving energy efficiency of your house, probably just about anything else you spend it on will be more effective, and stand a chance or repaying itself within a few years, or at least withing the lifetime of whatever you bought.
However, if there's something wrong with your existing windows such as particularly drafty, or they're beyond repair in some other respect, then that's a different matter, as you aren't replacing them purely for energy efficiency reasons.
Prior to April 2001, I would also suggest avoiding the Pilkinton K glass. The money I saved on that paid for a condensing boiler and replacement of a single storey ceiling with a thermally insulated one, measures which do make energy efficiency sense. Sadly, you no longer have this choice today -- I made sure to get mine done just before April 2001.
See
I hate modern uPVC replacements! Not all, but many are very, very ugly and do not match the style of property. I reckon most of them are an abomination.
MM
Certainly. But more to the point theyre also much worse than traditional single glazed wood windows. The steel frame is an excellant conductor of heat: not a shred of insulation there. I've experienced them in 2 places: in one the room with the metal window was horrendously cold, and when the window was replaced with something modern, suddenly the place was warm and comfortable.
The other place had an enormous area of 1930s steel windows, but was not cold. But then it had an equally vast area of radiator running the whole length of the windows. Extremely wasteful. Must have been something like 3x or 4x the normal amount of radiator area in that room.
Not recommended!
No but it would help hugely.
Regards, NT
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