Further Information

When people require new windows or the repair of existing windows, it is generally for one of three reasons:

  • Existing windows are rotten or in a state of disrepair.

  • Existing windows let in cold air, draughts and/or noise.

  • Original timber windows have been replaced at some point with dying uPVC or aluminium windows; or a solid piece of glass has been inserted into the old box with louvered glass at the top. The character of the house has been lost and residents wish to restore the fenestration in accord with its original design.

At The Original Double Glazed Sash Window Replacement Company Co. Ltd, we are dedicated to doing absolutely the best job possible. We generally recommend replacing the entire window, including its box, rather than doing a partial replacement as some companies suggest. Alternatively, if the windows are basically sound, we advise minimal intervention, i.e. overhauling and draught-proofing to prevent further deterioration. We believe that the compromise solutions offered by some companies (e.g. simply patching rot, or putting new frames into existing boxes) represent a false economy as they are in fact quite costly and do not achieve satisfactory and durable results.

Many people are interested in double-glazed timber windows for noise reduction. One of the ways that that sound vibrates through traditional sash windows is through the box itself. The weight chamber is literally a hollow box, like the sound box of a violin or a guitar, and it reverberates, transmitting noise accordingly. The best way to solve this problem is to ‘deaden’ the box against the building. We achieve this in two ways. First, we eliminate the traditional box structure by using spiral balances instead of weights on most of our windows (unless the client prefers weights). Second, we use expanding foam in the brick cavity when fitting the new box. Expanding foam not only insulates for sound and draughts, but literally glues the box to the building itself, thus deadening the box against vibration and consequent noise transmission.

Because the foundations of all buildings move over time, all old sash boxes are out of square, some more than others. For this reason, replacing solely the sash frames means that they must be made oversize and scribed on site to fit the actual trapezoid shape of the existing box. We do not recommend this procedure because it achieves negligible savings in cost and is more labour intensive and far less satisfactory than fitting a completely new box—the entire window has to be taken apart, which weakens the structural integrity of the window still further and necessitates complete redecoration.

At The Original Double Glazed Sash Window Replacement Company Ltd, we can make a perfectly square box and fit the sashes properly in our workshop prior to painting. Component parts of the windows are decorated prior to their assembly. This process enables us to decorate all parts of the window, even those which will later be hidden from view. By painting even those sections of the box which will be buried in the brickwork, we prevent the problem of old dry-rot spores (left on the brick from the previous windows) jumping into the fresh wood and infecting the windows from the inside. The result is a durable window which is produced to the highest technical standards and fully maintains architectural integrity.

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