Month: June 2019

Energy efficient uPVC windows offer a wide range of benefits. As well as offering a stylish look for your home, they also reduce your carbon footprint and help to lower your heating costs. But what makes uPVC windows so effective at reducing your heating costs?

How it Works

Double glazed windows are constructed of two panes of glass with a layer of air, usually around 16mm thick, in between. Glass is a conductor of heat, meaning that the warm air in your home will conduct through the glass to meet the cooler air outside. The layer of air between the panes of glass acts as insulation, preventing the heat from transferring through to the outside. In some windows, the cavity can be filled with a denser gas, such as Argon, which enhances the insulating properties of the gap.

In addition, triple glazing adds a third pane of glass and a second air cavity, leading to even less warmth escaping from your home.

Some windows also feature an invisible coating of metal oxide on one of the internal panes next to the cavity which reflects the heat back into the home.

How that affects your heating bills

Each home loses around 10% of its warmth through its windows. This means that your heating is working harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. With energy efficient windows, the heat transfers more slowly to the outside, meaning your home stays warmer for longer. This reduces the time your heating needs to be on, in turn, reducing the cost of heating your home.

What to look for

When buying new windows, it’s important that you know which ones will provide the most energy efficiency for your home. As well as the features mentioned previously, each window has a rating, provided by the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) to help you identify which windows are the most efficient. The rating system runs from A+ to G in a similar way to household appliances, with A+ offering the highest energy efficiency and G the lowest. There are two other rating systems provided by CERTASS and BSI, with the most energy-efficient windows carrying the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo.

At Progress Windows, we supply and fit a wide range of energy efficient double glazed windows. Design your new windows online and get an instant quote with our online window quote tool.

Double-glazed windows have a wealth of benefits. They are more energy efficient, so they reduce your heating costs and help to keep your home warmer. Double-glazing is also efficient at keeping unwanted noise from entering the home. Compared to single-paned windows, double glazing can reduce unwanted noise by as much as 50%. But how does double glazing work to reduce sound pollution?

How Sound Travels

To understand how double glazing works to reduce noise pollution, it’s important to first understand how sound travels. Sound is transmitted through waves, tiny vibrations which travel through the material between the source of the sound to our eardrums.

In order for sound to travel it needs material to pass through and the denser the material, the slower the sound travels. Thicker, denser materials will slow the sound waves down and reduce the volume.

How double glazing reduces volume

As discussed, sound travels more slowly through denser materials. Glass will, therefore, automatically reduce some of the volume of outside noise. Double glazing is composed of two panes of glass separated by a cavity, either filled with air or another gas such as Argon. The addition of a second pane of glass makes the window more effective at reducing the noise.

However, two panes of glass of the same thickness will reduce sounds of the same frequency. Some windows are specially designed with variable thickness in order to reduce different frequencies of sound. This makes them more effective at reducing unwanted outdoor noise.

Triple glazing

For additional protection against noise pollution, you might want to consider triple glazing. Adding a third pane of glass to the unit creates even more solid material for the sound to travel through, further reducing the volume. Triple glazing can also be created with variable thickness panes to create an even greater barrier against a broader range of frequencies.

At Progress Windows, we provide quality double and triple glazing in a range of styles and designs. If you are interested in finding out more about using double or triple glazing to reduce sound in your home, fill out a contact form and one of our advisers will be in touch.

There is nothing more comforting than sitting inside your home and enjoying a gorgeous view and especially here in the UK, feeling the warm sunlight shining through, helping bring the outdoors, inside. Without a doubt this is one of the biggest purchases in a self-build, extension or renovation and deciding on window styles can make or break your house design. If you are considering changing your current windows, these useful tips for choosing the right style for your home may come in handy.

1. Choose windows that reflect your home’s architectural style

All homes have an architectural design style that makes them unique, and choosing windows that match this design aesthetic is the first step in choosing the right windows. Whether you have a modern and contemporary home that features floor to ceiling glass windows and doors or you have a traditional Tudor style home with classic diamond-shaped mullions. Adhere to your home’s architectural style for guidance for example, both the vertical sliders and sash horn windows are perfect for a Victorian & Georgian feel.

2. Bring colour in

Depending on the colour and style of architecture of your home, you may opt for frames that bring colour to the exterior of your home. Many homeowners choose a colour for the trim of the house and use the same colour for the window frames and doors. Colourful frames can enhance the appearance of your home and the options are infinite. Chartwell Green, Dark Blue and racy Dark Red are always popular at Progress Windows. We do have a wide range of colours in our showroom to save you the time and heartache of choosing.

3. Selecting the right window for the amount of ventilation needed

One of the most essential purposes of a window is to let ventilation and movement of fresh air in and out of your rooms. Deciding which type of window suits your needs will help determine the type of window. From vertical sliders, tilt and turn windows, through to the wonderfully open French casement window and Bay windows. Bay and bow windows add immediate charm to any period property but are often seen on modern houses too, so don’t discount them. They give a wonderful feeling of space inside the room and maximise the amount of light entering the room by the increased number of panes, without compromising on security. Not a window, but if you love the smell of fresh cut grass and an unobstructed view of your garden, bi-fold doors stack neatly out of the way, providing gloriously open access to the garden and an expansive feeling inside. A great idea if you are sprucing up your back garden for summer.

4. Different operable windows for your home

Many homes utilise the classic sash window – which means the moveable portion of the window can move up or down. Tilt and turn windows look great in modern designed homes, providing an ideal solution in rooms where there is restricted space, both inside and outside. Additionally, they have the benefits of noise reduction, low maintenance, safety and security and energy efficiency.  Or you can open up your property to the surrounding environment with our beautiful and innovative French Casement windows. With the ability to open these windows to a full 90°, you can be sure of having the best views & ventilation in your home, together with the highest level of window security from Yale. Ensuring your windows are secured with the Yale Shootbolt locking system is vital. Yale even offer a £1000 security guarantee in the unlikely event of a break in.

5. Windows are a great renovation project

While your first thoughts for renovating may turn to your kitchen or bath, don’t forget about replacing old windows. New windows bring increased home value, enhanced safety & security, reduced dust & allergens and improved energy efficiency. All our windows have an A+14 rating; the highest level of energy efficiency. With the improved energy efficiency that new windows bring, you will notice your heating being needed less. This will help lower your energy bills, which means more money for doing the things you love. Your home is your castle. Your comfort zone. It’s the place you live, learn and grow. So don’t overlook replacing windows as an essential renovation project for your home.

We advise you to visit our showroom so you can see potential windows and doors in person. You’ll get a much better idea of the look and feel of a window or door when it’s displayed in its proper context, or an imitation of its proper context. Visiting in person also allows you to touch and feel the windows and doors, so you can physically experience the quality. Why not book an appointment today? We look forward to seeing you!