Darren Ballantine: Key Account & Business Development Manager, Metro Glass
First cab off the rank is any change in improving the efficiency of a home is a step in the right direction.
The next point is in doing this, be careful not to throw good money after bad.
So it is fantastic that a person is wanting to make their home a more comfortable, healthier place to be and in doing this the home will consume less energy, meaning less cost to run, and it is less of a drain on our finite energy resources and lessen the need to produce more energy.
Windows are acknowledged as being a leading cause for both the loss of heat out of a home as well as contributing to heat gain if inferior solutions are offered (considerations such as window position, size, glass makeup selected etc).
This means windows are also a leading opportunity to gain thermal performance within a home and make it a more satisfying and happier place to live in for the occupants.
It also must not be forgotten that the key purpose of windows are to provide a healthy balance of light coming into a residence as well as a sense of connection to the outside world while being in your home (psychological benefits).
Key to achieve the above and not make a bad decision is to consult with knowledgeable people who are focussed on giving you best value for the money having listened to and considered your individual needs, wants and budget.
Our best advice is that, as this is a wide ranging subject depending on what the homeowner is wanting to achieve and to provide the best solutions, they need to consult with a trusted professional in the window industry, such as Metro Performance Glass so that informed decisions are made.
Clear-on-Clear double glazing may look like a good investment but this technology is now completely outdated considering the additional performance Low Emissivity Glass with Thermal Spacers, Argon Filled can provide to a homes performance at little additional cost.
Another important contributor to achieving significant lifts in performance is targeting 14mm to 16mm spacers in the double-glazed units if this is possible.
Then for ultimate performance gains the use of triple-glazing is the natural choice.
Each of these choices come with their own set of considerations and that again is where a reputable and engaged window advisor can greatly assist in making the best choice to suit the individual requirements of the homeowner or specifier.
Ultimately if people considering undertaking Super Renovations start with the Superhome Movement, who have a wealth of experience as to what the best options are and who are the right people to talk to and gain specialty advice from then that is a great way of avoiding not throwing good money after bad and actually achieving what is being set out to do if not more.
