Future proof your home: New windows – an investment

When it comes to future proofing your home there are so many ways to stay ahead of the curve.

Our guest blogger this week is Rob Gavin, Sales director at Aluminium Bending Specialists. Here to talk about how you can improve your home with new aluminium triple glazed windows.

Whether you’re looking to move, wanting to spruce up your home or you’re in a new house looking for that homely feel; new windows could be the way to go. They can be cost effective if you go about it in the right way which is a good thing for you. Especially with the uncertainty of Brexit looming over the UK at the moment. Not only will new windows give you the look you want, but they could improve your heating bills in the coming months, and keep the noise from the nearby road out of earshot. But how do you choose the right ones? Will they look good? And where should you start? Very good questions, which is why I’d like to explain how you can add value to your home with a window upgrade.

There are a number of factors you’ll need to look into when choosing new windows. For example, most houses come with double glazing as standard. It's effective, traps the heat well and looks good. So, it’s a rule of thumb that anything less than that would be a bad idea. However triple glazing has been around for a while now and while it didn’t get a lot of traction to begin with, it has quickly become a mainstream, popular choice for homeowners.

Triple glazing is crafted with three panes of glass instead of two. The cavities created between each pane are filled with harmless heavy gas like argon or krypton to create extra thermal efficiency. The efficiency rating used for windows is called U-Value, it measures how well the windows trap heat and keeps you warm on a Winter’s night. The lower the number the better the windows are at keeping in heat. Double glazing has a U-value of 1.6 while triple glazing is listed at 0.8. This goes to show that although it seems a small difference, the relative difference is vast. Put simply, triple glazing works well and will aid in keeping your home warm. This will, in turn, lower your heating bills and make your home a more desirable purchase when you come to sell it. 

In today’s age, everything is about style. And your home is no exception to this, you can increase the value of a house by following the trends and making sure you implement a look that will work for a long time. Now, most people will be thinking of brand new, white window frames. But for the foreseeable future aluminium windows look to be the forerunner. Their charcoal colour compliments your home by accentuating the contrast between brick and window. They’re becoming the norm as they sweep across the UK.  What’s more, they are a great investment; an aluminium window will typically last for 45 years due to the fact that they don’t degrade the same way that uPVC window frames do. They don’t rust either which means there is no risk or worry. But back to style; because aluminium windows can be made to look so thin while keeping their thermal efficiency, they enable a minimalist look that works for both modern and traditional houses. Once again, this will add value to your home because they will be a sought-after feature and if you are the only ones that don’t have them, you’ll be left in the dust. 

Okay so how do you start the process? A few easy steps to help you on your way:

·       Decide your budget

·       Choose the style – uPVC or aluminium

·       Do you want double or triple glazing?

·       What kind of shape so you need?

·       Call a local company to size up and quote – But look around at a few!!