Traditional sash windows – easy on the pocket, and on the eye
The eyes may be the window into your soul, but windows are the eyes into your home, and like any tired old eyes, they need care and attention to stop them from weeping.
The rattling, draughty, single pane frames of old are now more or less long gone. Those stories that your grandparents loved telling, when they would get up in the morning and break the ice on the inside of the window are themselves fading into the
distance as sliding sash window design has evolved beyond merely a solution to fill a hole in the wall, and become an integral part in optimising the energy efficiency of your home as a whole.
The beauty of timber box sash windows
Artisanal carpentry skills have been producing beautiful timber windows for centuries. The traditional box sash design has adorned Victorian and Edwardian homes for generations. But as many homeowners keen to uphold these original designs over the decades have experienced, their upkeep is expensive and like for like replacement comes at an eye wateringly premium price tag.
And while uPVC burst onto the scene back in the 1980s, the aesthetic did not match up. Indeed, in many conservation areas and grade listed properties, planning permission for projects replacing timber with uPVC has never been possible. But in areas where there was no such control, rotten wooden frames were ripped out and replaced with thick framed ugly designs that soon yellowed and warped in the sun.
Bringing energy efficiency into the mix
Aesthetics and performance in window design during the noughties took equal footing alongside an increasingly important consideration – energy efficiency. Even before New Zero burst onto the market, window manufacturers were factoring in the impact their products were having on heat loss within the home, and carbon emissions outside of it. Indeed, since 1990, UK housing stock has performed the worst out of all Western Europe in terms of reducing carbon.
The year 2000 was a massive turning point for the industry, and the last 20 years has seen a steady but definite move towards incorporating features which reduce thermal heat loss, improve solar gain, and eliminate air leakage. Intense product design also included slimmer uPVC profiles and a greater understanding of customer demands when it came to traditional and period designs.
Today, vertical sliding sash windows manufactured in uPVC have advanced to such a degree that they are being adopted in conservation projects as a viable alternative to traditional timber windows.
For the homeowner, this is a massive relief. While modern manufactured timber windows match their uPVC equivalent in terms of functionality and performance, price wise they are significantly more expensive, coming in at more than three times the cost. With a range of finishes and colours, modern designs can actually give you greater choice and flexibility in use, as well as enhanced security options.
Timber sash windows will always hold a special place in architectural design, and purists will only be satisfied with the results of craftsmanship that has been honed over years of experience and expertise. But today’s homeowners now have a better choice, and no longer have to compromise beauty or performance for price.
