Draughty sash windows (again)

With winter fast approaching, it has been decided that we really must do something about draughtproofing our biggish sash windows.
DIY has been ruled out because (following a search of past threads) we're really not up to complicated woodwork such as routing grooves, and in any case we just can't face the prospect of weeks of boarded-up windows, so it looks as though we're going to have to bite the bullet and pay to have it done by someone else.
Ventrolla is one name that has cropped up on the forum, as has The Sash Window Company. We also have brochures from Sash Window Solutions and The Sash Window and Door Company. I'm guessing, but suspect that they are all franchises.

Any advice or comments would be most gratefully received, as would opinions about getting hold of one of the DIY kits and employing our trusty builder to do the work.

xxx M

I don't know any names other than those that you've already mentioned.

As regards getting your trusty builder to do it, the following may be of some modest help (don't ask me who Steve Venus is!):

http://www.sashwindows.co.uk/diy/sash-window-kits.html

http://www.handymanknowhow.co.uk/savingenergy/draft%20proofing%20sash%20windows.htm

You obviously have confidence in your builder, but does that extend to knowledge of his carpentry/joinery work? I don't mean to suggest that fitting draughtproofing to a sash window is the acme of woodworking skills, but it does require a fair degree of competence and skill - particularly when a slip of the router could irreplaceably damage some fine old structure.

'Fraid I can't be any more help than that. But I'm sure others will be.

Can't offer a huge amount of advice Moo, except to say that if you already know a good joiner then there's no reason why they couldn't do it for you - it certainly doesn't have to be a sash window specialist.

I've done a few of my windows now myself, it's not a difficult process and whilst I'm "handy" I'm certainly not a time-served joiner. I can understand why you want to get someone in rather than do it yourself, but if a half-decent DIY bod can do it then any competent joiner should have no trouble.

Do watch what materials they intend to use though. For example, parting strips can be wood as per the original but with a brush strip added in - so fairly unobtrusive - like this:-

http://www.reddiseals.com/sash-window/timber-parting-beads.html
http://www.mightonproducts.com/section/41/1/timber-parting-bead

Or they can be nasty push-to-fit flappy plastic things, like this:-

http://www.reddiseals.com/sash-window/plastic-parting-beads.html
http://www.mightonproducts.com/section/66/1/weather-proofing-system

The flappy plastic version would be quicker and easier to fit, especially if the groove in the sash box was damaged, so a fitter looking for a quick turnaround on a job might look to use these. Maybe I'm too fussy but I think they're hideous!

One final thing - rather than buying a kit, I found it cheaper to buy the bits individually from Reddiseals or Mightons - plus of course you get exactly what you want and need rather than a "one size fits all" kit.

Thanks for the links, Feltwell. I'm looking at doing mine soon (while it's still warm-ish). The trouble is I think my parting beads are quarter inch, and everyone sells 8mm. Do they not realise that we were Imperial when our windows were made?

Once again I read Moo's draughty window thread with great interest as last year we only managed to stuff them with paper and Sellotape card over.

Hopefully this winter we can tackle the bedroom one as a DIY project, so many thanks for the links chaps!

Good luck Moo, I hope you can get it sorted cheaply and effectively. Have you popped your secondary glazing back yet?

Did anybody try the strip of draught proofing 'caulk'from Scotts of Stow, in the end?

Not yet, but if we run true to our usual snail-pace form I'm certain we'll be ordering some this year.

Moo said:

Not yet, but if we run true to our usual snail-pace form I'm certain we'll be ordering some this year.

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Steady on! You can't go rushing headlong into these things. You'll need some time to think about it (with a cup of tea and a K-K of course!).

I've eaten my kit kat and decided we'll troddle down to Stow and get it-- have you seen the price of postage for online goodies--- I refuse to pay it so some of my favourite online shops are loosing out and I have to go without or, alternatively day trip to the small retailer where they have an outlet -- fortunately some do have outlets nearby. grrrrrr!

Now there's a thought!
I shall toddle down to the blessed Thorns and challenge the manager to get me some.

xxx

I've just done the annual ritual of stuffing rolled up kitchen roll into the gaps round our lounge bay sash windows, which does make a real difference. Not exactly technical, I just push it into all the gaps with a wooden kitchen spatula.

Note to self - I MUST get around to sorting that window out properly next year..............

Moo said:

I shall toddle down to the blessed Thorns and challenge the manager to get me some.

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It will be interesting to see if Thorns can get hold of the exact stuff--- try as I might nobody here seems to have it, plenty of the self adhesive tape but not the removable one. Let me know if you are lucky.

There are alternatives to brushes (still using timber parting beads)

http://www.reddiseals.com/sash-window/sofseal.html

I have been doing some research and users of brushes that have installed soft seal think this product is of higher quality.
I am not an expert and I am draught proofing my windows next month so I am seriously considering soft seal.
Please let me know if any of you has any experience with this product.

Thanks

monmaison2009 said:

There are alternatives to brushes (still using timber parting beads)

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They must be fairly new out - I don't remember seeing those when I last bought some beads from Reddiseals (about 18 months ago).

I'd love to hear if anyone's tried them, I need to order some more beading soon. Brush seals seem to do a pretty good job, and certainly make the window much easier to open & close if fitted correctly - but there's always room for improvement.

I am getting my windows done this week with the reddiseal softseal ...
I will post my comments next week.

oooo please do, just what we need on one of our windows, we've just peeled the rubber bit off a left over brush strip from the front doorand shoved it into the gap between the sashes, but i think we need to be a bit more drastic than that!!!!

Feltwell said:

Or they can be nasty push-to-fit flappy plastic things, like this:-

http://www.reddiseals.com/sash-window/plastic-parting-beads.html
http://www.mightonproducts.com/section/66/1/weather-proofing-system

The flappy plastic version would be quicker and easier to fit, especially if the groove in the sash box was damaged, so a fitter looking for a quick turnaround on a job might look to use these. Maybe I'm too fussy but I think they're hideous!

Click to expand...

FWIW we had ours done this year and our joiner used the plastic parting bead in your second link - we discussed it with him at length because we felt the wooden ones were more traditional/in-keeping but he swore by the plastic ones and he has done a lot more sash windows (hundreds) than me (none) so we took his advice. He reckoned the wooden/brush ones get dirty and look crappy after a while whereas the plastic are good for a long time.

He's just finished them and I have to say they work really well - excellent draft proofing and easy to slide. They don't look too bad either - you'd never know unless you closely inspect them!

Interesting, BlueC (that's not short for Blue Circle is it??? :shock: )

(A well known brand of cement for those that wonder what the hell I'm going on about)

Interesting to hear that they are hard to notice - the aethetics was my objection, I'm sure they work OK. I presume your windows are painted white though? If coloured I would have thought they would stand out. Mind you, so do the white brush strips against a coloured parting bead, although they are a lot smaller.

Be interesting to see what they are like in a few years, if the UV light makes the plastic harden. At least they are an easy item to change if needed.

BlueC said:

He reckoned the wooden/brush ones get dirty and look crappy after a while whereas the plastic are good for a long time.

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Hmm - I shall take a look at the oldest of mine, only about 3 years old but in a very exposed spot, and report back......

Update - here they are, in "so close it shows every little imperfection and makes them look worse than they are" close up camera mode ! :-



A little bit grubby, but not as bad as the frame of the window. Not cleaned in erm, erm, a long time.....

(It's 3 very tall storeys up and the window cleaner's ladder doesn't go that high. That's my excuse!)

monmaison2009 said:

I am getting my windows done this week with the reddiseal softseal ...
I will post my comments next week.

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How did you get on Monmaison?

MatthewC said:

Thanks for the links, Feltwell. I'm looking at doing mine soon (while it's still warm-ish). The trouble is I think my parting beads are quarter inch, and everyone sells 8mm. Do they not realise that we were Imperial when our windows were made?

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Well, 8mm is about 5/16" - so you may be able to persuade them to fit with a little planing. It is strange they quote them as being in mm but I've always found they fit and timber merchants only tend to sell one size, which makes me think they were 5/16" as standard. An early British Standard covered sash windows, not sure how early though!