Listed Building Conversion - Double Glazing

[MatthewC]

I've already been in contact with Ventrolla

My neighbour (we are semi-detached) had Ventrolla in to do his windows and they did quite a good job (possibly expensive?). However, the first thing they do is do break all your old wavy glass as they replace it all with new. So, if you go with them and IF your CO is happy with this (I don't think our CO knew about my neighbour!), could you please remove some decent size pieces before they get there? I need at least two bits of wavy 2mm about 28.5" X 16.5" for my two over two sashes (and would like some more as spares for when I get round to repairing them).

 

[pdg87]

Thanks for the info OG

To be fair to OG, although at first I thought the original post was a bit 'salesey' there was actually some really useful information in there for me. I had also already considered Ventrolla a while back, but for some reason had got it in my head they only did restoration rather than full replacement.

I have them coming on at the start of December so will see what they say, seemed clued up on the phone. Not sure what pricing will be like but not expecting it to be pretty

@MatthewC Unfortunately the current windows are non-original (possibly late 1970's) If they had been original I would have been looking at secondary glazing as a preference. They are also 8 over 8

 

[88v8]

On with the advertiseyness ... which imho can sometimes be a significant improvement on what sometimes passes for advice in the average forum post... including some of mine harrumph.... anyway I got a price from Original Glass for 3:4:3 units with applied lead, ie outer pane leaded inside and out so that the external aspect does not present a bogus-looking unbroken single reflection as would happen with an internally sandwiched lead.
With machine-drawn glass - slightly wavy.

I know that sealed units don't last forever, and when one takes into account the eventual replacement cost I don't believe they actually save money, but for me the issue is condensation which is pretty bad here. On one of the bedroom windows for instance, I found that the elm sill has internally rotted to a depth of over 1", and been puttied, and rotted again, and filled with Woodflex, and rotted some more...
Most of the wood frames were renewed in the 70s, and the Crittalls that were put in at the same time are rusting despite PO's assiduous painting, I wonder why..... :?

The cost of the sealed units is less then I expected, and with a seven year guarantee I have no hesitation in proceeding. They will be face-puttied with the recommended goo, and painted so as to be visually indistinguishable from the present single-glazing. If we had old wavy glass it would be a very different matter, alas with the exception of one window all our glazing was renewed in the 1970s, with leads, but all float, yuk.

The secondary glazing I've devised here works to a degree but as the weather coldens, it's beginning to have its deficiencies revealed. It either mists internally due to inadequate thermal separation, or interstitially due to deficient sealing and the accumulation of damp air from inside and outside the house.
In an inherently damp house, I don't think secondary DG is a long-term solution, and I'm sorry that I've wasted so much time and effort on it. And for that matter still am, as I'm making an oak & elm secondary frame to fit within the stone mullion of our only original iron + wonky glass window.

Ivor

 

[Me!]

... anyway I got a price from Original Glass for 3:4:3 units with applied lead

Do you mind telling us how much it is please? I looked at their site and there wasn't any clue about the prices.

 

[Roger H]

As an aside, according to a colleague, SlimLite appears to have gone into liquidation (sorry - link doesn't work):

Name & Registered Office:
SLIMLITE DOUBLE GLAZING CO. LTD.
Company No. SC312725

Number of Cases: 1
To obtain details of the practitioner click on the appropriate case type description.
Case Number: 1 (of 1 cases)
Case Type: Compulsory Liquidation http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/practdetails?casenumb=1&casetype=Compulsory Liquidation

Order to Wind Up: 27/09/2013
Petition Date: 27/09/2013
Practitioner Release: 27/09/2013

 

[TheForge]

In defence of OG I've found his posts very informative, he obviously has a product to sell but has shared detailed technical information that has improved my knowledge of double glazing and helped me in sourcing glazing for our new back door.

In fact the info on thickness and cavities in relation to U-Values was very useful.

Tom

 

[OriginalGlass]

Thankyou Ivor and Tom,

Me, you have a PM

I don't think this is the first time for Slimlite going under?