The last few decades have led to our historic windows being seen as something of a liability rather than the asset they truly are!

As efforts are increasing to make our old buildings more energy efficient, replacement windows have become an even greater threat.

Our ultimate mission is to protect them, but why are we so passionate?

Firstly, replacement windows destroy our built heritage.

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Windows are an integral part of the design of period properties and are important artefacts in their own right.

Window design has evolved continuously over the centuries, so can be an invaluable asset in dating buildings and telling the unique story of your home.

The architectural style, the framing materials, the fittings, the size and proportions to the very glass it holds can tell you so much about the era of which it was built and the person who owned it.

Secondly, replacement windows are not sustainable.

In an effort to reduce their carbon foot print historic home owners might replace their single glazed, traditional windows with double glazed UPVC (plastic) units.

But the WWF found that on average, these windows are replaced after just 18 years, commencing a cycle of waste and replace.

Yet traditional widows are quite literally built to last and have seen multiple lifetimes.

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This is because the quality of a traditional window far surpasses its modern counterpart, not just in the materials like timber and metal but in the quality of the workmanship, and the glass is often made by hand.

Whereas, UPVC windows are produced on a mass scale assembled from factory-made components designed for rigidity and ease of production.

If you really want to fight climate change, preserve your old windows and double glaze them! The greenest window is the one already installed.

Thirdly, original windows are more authentic to your home.

A large part of a historic home’s character is held in its windows.

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Original windows were custom built, by hand, to fit their frames and complement the design of the house in a way that no replacement can.

Which is why replacing these monuments can even reduce the value of your home.

Buyers of historic properties will pay a premium price for homes with their original features still intact, with estate agents reporting that the most important features buyers looked for were original floors and windows.

So just to recap, traditional windows are historically significant, sustainable, the best quality, authentic to your home and up its value, we could say more but you get the idea!

Join us on our mission in protecting them!

To find out more about the benefits of our secondary glazing units, please click here.