How Sash Window Restoration Can Increase The Sale Value Of Your Period Property

Period homes, particularly those built during the 18th and 19th centuries, will often have elegant sash windows. In modern days some owners find these windows rather problematic. They may have become quite draughty, and they may rattle quite a bit. There can also be problems with condensation inside the home, and they may have relatively poor security features compared with more modern window designs. On the other hand they are an attractive feature, adding to the charm of many old buildings. This article will show how modern materials and techniques can be used to carry out a sympathetic restoration of period windows, and will explain how sash window restoration can increase the sale value of your property.

The owners of homes dating from the Georgian and Victorian eras may often wish to improve their windows while retaining the original character and appearance of the property. Sash window restoration using the best quality materials, and modern timber preservatives and paints, can give good results.

It is possible to recondition sash windows, ensuring that they work as originally designed, and removing the draughts and/or rattles which have developed over the years. The refurbishment can include the fitting of discreet weatherproof seals, and there are various options for the glazing, offering improved security, energy efficiency, and reduced noise intrusion.

During the course of a refurbishment project the window would be dismantled and the sashes and weights removed. The glass may be replaced with more modern, higher performing glass at this time. Loose joints in the sashes are secured and filled, and timbers are machined to accept concealed weatherproof seals. The weights and pulley system can be serviced, replacing the original cords, and balancing and oiling the mechanism.

The hardware on the window such as catches and lifting handles can either be serviced, or replaced. There are many options for security locks and window stops which can now be fitted. Security stops, which can be lockable, restrict the opening area. This can be both a security feature and a child safety feature.

Some owners may wish to take the opportunity of a sash window restoration to upgrade the glazing. It is possible to stay with single glazing, and upgrade to low E laminated glass. This reduces noise levels and improves the thermal performance of the windows.

Sash windows are unique feature of many period properties, giving them character and special appeal. In a survey 82% of real estate agents said that original features such as sash windows would normally be expected to add financial value to properties, and a similar number said that they helped properties to sell more quickly.

The restoration and repair of sash windows London area will add to the value of your home. Sash window repairs can be accomplished, using trained and experienced technicians.

The Problem With Secondary Glazing And Condensation (Moisture Concerns)

Two of the more common ways for homeowners to increase their home’s energy efficiency is to install either secondary- or double-glazed windows. Both of these systems work relatively well for cutting heating and cooling costs and for reducing the ‘carbon foot print’ of the dwelling. They are not, however, equal in efficiency. There is a significant problem, for example, with secondary glazing and condensation build-up.

Those who elect to install double glazing can expect to save about one-half of their current energy consumption. Good quality double-glazed windows are extremely efficient at blocking not only heat loss but also air and noise pollution. They will make your home quieter, cleaner, warmer (or cooler in summer) and more comfortable. They’re very good at their job.

One reason double glazing is so effective is because of the insulating space between the two panes of glass. This may be filled with air, gas (such as argon) or left empty (with a slight vacuum). This space acts as an insulating barrier and must be properly sealed in order to function correctly.

Some glass used in double-glazing is termed ‘Low-E’, which stands for low emissivity. This is a fairly new technological advancement and is extremely effective. Low-E glass has a microscopic coating on one side which is able to keep heat in your house in winter yet repel heat rays trying to enter during the hotter months of the year. This is very ‘smart’ glass and knows just when to keep your space warmer or cooler.

Properly installed double-glazed windows will have an air-tight seal, which is important for several reasons. One distinct advantage is the rarity of condensation forming on this type of unit. This, however, is not the case with secondary glazing, which is frequently associated with moisture and condensation problems. This method consists of putting an additional window inside your house, right over the existing single-paned unit. It’s not nearly as efficient, however, it may still be your best choice.

Prior planning consent is not required in order to install secondary windows. For homes that are listed (or in Conservation areas) this may be the best option. It may, in fact, be your ONLY option.

Besides problems with secondary glazing and condensation there are also a few other considerations. Secondary, internally fitted windows may be inconvenient during the warmer months and will need to be removed and stored away. In case of an emergency (such as a fire) they might make escape from the home more difficult. But, in certain situations they are definitely a viable option.

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The Origins Of The Sash Window, An Evergreen Product

The origins of the sash window are not easy to fathom. There are a variety of theories but no absolute proof for any of them. In the late 1600′s, an English inventor, Robert Hooke used them in Ham House and a painting by Vermeer called ‘The Milkmaid’ shows a sash frame behind the girl. It is believed that they might have come from France, via Holland to Britain around this time but the British certainly made them their own.

The name ‘Yorkshire light’ refers to windows with glazed panels that opened vertically or horizontally. Opening was manual originally but a system was developed whereby the weight of the glass panes was balanced by a lead sash weight. This was connected to the window by a sash cord running inside the frame over a pulley placed at the top.

In the late 1600′s, the famous architect Sir Christopher Wrens used these windows for Whitehall Palace. They were also used for Kensington and Hampton Court Palace. Wrens’ reputation and the royal patronage gave wooden sash windows a cachet that soon saw them used right across the British empire. Until the early 1900′s, the windows were used almost exclusively in all new constructions both private and public. Whether open or closed they do not detract from the aesthetics of a building unlike other windows.

By Georgian times, they were everywhere. An additional feature was added which allowed the windows to open at both the top and bottom. Called a double hung sash, these windows allowed rising hot air to leave through the top and sucked in colder air from the bottom. In a rainy European climate, less rain and more ventilation was possible.

The Victorians, were obsessed with decorating their homes with carvings, leaded lights, lattices and complicated mouldings. Placed in a facade as a group, each bay was framed by carved stone pillars. It also became common to enhancing the perspective of a building by making windows on the ground floor longer than those on the upper floors.

The First World War brought a different ethos and method to the production of goods and expensive labour intensive handicrafts were the losers. It was simply too expensive to continue to create intricate craft when producing for the masses.

It must be agreed that without the sash window, defects and all, the most interesting urban areas of older European cities would be bleak and characterless.

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Buy To Let Advice For First Time Buyers

In today’s economy the real estate industry has become a buyer’s market. This presents a great opportunity for first time homebuyers to make their first purchase and many of them are. However, many of these buyers are actually not moving into the homes. Instead they are using a buy to let strategy where their home is rented out and they live elsewhere. With a little research, this presents a great opportunity for advancement over the long term

When it comes to a buy to let situation, you must understand that it is all about saving money. While you can take the initiative to put a decent amount down on the property, you will also find that you are able to save money and not have to put down a deposit to rent. This will lower your monthly payments, and you can make it back with the amount that you charge for rent, and then some. A good property can be a solid investment.

If you decide to look for property in an area you aren’t familiar with, it is important to take time to research the area. The best way to do this is to actually go and inspect the area yourself. When doing this makes sure that it is an area that is good for rental properties. To do this check to see if there are any colleges nearby and look in the local paper to see what properties are going for.

Another thing that you must consider is the fact that there are some hidden costs involved when you get a buy to let mortgage. First of all, you will have to make the monthly payment but you will also have to cover the insurance on the home. You will also have to spend money on restoring the property when one tenant moves out for another to move in. This is something that you can recover by charging a security deposit.

If you keep these things in mind, then a buy to let mortgage may be a great thing for you to pursue. You will really have to weigh the pros and the cons. Many people find it to be attractive because they are able to build their credit up while they are still making an income from the home. A big thing to remember is to save some of the money that you make in case something comes up that was unforeseen.

Further Reading : Furniture Packs

Tips On Saving On Your Energy Expenses By Draught Proofing Your Sash Windows

In these tight economic times, it might be more important than ever to reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows. Typically, more than a third of a home’s heat is lost through leaks and drafts that are preventable. Sash windows are among the biggest offenders. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when dealing with this problem.

Sash windows commonly cause a great deal of a home’s heat loss. They are usually older and less technologically advanced than other window designs. There are a number of ways you can try to reduce or eliminate heat loss from sash windows, and they all have advantages and disadvantages.

A quick way to reduce drafts around windows is to hang blinds, curtains, shades, or other window coverings over the offending windows. Window coverings help reduce heat loss, but they are not as effective as other more substantial approaches. Meanwhile, drapes and curtains need to be cleaned, repaired, and eventually replaced, all of which adds costs that offset whatever energy cost savings they may affect.

Another approach is to completely replace the window units. Replace your old leaky units with new, double-glazed, energy graded windows. This is not an inexpensive alternative. Also, you my have difficulty matching the new windows to the design of your home without the added expense of customized window units.

Another lasting solution, especially for older windows, is to have the windows re-glazed. This could allow you to improve your old panes while allowing you to retain the original sash design. Accompanying this with a complete overhaul and re-fitting of the windows with upgraded parts, fixtures, and seals will ensure the best protection against heat loss.

Upgrading your sash windows may be expensive, but the long term savings in energy costs will far outweigh the one-time repair and upgrade costs. Additionally, resealing the windows will reduce external noise. The upgrade will also add years to the life of your entire window unit through the repair and replacement of worn parts.

There are many ways to reduce heat loss in your home, and most of them are worth pursuing. But attending to your window units is the most significant way to increase your home’s energy efficiency. The initial casts may seem high, but in the long run they will be out weighed by the savings you’ll receive when you reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows.

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Suggestions On How To Replace A Sash Cord On Double Hung Windows Without Too Much Difficulty

How to replace a sash cord is a lot easier when you understand the mechanics of a double hung window. Every double hung window has two sashes, the top and the bottom. The frame that secures the glass is a sash. The sides of that frame are the jambs. Sash weights sit in back of the jambs. They are connected to a cord pulley system. The weights keep the windows balanced and easy to open.

There are a series of moldings along the jambs creating channels for the sashes to slide. The piece of wood that separates the upper and lower sashes and the one that holds the bottom sash in place can be easily loosened and removed. They need to come out to remove the sash.

Before you start this project, make sure you have the correct tools and material readily available. You will need new sash cord, a putty knife, a hammer, a utility knife, putty, finishing nails, paintbrushes and in case you chip away the paint, enough paint to touch it up.

Take the stops on each side of the lower sash off. Using your putty knife, place it close to each nail that is securing the stops and pry it gently away from the frame. The wood splits easily so take extra care to work patiently.

With the stops removed, the frame should come out easily. Remove the damaged sash cord from its slot. Most sash windows have an access panel to get to the weight. The access panel will need to be removed; if there no access panel then the side window casing has to be taken out to get to the weight.

Painted over access panels will mean chipping the paint to determine where the screws are that hold the panel in place. You may need to score painted edges with the utility knife in order to lift the panel out. Once the panel is removed, any remaining cord should be cut off. Thread the new sash cord over the pulley until it appears in the access panel. Tie the new cord to the weight making sure the knot is sturdy but not bulky as it can get stuck in the window frame. Place the weight back into the cavity. Tie a knot to the other end of the cord to make the weight suspend three inches above the bottom of the sill when the sash is in an open position.

Replace the framework and insert the moldings using finishing nails to secure them. Fill any gaps in the moldings with the putty. Paint any chips in the wood. The project is complete and your double hung window should work like new. Do-it-yourself homeowners can learn how to replace a sash cord by following steps found on the Internet or talking with professionals at our local hardware store.

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Historic Wooden Window Repairs And Making The Task Easy

When the paint on your old wooden windows is peeling, and the glass is broken, along with the elements having gotten the best of your home, wooden window restoration is a solution to bringing back the life of the windows and your house.

For a modest investment in the supplies needed for this job, and a few hours work, you can restore each window successfully.

When older houses are left vacant for long periods of time, the owners sometimes neglect them or just forget. Your windows suffer, but this can be taken care of with a little bit of care.

If your wood still looks like it is in good shape, perhaps it just needs cleaning. This can be done with scrapers of different types. Just scrape at the old putty and remove it. If there is broken glass, this will need to be carefully removed, as well. Sometimes sanding is needed. It will make for a much smoother surface for your paint later. The new putty will stick better to fresh, clean wood, so you will need to prepare the bare wood for that with primer. It can be water or oil based.

Measure the glass, and add 1/8 of an inch to the length and to the width for clearance. Your glass can be ordered from any home and building center.

The glass is ready to install after the primer is dry. Putty and glazing points are your primary concern at this stage of the game. The putty should be put on in thin beads, and the glazing points will need to be a couple or inches or so on all the sides of the window and near the corners. After the putty is placed on it as well, press gently but firmly to set the glass in place. Scrape off the excess putty, and let your window sit for a few days to let the putty dry. When you are ready to paint, tape off the edges to protect the glass from excess paint, and paint the wood of your window.

So, if you are going to put forth your efforts into wooden window restoration, give thought to maintaining them from then on, as well. In this way, your future repairs will be less costly and time consuming.

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References For The Right Person To Do Sash Window Repairs

Look for someone who pays attention to detail when looking for your Sash Window Repairs specialist. This person should be equally good at painting and decorating as some older homes have a lot of beautiful detail in their windows to be restored. Look for references on people who specialize in this area and take a look at their work if you can.

Take a look at your windows to determine what kind of restoration they made need so that you understand the work that needs to be done. The mere fact of a house settling can make the window hard to operate and in this case will most likely require some carpentry to square it off. It may just be that the windows are painted with many coats over the years and it's causing them to stick. They may need stripping and if they are old lead paint could be involved causing special removal techniques.

Removing the sash will involve prying the front molding off to allow for it's removal. At this point the cords can be accessed and removed in order to measure them for cutting new ones. The molding strips on the upper sash can now be removed and it can be removed along with any hardware.

Once both sashes are out the putty can be scraped and the window frames cleaned and checked for dry rot. If any is found then the damaged areas can be filled with epoxy and left to dry for a day before sanding and painting.

Hand roll new glazing compound and lay into the exterior groove of the sash and press the glass into it, insert glazier's points evenly spaced to hold the glass in.

Use another hand rolled length of glazing compound on top of the glass and bevel it with the putty knife. After it has cured about a week, paint the putty with an oil-based primer and a coat of acrylic latex paint to the entire sash.

Remember to look for the weatherstripping being replaced and the hardware cleaned before reattaching. The pulleys should be sprayed with Teflon or silicone and the cords reattached to the upper and lower sashes. Weights get replaced and the final molding put back into place.

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A Quick Guide On Real Estate Flipping

Flipping real estate means, owning real estate lands and reselling them keeping]realizing some gains within a period of one year. Many investors can be found in the real estate market that flip properties and tout about their considerable profits within a very short period of time.

In addition many media and books are full of features that describe how to efficiently flip real estate emphasizing that anybody can embark on real estate flipping trade if they are well verse with the game rules.

Nevertheless, it is not a walk in the park type of game. Before you join the property market, the wannabe investors should refer to experts in the trade to understand pitfalls or there will be disasters at the very onset of the trade.

Hard proofs are good enough to show that real estate flipping is not for those who are novices to the market. To buy worthy lands and deal them within a very short span of time is not a walk in the park but a rigorous achievement with many links needed to be mastered properly.

But if you are skilled, this is the field that earns good income in the sphere of real estate investing. Nevertheless, there are various accounts of experts with idle lands, which are unprofitable for a long period of time.

A large network of informed realtors with profitable lands is necessary if you would like to be successful in flipping real estate. That is where many struggle from the very outset. The connection with the right people and legal experts are also vital if you intend to be competitive in the trade.

Finally, it is not an arena where you are not to perform your best. If you have talent, creativity and the right kind of networks, flipping real estate can be a financially gratifying career path.