windows

susanlin · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:37 am Post subject: windows

Hi all

anybody out there got any experience of secondary glazing in NZ? Looking into insulation options as can't keep going to bed with my fleece on!
Thanks

Sue

Moorf · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:38 am Post subject:

My god - it's that bad?

Eek

Hoping our training in Scotland with a broken boiler will help Laughing

susanlin · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:44 am Post subject:

Hi Moorf!

Yep - that bad! We have got an old house, never been insulated apart from a token effort in the loft. We are looking into cavity wall insulation and secondary glazing before we add a second heat pump to the house. It is so cold in my bedroom some mornings, I can see my breath!! Sad

Sue

richsadams · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:56 am Post subject: Double Glazing

Hi Susanlin

We've looked into having double-glazed windows installed in our new house (new to us...the house is about 12 years old) and were rocked back on our heels a bit when the estimate came. Eek

The price is around double (appropriately enough) what normal windows cost (they have to replace the frames, etc. as well) plus labour and such. So we'll put some more in the piggy bank before we decide that the portable heaters have to go. Hmmm

Overall heavy insulation and dual-pane windows are a somewhat new concept here but contractors are offering upgrades in new houses. Electrical bills are rising and the cost of wood (both the price and impact to the environment when it's burned) are becoming more and more important to locals. Clapping

Since it's the dead of winter here, it does seem quite cold at times...it fell below freezing here just last night Eek

. But compared to some places I've been...if this is as bad as it gets - we'll be just fine thank you! hooray

Robert · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:04 am Post subject:

There are loads of secondary glazing companies. The energy saving centre will fit acryllic panels for you for instance. They even offer the chance of a free trip to rarotonga, which is the only way their product is likely to make you noticeably warmer Wink

These are typical kiwi stopgap solutions which result in high cost for limited benefit. They have for the large part been abandoned in the UK for good reason.

A cheap alternative would be to sellotape sheets of cling film over the window frames. This looks foul but may recoup its cost by summer wheras all other solutions will be likely to wear out before you gain anything.

My recommendation is to sort out any draughts (sellotape helps on windows you don't open) and then consider heavy curtains. At least these are still useful when you do the job properly later. Glasstech can retro-fit double glazing in existing frames.

I spoke to an experienced builder yesterday who feels that the current building regulations are still nuts. You can build a house with no insulation in the walls and single glazing as long as you fit a nice thick roof blanket. Changing the regulations (at least for the SI) would do more for the long-term prosperity of kiwis than most measures currently in place (an would help the power crisis too!)

For those considering moving DO NOT underestimate how demoralising it is to live in a cold draughty house where even the heating on full doesn't make it feel warm despite balmy outdoor temepratures. If freezing is not your thing plan on building your own home or spending a lot of money (aim for £10K plus) to bring a home up to something approaching UK comfort levels. Believe me, most Christchurch homes will need it.

JCM · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:12 pm Post subject:

It is possible to get houses that are both double-glazed and well-insulated in Christchurch. You certainly need to look around though and they will be modern houses rather than older style houses. Even when you find houses with double-glazing and insulation, you'll find that the installations here aren't as effective as in Northern Europe or America. The easiest way to get the insulation you're used to is to build a new house. Getting building land is far easier than in the UK. It costs very little extra to have double glazing installed while you're building. I agree with Robert's builder that tightening the insulation regulations here is an absolute must. Successive NZ governments obviously have more important issues to address. Rolling Eyes

veronica · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 4:38 pm Post subject:

I'll second all thats been said above. Another thing that has been mentioned to me is for underfloor insulation for houses built on piles.
Always seems strange to me that a country that considers itself so green doesn't see the long term enviromental benefit in conserving rather than creating heat, because of the lack of insulation in the place we are in we have to have the heater running full time just to maintain the heat. soon as we turn it off the room cools in minutes. Often its warmer ouotside than in., and yes we will be building our own place eventually with the full works. chilly from Chch

nisse · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 31

Hi all,

I was thinking about starting a thread on this topic, but then found your's. Nice One

Reading on another forum about emigration to NZ and houses and heating, one can rather quickly start to get very cold feet - sorry about the pun - Embarassed

as quite a few people who have emigrated recently from the UK are almost in tears over their living conditions. According to them their houses are cold or freezing, draughty and generally very unpleasant to live in.

Is it really that bad? I don't do cold very well and can imagine it could be very depressing and could make people very unhappy about their new situation. Therefore, I'd be really happy to hear from you guys, who have moved and are now living in NZ, what you think.

Thanks

Nisse

ENZ · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:42 pm Post subject:

Hi nisse, I think forewarned is forearmed.

Don't buy an old "character" house that looks wonderful but has no insulation unless you get some quotes to bring it up to more acceptable standards and find it's still within your budget.

Benefit from other people's experiences. Read the information above again - it's all good - to help you make better judgements than those who have come before you.

veronica · Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:26 am Post subject:

Yes it is really cold here indoors and it can make life a misery.,but it is solvable...when you look at the property ads stop looking at the lower priced older properties and look for the newer ones. Ask lots of relevant questions of the agents. While a lot of the properties have roof insulation not many have wall. it really is a case of forewarned is forarmed. This thread will reoccur over the winter but as soon as the better weather comes it will just disappear until next winter when it will surprise all the newbies over again.

susanlin · Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:51 am Post subject:

Hi Guys

Many thanks for all your replies. Being cold is obviously a state we all hate to be in - it is not just me being wimpy and a 'whingeing pom'! I just can't function when I am cold and it makes life a real misery. We have decided to have wall insulation - airfoam $3, 500 - as the first step in trying to get the house warmer. Have been quoted $8,000 for secondary glazing! (Big house - lots of windows). Still thinking about that one.....
Thanks again for your advice everyone

Sue

nisse · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 31

Same here,

thanks to people for answering. Although it is a bit depressing to read about these things it is also really useful, at least one cannot groan and say "I didn't know".

It all reminds me of Scotland where we stayed in a b&b on the West Coast - in late summer - so it was fine, it was just when we noticed that there were no radiators in the house, we came to the conclusion that these people were living on the other side of the moon, so to speak. Seems we might end up doing it ourselves. At least for a while until we get that cavity wall insulation.

Nisse

goldwheels · Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 9:46 pm Post subject:

We are in the same boat, bought an old style brick house with leadlight windows. With also having high ceilings (2.8 metres) it was hard to keep the house warm. We looked into secondary glazing but didn't want to spoil the character of the house, and also it was a large expense. So what I have done starting with up stairs is fitted my own glazing, and anyone could do it with basic DIY skills. I measured up the glazed area added about 15mm extra for the new glass to be fitted. Then went down to the local gazing company and ordered what they call hush glass (two 4mm pains of glass with a 1.5mm laminate in between). Then removed an opener at a time to router out the inside of the frame to the size of glass made to a depth of 9mm. Then around the edge where routed fitted a thin foam sealing strip. Laid the glass inside the frame then screwed down a decorative edging strip, making a picture frame effect. When the opener had been fitted back into the window, I then fitted a draught strip around the frame.
This has made alot of difference and also with having leadlight windows they tend to breath from the outside, so there is no condensation build up.
Hush glass as well cut noise down by 50%.
I have also saved about 75% the cost of someone else doing it.