Re: Re: Restoring sash windows

Even if you put that point to people, you’d get the answer ‘well why should I have to pay for other generations’ windows?’! It’s a fair enough point, purely on the basis of personal economics.

Also, it’s incredibly difficult to get people to implement a net loss in insulation, heat and sound, by removing old PVC windows (a growing isssue) and replacing them with single-glazed sashes according to historic detail. And as Rusty observes, the explosion in poor double-glazed reproduction sashes is having an adverse impact on the survival of a design record on a street, where single-pane units are now commonly replacing two-over-twos and Georgian sashes. Indeed, I know of a prominent public building that for years I thought once had one-over-ones on the basis of its (good) repro sashes, until I happened upon an old photograph showing two-over-twos. As a rural building, it took on an entirely different character and style – even the date shifted by a couple of decades. At least PVC glazing rarely lied about the former glazing pattern. And of course, this issue pales into insignificance when considering the rubbish detailing of the majority of repro sashes.

I’m not sure what I would do if I was in Rusty’s position. I wouldn’t care about the heat loss, as it’s meagre, but sound insulation is important. Especially as none of these streets were originally built with motorised traffic in mind. Buses in particular are a killer for sound pollution. I’d suffer for style I suppose.