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energlaze vs triple glazing

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭Joe Public


    I was thinking of a similar thing i.e. getting teak timber frames, that I like, converted from single to double glaze thus keeping the frames. The existing glass is held in and sealed by putty and 26 years old. All is in good order with no sign of deterioration but just need to keep the window cold out.

    I asked a friend I know who is in the business and he said the frames will have to be routed to take the deeper double glazing units which should be A rated ( gas filled ). They will be sealed in with sealing bonding and finished off with timber slips to the front.

    All sounded fine to me but then he said it will only last about 5 years as the frames will have been compromised by the routing and any small leakage or condensation will eventually weaken the new double glazed units and likely to corrode underneath and the gas will then leak leaving you with poor double glazing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18 gusman1859


    Hi

    We are considering energlaze to replace single pane teak windows with double glazing. I asked the sales man if we could see the work on another house and he said the company don't do that for privacy reasons. Most company's will show you examples of their work so this made me a little nervous.

    Does anyone know where you can see completed windows and did you get the opportunity to see windows before you made your decision?

    Any advice appreciated.

    Regards
    Gus


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭Joe Public


    gusman1859 wrote: »
    Hi

    We are considering energlaze to replace single pane teak windows with double glazing. I asked the sales man if we could see the work on another house and he said the company don't do that for privacy reasons. Most company's will show you examples of their work so this made me a little nervous.

    Does anyone know where you can see completed windows and did you get the opportunity to see windows before you made your decision?

    Any advice appreciated.

    Regards
    Gus


    The more stories I heard about the retro fit of timber frames with double glazing the more I went off the idea. The lifespan of the solution is a lot shorter than getting all new PVC windows. The timber frames will be weakened by the routing job. The run off of condensation will not be as efficient as with new modern windows and will eventually cause internal problems. It will not be easy to do a good seal between the new double glazed units as it was with the single glaze. If the double glaze unit is fitted too tightly it can crack with expansion.

    I too had an Energlaze rep. out and asked him for references and also got the customer privacy story.

    I got him to price for a retrofit and all new and both were a little expensive. I ended up getting all new windows and doors of same quality, off someone else, as they were pricing for 3 or 4K less.

    A neighbour of mine got a double glaze retrofit on teak frames a few years ago but they don't consider it the solution they really want and would prefer new windows. They don't seem to be having any problems so far. The look is not as tidy as new windows.

    Hope this helps.


  • Subscribers Posts: 40,729 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    picture it... if youve a bucket full of holes with water seeping out.. and you block up some of the holes (lest assume half) then while you might have less holes, the water will seep out faster from the remaining ones as they are under greater pressure.

    the same happens in this case.
    while the windows retain more heat, the heat loss through the frames increases.

    so im my opinion, if your frame is not thermally broken or is of a high conductvity material, switching the glazing may not be teh best use of resources... and it would certainly be much better to change the whole window if possible.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭Joe Public


    The retrofit job would entail something like in the video expect the finish to be with timber beading rather than putty.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9zQvjaG4k


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  • Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭fatty pang


    Joe Public wrote: »

    That’s amateur hour stuff with a yearly life-expectancy in single figures for the insulated glazing unit.
    Firstly the timber exposed by the routing should have had a suitable timber preservative brushed into it. Secondly, the flat bottom rail is going to be a trap for water. Lastly applying sealant all the way around the unit is going to limit ventilation of the zone between glass and frame and promote capillary attraction of water towards the IGU sealant resulting in an increased potential for ICU seal failure (internal condensation)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭Joe Public


    fatty pang wrote: »
    That’s amateur hour stuff with a yearly life-expectancy in single figures for the insulated glazing unit.
    Firstly the timber exposed by the routing should have had a suitable timber preservative brushed into it. Secondly, the flat bottom rail is going to be a trap for water. Lastly applying sealant all the way around the unit is going to limit ventilation of the zone between glass and frame and promote capillary attraction of water towards the IGU sealant resulting in an increased potential for ICU seal failure (internal condensation)

    Good points!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,903 ✭✭✭zulutango


    For us, we have old timber sash windows (dating from early 1800's). The timber is all dry and in good nick. There was zero chance we were going to replace these with uPVC but we were toying with either getting new timber sash windows or just replacing the glazing.

    In the end we opted to go with Energlaze and the job was done a few weeks ago. Pretty happy with what they've done. The guy took the full windows out, stripped them, draft proofed and put them back in. They look very good, and you wouldn't notice (visually) that anything has been done.

    We realise that this is not the best way to limit heat loss, but it was the best solution for us given that we wanted to retain the frames for heritage reasons. We haven't had a cold snap yet, but there does seem to be a noticeable difference in comfort levels.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭Joe Public


    zulutango wrote: »
    For us, we have old timber sash windows (dating from early 1800's). The timber is all dry and in good nick. There was zero chance we were going to replace these with uPVC but we were toying with either getting new timber sash windows or just replacing the glazing.

    In the end we opted to go with Energlaze and the job was done a few weeks ago. Pretty happy with what they've done. The guy took the full windows out, stripped them, draft proofed and put them back in. They look very good, and you wouldn't notice (visually) that anything has been done.

    We realise that this is not the best way to limit heat loss, but it was the best solution for us given that we wanted to retain the frames for heritage reasons. We haven't had a cold snap yet, but there does seem to be a noticeable difference in comfort levels.


    Did they do a putty finish?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1 Riyamkari


    I had pvc double glazing put in 4 yrs.ago.I feel there is a lot of cold coming from the glass in the living room which is east facing.Thinking of changing the glass to energlaze but not sure if it will make a huge difference....?


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  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 10,135 Mod ✭✭✭✭BryanF


    it's typically the frame that's the week point? Are your sure the problem is the glass ?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,903 ✭✭✭zulutango


    BryanF wrote:
    it's typically the frame that's the week point? Are your sure the problem is the glass ?


    That's not really true though. If the pane or combination of panes and gap have a high u-value then a hell of a lot of heat is being conducted through the glass, irrespective of the frames.

    A lot of PVC installed in Ireland has a high u-value and therefore is not really great. Unfortunately most people just think that double glazing is double glazing and don't go for low u-value windows, and suffer the consequences as a result.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 10,135 Mod ✭✭✭✭BryanF


    zulutango wrote: »
    That's not really true though. If the pane or combination of panes and gap have a high u-value then a hell of a lot of heat is being conducted through the glass, irrespective of the frames.

    A lot of PVC installed in Ireland has a high u-value and therefore is not really great. Unfortunately most people just think that double glazing is double glazing and don't go for low u-value windows, and suffer the consequences as a result.

    I agree but that's Not my point, please direct me to a window company that's frames have a better u-value than the glass they use?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2 elstevio99


    zulutango wrote: »
    For us, we have old timber sash windows (dating from early 1800's). The timber is all dry and in good nick. There was zero chance we were going to replace these with uPVC but we were toying with either getting new timber sash windows or just replacing the glazing.

    In the end we opted to go with Energlaze and the job was done a few weeks ago. Pretty happy with what they've done. The guy took the full windows out, stripped them, draft proofed and put them back in. They look very good, and you wouldn't notice (visually) that anything has been done.

    We realise that this is not the best way to limit heat loss, but it was the best solution for us given that we wanted to retain the frames for heritage reasons. We haven't had a cold snap yet, but there does seem to be a noticeable difference in comfort levels.
    We're in a cold snap now! Do you see the benefits of the energlaze windows now?
    I'm also in a house with window frames from c. 1840, so looking for options to retain some heat, particularly in the north facing rooms which get very cold. PVC double glazing is a total non-runner as the house is a protected structure


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,903 ✭✭✭zulutango


    elstevio99 wrote: »
    We're in a cold snap now! Do you see the benefits of the energlaze windows now?
    I'm also in a house with window frames from c. 1840, so looking for options to retain some heat, particularly in the north facing rooms which get very cold. PVC double glazing is a total non-runner as the house is a protected structure

    Yep, absolutely. We have them about 18 months now including two winters. The downstairs is very noticeably more comfortable than it ever was before and the boiler isn't cycling on/off as much, and it's also set to a lower temp. Very happy with the windows. The only issue is the cost, but we were able to get a grant.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2 elstevio99


    Fantastic, thanks for the response!


  • Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭fatty pang


    Caveat emptor.
    From the Glass & Glazing Federation -
    [HTML][/HTML]http://www.ggf.org.uk/news/insulating_glass_units_standard_and_ce_labelling[HTML][/HTML]


  • Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭webmanie


    EnerGlaze

    Hi All, just wondering do anyone have an up date on EnerGlaze replacement glsss, im not changing the frames just the glass, any good or bad storys about it, not so much the company but the product it self,


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