Sash windows and double glazing dilema. Also, what is secondary glazing?

[Spidermama]

I've got Victorian sash windows. We live on a road on a hill so the cars are noisily going up and down in second gear.

I want a solution to cut down on the noise but I don't want to ruin the original sash windows and possibly lower the value of the house.

My husband says secondary glazing would be an option but I don't understand what it is or why it would be better.

Any thoughts?

i think secondary glazing is where you basically have another window inside your windows iyswim?
like a separate layer of glass, so it's similar to double glazing but your original windows can stay.

you can get double glazed sash windows i think, but it would mean replacing the whole lot!

I think secondary glazing is literally another glazing section fitted on the inside of the existing windows.

Helps with heat and sound, but may detract from existing windows aesthetically.

DP works for a windows company so if no-one else can help I'll ask tonight - he did explain it to me once before but I've forgotten!!

I'm fairly sure that he said secondary glazing is the way to go because it is very expensive to do double glazed sash windows... he might have even said that his company is the only one that does them... will find out though

Secondary glazing is fitted in front of (or do I mean behind? depends where you're standing!) the original windows, and the gap between it and the original windows is your cold/noise insulation space; but if the sashes are at all draughty it won't be like proper double glazing, and sec. glazing tends to be ugly (my brother has some, nasty aluminium frames).

secondary glazing is UGLY, but it doesn't damage your original windows and their casements. Secondary glazing panels sit inside the window recess but are an inch or so from the original glass.

Like for like replacement double glazed wooden sash windows are HUGELY expensive, many many times the cost of their UPVC counterparts, but they will add value to your house. Lots of buyers will be turned off a period house if it has plastic windows

Posted this on your other thread too

Advice from Victorian Society

(Lots of companies make dg sashes btw. Or you can get windows that look like sashes but open out. I would want to keep them if I had them though - ours were removed long before we bought our house.)

If you live in a Listed house or you are in a conservation area you may not be able to change them at all (unless they are rotten beyond repair)

secondary glazing - exciting moving pictures!

Yea remember now - that's the secondary glazing, knew it was something like that but couldn't think how to explain!!!

My friend had a flat in a listed building in which all the flats had the same sash windows so they were told that they weren't allowed to have double glazing as they mostly open outwards but dp was able to get ones that were proper sashes so it can be done but they are a small fortune!! (Definately add to the value of the house though)

Hmmmm. I like the look of those tilt back windows Janh. They'd be nice and easy to clean.

I'd love to get double glazed sashes but really don't have the money. It might be something we could put on the mortgage though, as we're intending to move at some point anyway.

Secondary glazing really isn't very nice.

I had it in a flat in Bath and hated it.

We have just ordered some new double glazing. We have a cottage with Woodern windows at the moment (they are painted a dark mahogony brown) which we are replacing with expensive double glazed UPVC 'woodern' ones. Unless you get really close you cannot tell teh difference. They will also have the panels in the glass as we have now. Real wood ones would cost double.

You can get decent looking UPVC sash windows that you would be hard pushed to tell teh difference, and although peple like original features, they like double glazing more.

There are companies that do UPVC sash windows, true sash they have fitter in Brighton

Here is the wood ones box sash but I am guessing they are pricey!

or here is one that do sash and mock sash that might work to get teh look of sash, but practicality of UPVC mock sash