Replacing windows: is it a good way to spend money?

[cressetmama]

Our lovely 1970s house has huge wooden double glazed windows throughout. We have attentively sanded and varnished them almost annually for two decades, and they are in a good state. However, we wonder whether there is a real advantage to replacing those on the south elevation with powder coating aluminium with wooden interior finish (to match the house). They will cost ££££. Do you think it would ultimately a) increase the house's value or b) make the house more saleable? Not that we plan to move for several years yet. Any thoughts?

I don't think it would increase the house's value but the new windows would probably be more energy efficient so it might make a difference to your bills. I'm amazed they have lasted so well - you must be doing a really good job maintaining them

I agree, I don't think replacing nice windows with other nice windows will do anything to the sale price. But your bills potentially would go down and you'd save all that sanding time....

the money saved by the energy saving of new windows will never repay their cost. You need to have some other reason for changing them.

Calculate the energy loss for your home, with and without new windows, and see what the saving would be.

There used to be an energy calculator on BG, but try calculators.baxiknowhow.co.uk/boiler-sizing/

Thank you. Hear what you are all saying about value and energy efficiency. The house is well-insulated and south facing so we benefit from solar gain all year. I think the answer is just to change two large French windows. The aluminium one's rollers are wearing out, plus it has to be left open all night every night so DH can feel sure he's not going to suffocate, and I think we could come up with a better arrangement of panels to improve security, while still keeping the ventilation. The other is an odd contraption, made of wood, which is going downhill now, and also single glazed... the only one we have. Would it look odd to have two (adjacent to each other and not visible except from the garden) that don't match the rest? We also need to replace a few of the sealed glazed sections which are condensing inside.

Replacing misted units is incredibly easy and cheap, there are sure to be people in your town who do it.

Btw varnish is not durable.

I have had good results with external hardwood, sanded or jetwashed to bare, colored with Colron dye, and treated with multiple coats of linseed oil. Next time you just clean and oil it. You might like to try it, start with a small or shed window before you make up your mind.

Thank you for the advice PJ. We did something similar once in southern France, where varnish perished and flaked in months thanks to the heat and the UV. We used an American product that was highly recommended for tropical marine use there, which I haven't found here in the UK, where it's rain and mildew that are the enemies!