What type of sash windows should I get?

[Sashwindowsquestions]

I have a wall of single glazed sash windows in my living room (in a first floor flat of period conversion) and could really use some advice on what to replace them with if possible?

They are freezing in the winter and no amount of heating heats the room... soo, is double glazing enough or should I get triple glazed windows? (Double glazed works beautifully in my loft conversion but that's also better insulated).

And I'm also tempted by realistic looking UPVC sash windows but will these devalue the property? And do they actually look ok in person? (the original wooden ones I have now are beautiful and one of the main reasons I bought my flat).

I've also been quoted for just replacing the actual glass and surrounding wood (which is cheaper than fully replacing window) and I'm not actually sure what the difference is between that and fully replaced windows?

Also, do triple glazed windows protect against overheating if our summers get hotter in the future?

Ahh, so many questions, sorry! :) Any advice from someone who has replaced sash windows themselves (or regretted going for UPVC or wood) would be really appreciated.

@OriginalLilibet

Wood. Plastic is obvious and detrimental to the heritage value of a period property. The windows such as Masterframe Symphony are the worst of all in my opinion. They are fake and I cannot abide fakery. They have pretend wood grain and pretend butt joints and pretend putty beads. The wide frames may be passable aesthetic replacements for basic crude sashes but they have nothing that comes close to fine Georgian ones.

And yet people can't actually tell they are a UPVC unless are told...

Snobbishness at its most pointless and finest.

@ChequerBoard Do you think that your visitors were impressed that the wooden sashes that they complimented you on turned out to be wood effect plastic? Do you also prefer a nice wood effect lino to floorboards?

[quote OriginalLilibet]@ChequerBoard Do you think that your visitors were impressed that the wooden sashes that they complimented you on turned out to be wood effect plastic? Do you also prefer a nice wood effect lino to floorboards?[/quote]

To be honest @OriginalLilibet I don't really care if they are impressed or not. If you want to live your life trying to do things that impress people then crack on.

Odds are they actually think you are a daft snob. Hyacinth Buckett springs to mind...

You may need PP you would in Scotland.

I have white upvc sash - but the original wooden sashes were long gone, so I was replacing 80s upvc windows that didn't suit the property.
I love my new windows but if I had original wood I'd have really wanted to restore and retain them if possible.
That said, I don't think the white upvc looks different from the street than white painted wood; I didn't go for any wood grain or anything like that, but I did make sure that I went for through horns rather than the attached type as I'd noticed on some nearby houses that the attached horns had discoloured.

No one has mentioned that they upvc sashes due to not being sealed units are not as sound proof and as draught resistant as normal double glazing I really regret getting ours . Unles it’s just ours and the way the were fitted ?

@Smallkeys

No one has mentioned that they upvc sashes due to not being sealed units are not as sound proof and as draught resistant as normal double glazing I really regret getting ours . Unles it’s just ours and the way the were fitted ?

Ours are very much sound and draught proof, unlike the rotten wooden ones we replaced. The difference is like night and day.

Gosh we replaced ordinary double glazing 30 years old and shot. While these sash are better they aren’t perfect :-( especially so I d wise

Yep night and day when we got windows replaced in last house. Delaying here as the casement windows have the original glass and it’s so beautiful when the light shines through. Little imperfections and ripples, it’s glorious.

[quote OriginalLilibet]@ChequerBoard Do you think that your visitors were impressed that the wooden sashes that they complimented you on turned out to be wood effect plastic? Do you also prefer a nice wood effect lino to floorboards?[/quote]
Yep, quite happy with my wood effect Lino….

Original parquet in the hall and sitting room so if the queen comes I’ll steer her away from the Lino Incase she has the vapours.

Thank you so much for you replies! I didn't realise more of you had answered until I sat down this morning to do more research and this came as one of the top results on Google!

I've just submitted a quote request from Masterframe. The Rose windows unfortunately don't come in the style I need which is just one full block of glass above and below (without the mid-frames).

I did see the Sarah Beeny show about her own upvc windows and that was the thing that made me first consider them. If I can get slim heritage upvc windows, that would be great. And it would be good to be able to open or tilt them backwards to clean them if needed.

I'm not in a heritage area (although I feel my own flat is a lovely heritage flat) and unfortunately most other houses on my street have very obvious upvc non-sash windows.

I've also been looking at triple vs double glazing and a few blogs have said there isn't a huge difference between them. So I'm possibly back to double glazing.

I've also had quotes before for just replacing the timer sashes with new double glazed ones in the same frame (for aprox £1000 per window). But I was told that with upvc, the part of the frame with the weights gets filled in/insulated which helps with heat loss...

So all in all, I'm still undecided and researching. But interested to see what quote I'll get from Masterframe.

But with the weather getting colder, I've had my heating on all morning today, so realising the sooner I get better windows, the better!

@Sashwindowsquestions I know it's been a while, but was wondering what you went with in the end? We're buying a late Victorian terraced cottage - nothing fancy and whilst cute, nothing that would tempt a proper period lover out here where we live. Also mixed on the whole terrace in terms of wood and uvpc, so am considering Bygone.

Anyone, any recent thoughts on Masterframe windows, Bygone collection .
Thanks .