Window Help! Restore or replace original? -Secondary / slimline glazing or Double

[Larsson11]

Advice needed - we have a 1930s semi with original wooden single glazed windows with stain glass. Problem is the rooms upstairs are freezing. The single glass gets condensation and windows don't hold any heat. I am reluctant to get rid of the bay window downstairs due to the lovely stained glass but don't know what to do with the upstairs. Does secondary glazing work? Should I look into slimline glazing or should I bite the bullet and replace upstairs with double glazing? Many thanks

Secondary glazing has better thermal properties and sound proofing than double glazing as the space between the 2 panes of glass is bigger and they can be different types of glass. Obviously needs to be made bespoke to fit the windows but still far cheaper than new windows. my secondary glazing aligns exactly with all external original bars on windows, slides up and down as my external sashes and tilts in flat at 90 degrees to clean between. It would be so sad to replace beautiful original windows and new ones will certainly not last the 90 years that the originals have even if handmade in timber as the quality of timber is not the same now.

I feel your pain. We had the original wooden windows and I was loathe to lose them but we had to in the end. The double glazing made a big difference to warmth in the house. I suppose that it will affect the EPC when you come to sell.

A word of warning: in your original set-up you can't tell which is a window and which is fixed glass. You don't get that in modern windows - opening windows are thicker and clunkier than fixed (see example, look at the fifth picture, No12). I think that it looks horrible. You can ask for infills to even everything up so it looks more like the original.

Thanks everyone, for all your advice and the links, really helpful. I think I will explore the secondary glazing.

I had the lower, non-stained windows replaced with double glazed units set into the original timber frame. Just left the upper ones. Made a difference.