Secondary glazing in period house

[Sophforthe100]

Anyone installed this?
Does it look OK?
Did you dot he installation yourself and was it easy enough?
Main objective is to conserve heat.
Most of our windows are double glazed, but we have one which is not and the difference in thermal efficiency is really noticeable.

Watching with interest. Am thinking of doing the same thing on the one huge but thin glass window. Sorry I don't have a helpful answer.

Yes, almost all of our windows have secondary glazing which we installed ourselves in our 16th century house.

We had 2mm panels cut to shape by the supplier then fixed them to the windows with magnetic tape. The panels can be removed in the summer if you wish.

They make such an incredible difference, it's very worthwhile.

We used www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/products/plastic-sheets/acrylic-perspex/ and www.trentplastics.co.uk/acrylic-plastic-perspex-sheets/clear-acrylic-perspex-plastic-sheets?fbclid=IwAR2cLBNFDXbuArNiLtYVDB4A7kavE3CNF94hEpSK0Hw_mtL_Ee6cNdabUmI.

Also, take a look at Magneglaze.

We did exactly what the PP did. V effective and not expensive.

Interesting, you had plastic not glass Cutesy?

Does it look OK?

We have the perspex panels with magnetic strips. Cheap and really efficient- we take them off in the summer.

Looks great too- you can't see it actually!

Yes, they are plastic. You can barely see them. The plastic has really good thermal properties, is much lighter in weight than glass, easier to handle and easy to fit and store.

I belong to a lot of heritage and listed house groups and almost everyone uses this method to secondary glaze their windows.

Really interesting, thanks - I wouldn't have thought of that.

Is it easy to fit around windows that may not be completely square?

Do you just get the acrylic cut to size & apply the magnetic tape yourself?

Yes, they'll cut to suit your window shape. Just give accurate window measurements and they do the rest. You then just have to attach them with the magnetic tape.

You can also get some companies to measure and fit if you aren’t confident to do it yourself. We’re going down this route because we have shutters we still use and need the secondary glazing has to go in a very small space. We’re using Windowskins.

I looked at this but like to open our windows all year round so it wouldn’t work. ILs have it and their rooms are SO musty.

To those that have installed this, what does it mean for ventilation and condensation? I’d be a little nervous of creating a damp problem. Or do you take it down to open the windows periodically over the winter?

Yes we take it down- it only takes a second

I have perspex with magnetic strips behind 3 original Georgian windows. They make a noticeable difference to the temperature of the room and cost less than £400 in total including the magnetic tape. And no one realises they are there unless I point them out.
Ventilation isn't a problem as it is provided for on other windows which have been done "properly". No condensation in those rooms. In fact it works better than some of the older secondary glazing we have.

Does this improve your EPC rating or is it ignored because it is removable?

This sounds like a good solution for us then. The window we would attach it to is not one we ever open anyway, as we have a properly double-glazed door in the same room. But I would like to be able to remove it in summer for aesthetics.

Presumably the magnetic tape stays on the window frame. Doesn't it look a bit odd?

Can anyone post a photo please - the ones I've seen on suppliers' websites dont tell you much!

Following with interest .Does anyone know how the non glass secondary glazing compare with glass secondary in regard to sound ?

We live on a busy main road and I'd love to replace our heavy unwieldy glass secondary glazing .

Also what is the non glass alternative like for cleaning ? And should I worry about discolouration if left in place in hot sun (magnified by the external glass window ) and just from ageing?

Just about the most useful thread I've seen on MN.

Agreed! So useful - thank you! I'm delighted - after freezing with a huge Georgian window with paper-thin glass in one of our downstairs rooms.

Anyone got a photo of it up?

We have white metal frames (to match the paintwork of the wooden windows) and then glass panes fit in which slide across, with the uprights running up where the uprights of the existing windows are.

They are fitted permanently but can be slid back at a touch if you want to open the windows. They don’t look obtrusive, you barely notice them. It looks pretty similar to the Granada glazing system zobia linked to, but a small company local to us makes them and you just measure up and tell them what you need. This was the best solution we could find that wasn’t plastic, was unobtrusive and was fairly efficient.

Our house isn’t listed but, strangely, is c. 350 years old in parts, Victorian in others.

I’ll get a photo when I get home.

Thanks Halsall. Your house sounds similar to mine. I haven't ordered yet, plan to do it over the summer. No rush now the heating is off.