UPVC windows - sensible or a mental aberration?

[Quattrocento]

House is 30 years old so not a period property. Four windows leak. Should we just get the lot replaced in tasteful plastic and never have to repaint again?

The downside is that there won't be any more draughts and the house will be hermetically sealed and not be able to breathe. The upside is that there won't be any draughts ...

I'm going around in circles here. The trouble with plastic is that it's just not wood.

Also I feel I may be letting my neighbours down. All the houses in the street have hardwood (as do we at present). Probably their windows don't leak though. But they might feel vaguely aggrieved at someone introducing plastic windows

But plastic windows don't ever have to be painted again ...

Tell me what to do.

Mitchy, how did you resist the siren lure of plastic? You need to keep me strong here.

well, according to my DH (not a scientist), it is all to do with expansion and contraction and conspiracy with the energy suppliers.

I myself think it is just gremlins having a laugh while you try and open the windows without falling as they open very suddenly on beat #3 when normlly they take 4 bashes!!!

rofl at you ageing so much in 18 months

Where is OBM btw? She has been around, in and out a bit.

ah, another very good reason....(for upvc)

the boys room window is still wooden. It is not rotten, so therefore we have not in a massive rush to sort (we are doing them one by one when we have the money and as we decorate). problem is tho, the catches are broken so altho they do close on normal days, windy days mean they fly open with the slighest gust.

boys are at the moment convinced their window is haunted........it is NOT fun in the middle of the night when it flies open and they are mid-dream........nightmares and screaming ensue.

they are on the next window change

This is me - 18 months ago

"I still say Swedes that you are too young and too beautiful to do this to yourself ... Wait until you have false teeth." Must visit the dentist

"Incidentally my luverly wooden windows are very low maintenance. And so handsome too. I have one of those leetle wrought iron tables in front of one of the french windows. Is fab look that would never work in front of UPVC ..." Low maintenance until they started LEAKING

There are more quotes in there. I was passionate about wood. Perhaps there is some form of relationship counselling whereby I can rediscover my affinity for wood.

well, mine are better than yours then.....not leaking, just rotten

if your wooden windows are painted on the outside then aluminium wrapped windows might be an option for you? they are wooden windows but the outside is wrapped in aluminium which is then powder coated in a paint finish that never needs re-painting. (not sure how long the 'never' is - presumably the lifespan of the windows).

i have no idea of the price or anything, i came accross them in ireland, they just look like painted wood windows and therefore much nicer than hideous upvc (hate my upvc windows!)

"Mitchy, how did you resist the siren lure of plastic? You need to keep me strong here."

they were about £8million each, those look-like-wood plastic sash windows, I failed the credit check reflected on the cost and snatched back my deposit and haven't given them a second thought until now. I don't know how much it will be to have my existing windows (not sash but some sort of 70s brutalist replacements) refurbished but I bet it's a friendlier sum

but remember upvc windows don't last as long as wood or metal, so although they won't need painting they may need replacing in 10-15 yrs. this might not affect you if you think you'll move in 10 yrs but potential buyers will look at windows and see they'll need to replace them soon.

am going through similar angst myself at the mo and haven't decided - am getting quotes in...

I accidentally bought a pony instead

Oh GOD!

I am reviving this thread because even I am now contemplating plastic.

Well, the DH is. DS2 [probably asthmatic] is off school again with another virus and was almost whisked off to hospital again because of breathing difficulties.

DH is beginning to put his foot down. We have no spare money at all for refurbishments. That's because we spend all our money on our big mortgage on our big house.

It is 1940s with crappy 1940s metal windows. They are warped, gappy and the metal itself is about as good as setting fire to fivers. And so very wet they get mouldy in a flash. We try and mop up as much as possible. I can't keep bleaching them everyday as this isn't good for the lungs either... And we can't leave them open overnight to minimise condensation either, because the cold air triggers DS' symptoms instantly.

WE have 20 windows . It would cost over 20 grand to put wood in. As DH keeps pointing out, not replacing the metal windows with upvc means we're just continually doing nothing and DS' health continues to be at risk.

So can I have special dispensation from the Style Police on health grounds? And can someone find some lovely grey/olive green ones with nice thin frames in lovely styles (deco-ish) that only cost 10p each please?

In your situation I would.I have always been anti upvc and in a period house they do look terrible BUT I recently fell in love with a friends modern house all doble glazed and apart from the warmth I absoltely loved the silence.You can get some ok looking pvc What sort of house is it?

sorry just seen.I renovated a 40s house and it had metal very pretty but rotten windows.I did upvc and they were very good

We live in a draughty Victorian townhouse with original single-glazed sash windows that rattle and shake and let freezing cold draughts in.

We're moving to a 30s semi soon and I can't wait to live somewhere warm! The current owners put horrible brown uPVC windows in and we'll be replacing them with better looking uPVC at the first opportunity.

NO MORE DRAUGHTS!

noddy, we have original Crittall windows, quite plain casements. Not the nice Deco boatstyle ones though those would work very well in our style of house (square squat late 40s detached).

I have checked out the replacement Crittall double glazed ones and they are horrifically expensive, more even than hardwood.

What type/brand did you put in in the renovation you did, if you don't mind me asking?

Oh christ, I've got eco angst now also. I have it in my head that you don't get back the energy costs of producing upvc in the energy savings.

I used a local firm (south coast) was years ago but we couldn't afford replacement crittall either although lovely.We found ome quite plain matt ones and they looked very good.If you get invisible sight lines the overall look is quite uniform and suits that style of house.get a few round and ask to see samples.

Have you looked at the German window company for wood.You need a good carpenter to measure and then fit but they are a good price and I have heard good things about them

g'wan wilf - do it!

the Front of my Victorian semi is UPVC, albeit quite nicely done, and is warm and damp free.

the back of the house has beautiful orginal sash windows. And is permanently freezing cold and full of condensation. Blinds get mold on them. We have the dehumidifier running most of the time and it makes bugger all difference. It's like there's some kind of time tunnel in the hallway transporting one back to Dickensian times.

if I had the cash to replace the windows I would, despite feeling like some sort of Taste Terrorist.

taste terrorist

WIlf have you looked at aluminium? Cheaper than wood but better looking than plastic and equally energy efficient I think.

I did post on another thread with this link to a local place which makes uPVC windows which look fairly decent (from what you can see on the website at least)
www.f1rstglass.co.uk/sashwindows.php

One of the problems with replacing wood sash windows with PVC windows is if the construction of the building isn't well understood. A lot of Victorian era houses (and beyond) were built with sash windows and the consequent air circulation helped with dealing with the smoke from open fires. Although most houses don't have open fires, the air circulation due to sash windows continues. If that gets blocked off by sealed PVC windows, the consequence can be damp/mould because the damp air no longer has anywhere to go. These days, regulations require PVC windows and doors to have vents to prevent that. Always best to check that new windows have that.

The other problem is that wooden sash windows are very beefy in terms of supporting the upper brickwork - in my house there are no lintels above the windows because the sheer bulk and strength of the window frames does the job. Some PVC windows can be very flimsy, and consequently if wooden sash windows are replaced with inappropiate PVC windows there can be consequent cracking and bowing of the brickwork above. Most sellers of PVC windows don't tell you that.

Most problem wooden sash windows can be repaired by a competent carpenter, as we've done with a couple of our windows.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Don't
Just don't

Wood is good

HAve you looked at sash window renovation specialits? Would be much cheaper than replacing the knackered windows.
A good local carptenter/joiner is another option.

Oh Wilf, I do feel for you

If it makes you feel any better, I have given in and gone for plastic ... It was a particularly rainy horrible day, the wind was lashing the rain at the feeble wooden windows and a fifth and sixth window started to leak, DS (who is usually easygoing) complained bitterly about his cars getting wet. It was all Just Too Much so I signed up for plastic

You will all have to forgive me now

I forgive you Quattro.

We can get Taste Terrorist t-shirts made.

But just to be clear: I don't have wooden windows (crappy unrenovatable metal). Or a particularly interesting period property. And a kid with a mould problem (well you know what I mean ).

So I do have a number of pathetic excuses.

But am looking at aluminium pannacotta thanks - those look good. And will get wood quotes. It's all hypothetical anyhow as no idea how to finance this marginally less expensive plan.