Best Value London Sash Windows
Why uPVC sash windows represent the best value investment for your London home
Upgrading or restoring the refined elegance of traditional box sash windows to your London home is an investment opportunity that offers exceptional rewards at great value.
1. An asset that can add equity to your homes property value:
The London property market is buoyant and the traditional Victorian and Edwardian town houses are in high demand. Those with authentic period styling through such features as sash windows (commonly known as box sash or sliding sash windows) drive this marketability even further. Recent studies suggest that London homes with such original marketable features are being valued at a significantly higher purchase price than a comparable home that has sacrificed this style.
And it is not only the exterior of the property where value is added. Alaskan Windows internally complete each sash window installation with an exclusive picture framed finish. Decorative architrave is seamlessly positioned around the window frame exuding the unique class and charm of an original London period home and enhancing the style and therein the value of any room.
2. Adding value by reducing energy costs
Technologically advanced uPVC sash windows do more than augment the looks of a London home, they also offer great value in significantly reducing the ongoing costs associated with running a modern dwelling. London homes built in the Victorian Edwardian era are of course not built to the latest standards of energy efficiency meaning heating bills are often run into the thousands of pounds. A primary source of heat loss is always through the large original period timber sash windows. Inefficient, cold and draughty, timber sashes are typically glazed with just a single thin sheet of glass housed within a timber frame which is itself nested into and external box frame that is often rotten and cavity filled causing the windows to squeak and rattle in the malleable wood. These windows offer little more than a token barrier to the external elements.
Alaskan Windows’ uPVC London sash windows are designed for homes in the capital, offering the substantial benefits of the latest argon filled low-emmisivity double glazed sealed units, coupled to thermally efficient uPVC frames that are specifically designed not to absorb or radiate cold. All this adds up to a thermally efficient A-rated window that can dramatically reduce heating costs to any London home.
Yet it is not just in the retention of heat that theses sash windows prove effective. During summer months the distinctive design of the sash window means they are a natural means of cooling down a room. Unlike casement windows sash windows are able through their specific design to create a natural circulatory airflow into any room. As illustrated in the diagram below through the simple process of raising the lower section of the window and sliding down the upper part of the window a natural convection system is created; rising warm air in the room is drawn out of the top opening with cooler air from the outside drawn in through the lower opening.
3. The value in removing ongoing maintenance costs
Another benefit of installing modern uPVC sash windows to any London home is the great value generated in terms of cost and time saved through the removal of ongoing maintenance costs. Traditional timber sash windows are prone to swelling and warping not to mention the need to redress cracking, flaking paint work every couple of years.
Durable machine engineered uPVC renders these issues effectively redundant in modern sash windows. Recyclable lead free uPVC is not affected in any way by the extremities of the British climate, retaining its form and colour throughout its lifetime.
Further, original timber London sash windows function with a pulley, weight and cord system for the window operation. This may have represented the best technology available at the time but have proven to be increasingly temperamental and problematic over the years. The advanced engineering of Alaskan Windows’ range of sash windows has replaced this out of date system with pre-tensioned windows balances that make the sliding operation effortless and hassle free. Further the modular nature of new uPVC London sash windows from Alaskan Windows mean that individual parts of the window system; elements such as the double glazed sealed units, locks and furniture and springs can be easily replaced, forgoing the need for costly repairs or the replacement of the entire window system.
4. Exceptional value compared to other window options
For any London home owner looking to upgrade and change their existing windows, uPVC sash windows from Alaskan Windows represent fantastic value for money when compared to other options available. Once thought of as visually inferior to original timber sashes, the latest uPVC sash windows have been progressively improved, honed and re-modelled to fully incorporate the narrow sight lines and sculptured profile of traditional windows making them almost indistinguishable from the original timber equivalents – but at a fraction of the cost. Even details that were once thought of solely the domain of timber sash windows, and thus used to justify a premium cost, are now upgradeable features on state-of-the-art uPVC sash windows; details such as woodgrain finish, run-through horns, deep bottom rail, authentic astragal bar and mechanical joints are all elements that can be included on a modern uPVC sash window.
Another option for replacing the windows in London homes that was particular popular during the last few decades has been to remove the sash window altogether and replace the window with uPVC or aluminium casement alternative. This was often the recourse for London home owners on a budget due to the historic high relative cost of sash windows. However – this casement option dramatically altered the character of the original building and the refined Victorian or Edwardian heritage of the property was inevitably sacrificed.
Although timber sash windows still to this day remain a costly alternative when compared to casement windows, modern uPVC sash windows from Alaskan Windows offer superb quality at an affordable price more in line with other popular window options. Additionally as London period homes are specifically designed to accommodate the profile and depth of sash windows more materials and man hours are often required to retro-fit casements into apertures they were not designed for. These often overlooked extras reduce the relative cost difference between a casement and sash option even further making the argument for uPVC sash windows as the best value option when considering replacing the existing windows for any period London home.
It’s easy to see why there has never been a better time to transform a London home with uPVC sash windows from Alaskan Windows: the best value investment you can make in your property. To find out more about Alaskan’s range of uPVC sash windows please visit our dedicated London sash window page.
And why not consider complementing the refined style and energy efficiency of sash windows with a new London front door from Alaskan Windows. With and array of colour and design options there is sure to be one that perfectly harmonises with the stately heritage of a traditional London home.
