A Guide to Timber Box Sash Window Repairs

The Wooden Window Workshop - based in London provide an excellent sash window restoration service.

There is no fair reason as to why you should replace your windows that may well have survived for more than a century, with something inferior that will not even stand a decade before its framework rots and breaks down.

A sash window repair service can help you spend less time, and a lot less money to fix the damage and extend the windows lifespan into the next century!

The Timber utilised in most modern softwood doors and windows will no doubt come from "first growth pine" This softwood is then kiln dried in large units to speed up the drying out time this results in a wood product that is not at all sturdy, and far less resilient compared to the naturally seasoned timber that would have been used 100 years ago.

Old houses which still have original hand-blown glass is an indication of how old your original sash windows may be. The glass may have a rippled, scattered and bubbled surface, this is due to the old technique of blown and rolled glass. Despite this fact period sash windows are unique in design and style. Many sash window replacement contractors will try to sell you new replacement windows but do not be foolish enough to believe what they might tell you, over 90% of period windows are recoverable and the wood they are made from is better than any other modern timber you might be able to source, whether it be hardwood or softwood.

With the above in mind we would urge you to consider restoration of your old timber windows, consider what will happen to your original period sash windows if they are replaced, they will end up sitting on a landfill waste disposal site and even so, may well will sit there and outlive your new sash windows! If the option of restoration is not viable due to costs we would ask you to call English Heritage for advice as there are grants available to help out if needed. 

 

The main structures of the box frames often do not need much repair unless severely affected by moisture. This is because they are usually strong and solid. As a result, you will always find that frames get damaged at the joint edges as the timber grain is most exposed here, but the good news is that rotten joints can be cleaned and repaired easily by sash window craftsmen.

Severe damage of the structure will frequently involve the lower parts of the sashes. Replacement, therefore, is strongly recommended only if the bottom rail is rotten, else consider repair on minor damage. Emphasis is put on fixing the damage rather than replacement because of the time and money required for the project.

During the dismantling of the window and box frames a lot of care should be taken. This is because removing any old glass from a frame is a tiresome process that may consume a lot of your time, therefore, do it with precaution. Sometimes the putty might be lose and easy to remove using putty knifes and paint scrapers, but if it is hard more advanced tools will be required such as a pneumatic chisel.

Once the glass is removed and set aside carefully, the next thing is to get rid of the old paint. Old panes usually have at least 12 layers of lead paint. In this case, the numbers of windows to be repaired are many it is advisable that you take them to paint strippers, where it can be safely removed without risk of fatal injury from lead poisoning.

 

Full PPE kit should be worn at all times if you are removing paint with heat guns.

 

Once the repairs are complete it is a "simple" case of reassembling the windows and redecorating them, of course you could call a Professional sash window company to take care of things for you but we would leave that decision up to you.

 

 

 

 

Green Energy Tips That You Can Try Out Today!

Another Great Home Improvement Guest Post - Posted free by Us because it is just so good!

by Nolan Carthon

 

It is actually pretty easy to reduce the resources your home. Get a few ideas on how you can do this by checking out the tips in this article.

Solar power can heat water for a lesser cost. Consider a hot-water system that runs off of solar energy. There are direct circulation systems available that circulate the heat both directly and indirectly. The indirect system is a a great thing to have and you do not have to think about your pipes freezing in the winter.

Instead, wear multiple layers, robes and slippers, and heat your living areas with a pellet stove or fireplace.

Don't run the dishwasher if it is less than totally full.It will use the exact same amounts of water even if one dish is in it. When running the dishwasher, see to it that you are using its energy-saving setting; that will allow the dishes to dry using air.

Consider bamboo when making a wood purchase. Bamboo is actually a grass but is just as strong as other woods.This saves energy for by way of recycling and less manufacturing of parts.

Dark wall colors will effectively cause you to need to use more electricity to light up or brighten up the space, and your house isn't as green as it can be. If you select brighter colors, your home will feel brighter and will use less energy, as well.

During times of the year when the days are longer, keep your lights off until it is necessary to turn them on. Try installing timers and dimmers to reduce the usage so that you don't use lights unnecessarily or turn on brighter lights than you need.

You can see significant savings on your energy bill while still having water that is hot enough for your water.

Only run your dishwasher when it is full will save you money and energy. Don't run it when there are only a few dishes. You'll be surprised at the amount of dishes it can hold.

Solar panels are easy to install and can be an excellent investment for energy. There are some things to consider before installing them. The biggest thing that needs to be taken into consideration is to determine how much sun your home gets on average.

The result will be minimized energy usage and money saved.

Be a better consumer of energy, and unplug electric chargers for all devices that don't need immediate charging. Chargers used for cell phones, music players, laptops and other devices draw some power when they are plugged in, even if you aren't charging anything.

Use rainwater for your toilet. This will reduce your water bills and also protect the environment.

Keep an eye on the wattage you use.Plug your appliance or gadget into the watt-checking device, a month, month or year. This can show what your appliance costs to run.

Be socially responsible, and cut your home energy usage by unplugging your electronic chargers when they are not in use.Chargers for cell phones, mp3 players, laptops and other devices draw some power when they are plugged in, even if you aren't charging anything.

A straw bale house creates a great option for the very green consumer. Straw is a great insulator and do not cost very much. If you would rather not have a home that is made of straw bales, perhaps adding a straw bale building within your property could be of use.

A geothermal heating/cooling system can be a worthwhile upgrade for your home. HVAC systems use underground pipes containing water and refrigerant. The pipes are then routed to a machine that heats or cool the home accordingly.

Use a microwave when you can to save on energy at home. Ovens use much more energy to prepare food than the microwave for cooking. Take advantage of the microwave when you can to cut down on your overall energy consumption.

Green energy helps protect our environment. While there's no power source that doesn't impact the environment in some way, with green energy, we can minimize the impact that it does have. Now that you have some tips to work with, you know how to be a little greener.

 

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Sash Window Repairs London: How to mend a sash windowTim Dowling stops the exc...

Sash Window Repairs London: How to mend a sash windowTim Dowling stops the exc...: How to mend a sash window Tim Dowling stops the excuses and tackles a job he's been putting off   Tim Dowling The Guardian ,...

How to mend a sash window

Tim Dowling stops the excuses and tackles a job he's been putting off

 

• Tim Dowling
• The Guardian, Saturday 1 March 2008

There are few things more frustrating than a window that won't open, because whatever the reason for the problem - whether it's mechanically compromised, or just jammed because subsidence has caused your house to lean 12 degrees to the right - the solution usually seems totally beyond one's control. Even a window that's been painted shut can be maddeningly difficult to shift. I've shattered a few trying.
For this reason, and others, I put off fixing the old-fashioned sash window in my kids' bedroom for many years. In their younger days I was more concerned that they would leap out of it, and dressed up my laziness as a precaution. In the hottest days of last summer I was finally able to force it partway up and prop it open, but it was so heavy that I was afraid it would snap the section of curved toy train track I'd used to wedge it in place. I was even more afraid that one of my kids would one day find himself short of curved track and try to pull it out, guillotining his hand off in the process. It needed fixing.
I was, though, more than a little daunted by the idea of repairing a sash window myself, for while I know how they work in principle - a fairly primitive arrangement of weights, cords and pulleys - I've never actually seen the mechanism exposed to the air. Believing that I would be able to fix it seemed, at this time of year, doubly foolhardy: realistically, it would be months before I really needed to open the window, but if I were to screw things up, I could easily spend the winter with a big square hole in my house ...
How to...
1. Locate offending part
Well, at least I know the problem (presuming, of course, there is only one problem). The right-hand sash cord is broken. In theory, all I need do is buy some more cord, attach it to the lower sash (a general term for a moveable window panel) at one end and to the weight at the other, and everything should work fine. In practice, I don't even know how to get the window off.
2. Remove lower window
Fortunately, this proves simpler than I'd imagined. The lower sash is prevented from falling into the room by two thin, vertical strips of wood, which I now know to be called "inner staff beads". Though they look like part of the window moulding, they are in fact detachable and held in place by half a dozen small, headless nails. Inserting a chisel between the bead and the moulding and tapping it with a wooden mallet is enough to pry it away, albeit with an alarming cracking of old paint.
Once the beads have been removed (whole or in pieces), the lower sash should come out easily, unless it's still attached to one of the sash cords. If so, just cut it (you might as well replace both cords while you're here) - taking care not to let the attached sash weight smash down to the bottom of its cavity. Put the sash somewhere out of the way - so you don't put your foot through one of the panes while you're working ...
Note: Behind the lower sash, you'll discover that there exists a vertical "parting bead", which separates it from the upper sash. You only need to remove this if the top sash is also in need of repair. If you want both your upper and lower sash to move freely you are, in my opinion, a person of unseemly ambition.
3. Remove sash weights
In either side of the window frame where the lower sash travels, you'll find the compartments where the weights are hidden. These are generally accessible via a panel of wood, technically known as a "pocket", which will hopefully be sitting snugly in place and can be pried out - unless, of course, a previous occupant of your home decided to screw or nail it in place in order to make things difficult for you decades down the line. Behind each pocket you will find the iron sash weight, longer and heavier than you imagined. You may be the first person to gaze upon these in a hundred years. Take them out and admire.
Now is also a good time to make sure both pulleys are operating properly, because they probably aren't. Mine were both gummed up with layers of old paint, and it took a bit of scraping to get them turning freely. A drop of oil wouldn't hurt, either.
4. Fix new cords to the weights
So this is what you should have before you: two parting beads (one snapped in half), removed; one lower sash, removed; two sash weights, removed; one window, minus lower sash, with two extra long lengths of new sash cord running up and over the pulley, down into the sash weight compartment and out again at the bottom. Now it's time to tie the new cords to the old sash weights. This is achieved by feeding the cord through the hole in the top of the weight and out of the side, and then tying a figure-of-eight knot (or stop-knot) in the end so it won't pull back through.
Revelation! It was at this point I discovered that sash cord comes in different widths, and that I'd bought the wrong sort, even though I took a piece of the old sash cord with me to the DIY superstore. The new stuff was too skinny and the knot pulled through the weight's hole with the slightest tug. What was required was a fatter "double-eight" knot - I copied an example from a little framed sampler of nautical knots which I found in my son's bedroom.
5. Replace the lower sash
Once the cord is finally secure, cut off any excess, take up the slack from the top, reinsert your sash weights and tap the little wooden panels (pockets) back into place. The next thing to contemplate is the manner in which the sash cords are affixed to the sash. Sometimes a stop-knot arrangement is used, but more often, I think, the cord is tacked into a groove with three or four "clout" nails. Or just re-use the nails you pulled out to remove the old bits of sash cord, and don't worry about what they're called.
6. The end game
(For this step you will probably require an extra pair of hands.)
Put the sash back in place, but leave it leaning out a little at the top. Then pull the sash weights right up to the pulley, keeping the cord as taut as possible as you nail it into the groove on the side of the sash frame (as explained above). Remove any excess cord with a sharp knife. Once both cords are secured, the window should sit perfectly in place and slide up and down easily. Now take a step back. Looks a mess, doesn't it? You'll need to paint it, of course ...
Tip no 1
You should start in the middle of the bead so you don't snap it in half - although, come to think of it, it's perfectly possible to start in the middle and snap it in half anyway. I did.
Tip no 2
If there's a bit of the broken sash cord attached to the weight and still hanging out of the pulley at the top, it might be a good idea to tie a length of string to it, so that when you remove the weight, you can use the string to pull the new cord into place (alternatively, tie some string to a nail and feed it through from the top, allowing the weight of the nail to pull it, and then the attached cord, over the pulley and down to sill level). Leave the new sash cords long and trailing out at either end.
Tip no 3
When, finally, you go to nail the inner staff beads back into place, tack them in gently first to make sure they aren't interfering with the free movement of the sash. They might need a bit of adjusting.

Why It Is Great To Have Your Sash Windows Renovated

It is important to have good windows. You would need these portals so light and ventilation can enter your house. You would get good natural illumination with them. You can also let odors, stuffiness, and humidity go out with this. Fresh, cool, and relaxing air can also enter through them. You can also get good outdoor views through them. It would also play a big part in your indoor insulation. That is why it would be important to keep your apertures good looking, functional, and efficient. Over time, your apertures can sustain much wear and tear. It would already have worn out, broken, and damaged parts. It would not look that good already too. It would be really good to renovate your apertures then. It would give you many benefits.

Learn then what these benefits are -

One must perform repairs, renovation, or replacement for their apertures so they could acquire better functions. One will acquire enhanced insulation with this for one. They could find varied new designs which will feature high energy efficiency. One could get low E panes, glazed panes, or double panes. One will decrease heat transfer with this. Indoor temperatures could be then stabilized. It will really decrease heating and cooling needs. This will then mean decreased utility bills.

New apertures can also have many good features. You can find ones that would prevent condensation. You can also find various designs that are child-friendly. Some can also have insect screens. It would really be convenient to use properly functioning apertures.

Renovating your apertures can also let you get improved safety. You can use your apertures without fear of falling parts, broken panes, or immovable hinges. Many new designs would also have enhanced safety features. It would really improve your privacy too.

Renovating apertures can allow added beauty to be achieved. The home's looks can be really updated effectively. A wide range of materials, themes, and designs can be found for this. The desired look can be really achieved as well.

A significant move for home improvement can be made with renovating apertures. The property value would really be increased with this. This investment can allow you to enjoy long term benefits.

One could perform such task themselves too if they want. They could find various advice, tips, and guides for performing this. One could try simple moves like using replacement windows, painting new colors, or adding window treatments too.

Renovating windows will really be an advantageous move. One must really consider performing this for their house. One will then acquire beautiful, energy efficient, and secure apertures for their home.

 

For more information regarding sash window renovation and or sash window repairs please visit www.sashwindowdraughtproofinglondon.com

 

Choosing The Best Provider Of Hardwood Floor Refinishing

Our 2nd Free Home Improvement Guest Post...Thank you!

by Ava Hudson

If you would like us to publish your Guest Posts please send us a message, Thanks from Sash Window Repairs London!!

Floorings that are made from hardwood tend to get dull overtime. As it age it basically loses is shiny look. When you want to give solution to this problem, consider having a hardwood floor refinishing Seattle WA. There are so many companies that you can find that provides this kind of service. Picking a provider that can meet your needs is crucial. So you better consider the important things.

There are some things you can do to take of the floor. One way to maintain it is to apply polish on it. It protects it from scratch, moist and termites. In case that the damage is already too big for you to handle, it better to have professionals look at it. They will know if it needs replacement or just need to be refinished. Avoid anything that can cause serious damage to the planks.

Looking for a provider that can meet your needs can take some time. You will not find the right provider unless you exert some effort. That is why it is really important that you check important details and consider factors because this is one way for you to know if the provider is what you are looking for. Never make a selection unless you have considered the factors.

You need to confirm your necessities in the event that you need to discover a supplier that is solid. It might be simpler on your end if you recognize what you require. If you require certain reinstatements on the ground board or simply having it finished, you may as well verify that the provider you are contracting truly knows how to tackle the stated errand. It could be worth your cash.

Do make sure that they are operating legally and doing their business legally. Do not hire their services unless they are registered, certified and licensed. This is one way for you to know that the company is following high quality standards. If they cannot present to you the necessary documents, then it is better that you find another provider. Do not put yourself at risk.

Never forget to check the experience level of the company. Determine how long they have been in the business. If they have been doing the business long enough, they probably know how to give different solutions to different situations. An experience provider can really work efficiently and very effectively. So consider the experience of the company if you want good results.

Lastly, ask for quotes. This is important because rates do vary from one to another. They certainly are not created equal. Check also your budget and determine if you can afford it. You will be able to find the right company when you do your research carefully. Do not be in a hurry to find one, but instead take your time with it.

There certainly numerous providers of hardwood floor refinishing Seattle WA. What you need to do is choose the best one from among them. It may not be easy and it may take time. However, as long as you are patient with it, you will find it.

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You can visit the website www.soundsandfinish.com for more helpful information about Tips On Finding A Hardwood Floor Refinishing Provider

Revealing Secrets On Why Double Glazed Wooden Sash Windows Can Increase The Value Of Your Home

The use of wood as a construction material has continued to evolve since time immemorial. Its use and design has been upgraded constantly in order to be able to meet the needs of the people who have sash windows on their homes. In fact, wood and timber still remains to be the favorite of a lot of structural designers. Its growing patriots love sash windows not only because of its unique features, but of all because of the great comfort and convenience that it offers to individual homes. Indeed, these are some of the several reasons, why double glazed wooden sash windows can increase the value of your home.

It is a fact that wooden windows have been a well renowned symbol for classic elegance. If you are into the collection of antique objects, sash windows will surely satisfy your meticulous taste. Because of the windows ability to complement with various antique furniture and fixtures, this has undoubtedly been the top choice of a lot of antique collectors.

Furthermore, timber windows are amazingly flexible. If you are in to modern structural designs, it can also easily blend with your chosen environment or motif. Timber sash windows may also be painted with all sorts of colors that would fit any meticulous taste.

Timber windows are also unquestionably durable. It has undergone a rigorous process in order to be able withstand shock. It has also a unique locking system that would satisfy your intense need for security. For this reason, double glazed windows will truly help in optimizing the security system in a home.

Moreover, double glazed wooden sash windows are also fantastic energy savers. The spaces in between the panes practically trap the air and prevent heat loss in your room through the process of insulation. Therefore, installing this type of double glazed window will help you cut down the energy cost.

In addition, these double glazed windows are truly environment friendly. Aside from preventing noise pollution, it also traps carbon that is unconsciously being extinguished by homes. Its thick design promotes the greatest sense of privacy.

Finally, good quality windows contribute to the over-all appearance of your home. Since it comes in wonderful designs, you no longer have to worry if it will fit the over all design of the house. Although these kinds of windows may be truly expensive, its superior quality is practically all worth the spending. It may even be considered as a wise investment especially for people who are inclined to real estate. So whether you are planning to sell the house in the future or simply planning to create the most perfect house to live in, choosing a double glazed wooden sash windows will truly help you attain the satisfaction that you have long been looking for.

 

For more information please visit www.sashwindowrepairs-london.co.uk