Category: Advice

In the UK, we aren’t often best equipped to deal with the more extreme temperatures we’ve been noticing the past few years. This summer, we’re set to experience a number of heatwaves – some of which will last a bit longer than many of us can cope with. As July rolls in, we’re forecast a 32 degree heatwave that might last around a week.

As the hotter weather comes in, we’ve been thinking of some ways we can cool down. Air conditioning and fans are an obvious answer, but with energy costs on the up – we’re looking for more inventive ways to get through the summer months.

Here’s our guide on how to improve airflow through your home this summer, without ending up with huge energy bills. There are plenty of ways you can implement these techniques at home, improving airflow through your house so you have a cooler respite to seek some shade in.

Opening Windows & Doors

It seems like an obvious idea to open a window or door to cool down if you’re inside. However, opening just one window won’t do much. The warm air needs somewhere to flow towards. The most effective way to keep hot air out is to aim for a natural cross flow effect.

This is achieved by opening windows and doors on opposite sides of each room or house. You want the air to be able to pass through the entire house, so keep any doors to rooms open with a doorstop. This improves indoor air circulation, cooling down the temperature throughout your rooms as the air flows freely through them.

This method of ventilating and cooling the home will work best if you can create a direct cross flow, where air has a free, straight path to flow through. However, many homes are built in ways that mean this isn’t possible. You can still cool the house by opening opposite windows and doors. But there are more ways to achieve an effective, natural cooling system.

Achieve the ‘Chimney Effect’

This chimney effect technique improves ventilation in your home, which has the added bonus of expelling virus particles out of your house. This technique uses windows, stairways, doors, and ceiling vents in your home to allow warm air to filter up and out through the roof vent. Hot air rises, so this is a natural way to redirect warmer air out of the house.

Stay cool (and safe) by following these steps:

1. Consider the layout of your home and how you can influence the flow of warm air upwards and out.
2. Find the coolest, lowest side of your house and open the nearest window.
3. Look for the hottest, highest side of the house and open a window there.
4. You can also place a fan (pointing outwards) in front of the window, drawing warm air out of the house.

This technique has been effectively used in hotter climates throughout history – as a natural cooling method, it still works!

Consider the Design of Your Windows

If your home is unbearably hot this summer, you might want to think about how your windows are limiting these cooling effects. Different window designs work to impact the flow of air in various ways, so consider this if you’re struggling to cool your home.

With casement windows, you can adjust the direction the breeze flows through your home. Bay windows mean you can optimise the flow of the incoming air, by allowing it to enter the home from both directions.

Velux windows make a great replacement ‘chimney’ to help you achieve the chimney effect. Since they’re placed high up in the home, they’re ideal for exploiting the fact that hot air rises. Open your Velux window as wide as possible, and the hotter air will naturally flow through this highest point.

Our Tips:

• To improve how fast the air moves through your home, you can close the lower windows so a little so that the opening is smaller.
• You might need to figure out the best way to do this over time. The optimal method for the chimney effect will change throughout the day as the direction of the wind and the weather shift.
• Also note that you shouldn’t just haphazardly open all windows and doors at once, and hope for the best. The chimney effect requires a dedicated flow of air from the lower areas of the house to the highest, warmest areas.
• Try to make air flow through the whole house if you’re looking to cool down. Getting the chimney effect to work in one room is not as effective as flowing the air throughout the entire house.

Keep Your Home Cool with Cloudy2Clear

Another thing to keep in mind is the quality of your windows. If you have any windows or doors that need repairing, you’ll struggle to optimise the airflow through your home to get that cooling effect. Any gaps in the sealing around your double glazed fixtures means air can enter (and leave) the house, meaning there won’t be a clear flow of air to cool down.

As the weather heats up, we’d recommend checking your double glazing is in perfect working order. Note that if you do find any issues, having your double glazing repaired as soon as possible important. Failed double glazing can lead to a whole wealth of other issues like condensation and damp. In the long run, these can end up being more costly than a simple repair.

Let us help insulate your home and keep your family cool this summer. At Cloudy2Clear, we offer free consultations and zero-obligation quotes, so everything is clear regarding exactly how much our services will cost. Fill out our online contact form with any issues or concerns you have about your windows and doors, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. You can also get in touch with our team now by calling 0800 61 21 119.

If you’re looking to equip your home with new windows, double glazing is a cost-effective option that can save you money in the long run. You’ve probably already considered the advantages to installing double glazed windows – but there are a few other things to consider before you make your final decision.

As double glazed window repair specialists at Cloudy2Clear, we’ve got a great deal of experience regarding what to look out for when thinking about your new installation. Here’s our guide on what you should consider when buying double glazed windows.

Find the Ideal Type of Glass for Your Windows

There’s much more to double glazed windows than just the double glazing feature itself. The type of glass you choose for your double glazed windows can have a significant impact on the performance of your windows. Different types of glass are best suited to different environments, and can offer additional features that you might not have previously considered.

Here’s an overview on the various types of glass you can use for double glazed windows and their properties.

Energy Efficiency Ratings

Double glazed windows are allocated energy ratings that demonstrate how energy efficient your new windows will be. Grade A is the higher rating with the better performance in terms of energy efficiency, while C is on the lower end of the scale.

·       Grade A

Grade A and A+ windows offer the highest levels of energy efficiency available on the market. They insulate the home impressively well, retaining any heat stored in the home for longer periods of time. While this rating will help you to save money on heating bills in the long run, it’s a more expensive option to buy. If you have no concerns about your budget and are willing to invest in a long-term double glazing solution, Grade A windows might work for you.

·       Grade B

Grade B windows are energy-efficient, though they’re not as high performance as Grade A. If you’re working with a mid-level budget and looking to keep your homes well insulated, Grade B is an ideal option.

·       Grade C

For those with a limited budget, Grade C windows still offer energy-efficiency advantages, albeit on a lower scale. Grade C double glazed windows still help save money on heating with their heat retention properties, but they’re not as efficient as Grade A windows.

Types of Glass

As well as choosing the right level of energy efficiency that works for your home and your budget, you can opt for different types of glass in your windows.

·       Self-Cleaning Glass

Self-cleaning double glazed window glass helps keep your windows looking fresh without the need for all the extra cleaning effort on your behalf. Self-cleaning glass is treated with chemical coatings that either dispel rainwater away from the window or allow dirt to dissolve away in sunlight. Self-cleaning glass is perfect if you’re fitting double glazed windows into spaces with lots of windows that would otherwise require lots of manual cleaning, such as conservatories.

·       Tempered Glass

Tempered glass is toughened glass that’s been thermally treated to improve durability and strength. Ordinary glass, when broken, can shatter into dangerous jagged shapes that can cause more harm if we come into contact with them. Due to its careful chemical or thermally treated properties, tempered glass shatters into small pieces that are not as likely to cause so much damage. Tempered glass is therefore ideal for situations where human safety should be considered. For window applications, it’s recommended if you live in an area with high burglary or crime rates.

·       Noise Reduction Glass

If you live in an area prone to noise pollution, consider noise reduction glass. This type of glass insulates your home from external noises by minimising the sound waves that can penetrate through the glass and into your building. Noise reduction glass is ideal if you have an office in the home where you need to be able to concentrate. It can help if you have trouble sleeping at night due to outside noise, or if you live close to a main road and can hear the traffic from inside your home.

Think About Upgrades and Extras

Double glazed window companies each offer different advantages when you shop with them. From warranties to extra security features, it’s important to check what’s on offer before you buy so you can compare the benefits effectively.

Check how long the window’s warranty or length of guarantee lasts before you commit to a purchase. With Cloudy2Clear, all our work is guaranteed for 25 years. This means whatever happens, we’re always on hand to replace your double glazed windows within that time – free of charge.

Look for Quality Customer Service

Many service providers seem to offer great quality customer service on the surface – it’s what they do best. But for some, when you dig a little deeper, you can find negative reviews concerning both the quality of the work and the long-term quality of their customer service. Always check the reviews of companies by using reliable review websites such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews.

The double glazing service you choose should impress you with quality interactions right from the very first enquiry you make with them. The company you go with should value you as a customer, providing the best possible customer care that really makes you feel looked after. They should be willing to listen to and answer any enquiries, no matter how small. If they fail to provide adequate service from the beginning, you can trust that any potential disputes further down the road will be tricky to navigate and resolve.

Double Glazed Windows with Cloudy2Clear

When you’re investing any amount of money into your home, you want to look for that quality reassurance that helps you put your trust in your choice of specialist. At Cloudy2Clear, our customer-service focused team are dedicated to ensuring each of our clients is 100% satisfied with our work. Our 25-year guarantee shows our dedication to our craft, so you know you’re getting the best for your money.

For a free, no obligation double glazed windows quote, fill out our contact form. You can also call our team on 0800 61 21 119 and we’ll discuss exactly how we can help you.

In most situations, double glazing faults take years to appear – some people don’t experience any issues with their double glazing at all. 73% of people experience no issues whatsoever in the first 10 years with their double glazing. However, faults can happen, especially over time. Identifying the problem early on and finding someone to fix your double glazing faults is essential in keeping your home well insulated and secure.

At Cloudy2Clear, we’re leading specialists in providing quality double glazing solutions. We’re dedicated to providing the best double glazing services, with over 15 years of experience in industry. We’re also passionate about informing the public about ways to recognize their double glazing has developed a fault – as any problems reduce the energy efficiency of your home.

Here’s our guide to the most common double glazing problems, as outlined by a 2021 survey by Which.

Windows or doors becoming difficult to open or close (30%)

If your double glazed windows or doors become difficult to open and close, they may need repairing. Your doors and windows can fail due to mechanical reasons, such as locks and handles being faulty or hinges shifting over time. It’s worth checking each hinge, handle, and lock to identify where the problem is coming from before seeking a repair.

They can also grow more difficult to use effectively due to weather conditions. When it’s hot outside, your frames and windows can expand – shrinking again once the weather becomes cold. This puts strain on your fixtures and can cause them to lose their shape over time. To avoid this, wipe over your window and door frames with cold water in very hot weather.

Windows or doors dropping over time, so they don’t fit as well (20%)

One of the key reasons windows or doors become hard to open or close is that they have dropped over time. As we mentioned above, this can happen due to the weather or mechanical faults. A double glazed window or door that doesn’t fit the frame correctly loses its energy efficiency, since cool air can enter the home through even the smallest of gaps between the frames. This is why it’s important to get the problem fixed as soon as possible.

Other key signs your double glazing needs fixing due to sagging include:

• Loose hinges that don’t improve when you tighten the screws
• Doors and windows that get ‘stuck’ when you open and close them
• No improvement to the problem when you’ve oiled the hinges and handles
• Feeling a draught entering the home where the window or door doesn’t fit correctly

Locks not working (15%)

The locks on your windows and doors can also fail, meaning the security of your home is compromised. To keep your family and possessions safe, get any broken locks fixed as soon as you notice them.

Glass steaming up or problems with condensation (14%)

Whenever damp, humid air comes into contact with colder surfaces, condensation can form. Steamed glass is a bad sign for double glazed windows, as the constant presence of water by the seals around your window can weaken the seal – eventually causing gaps and letting warm air escape your home. Excessive amounts of condensation can also result in mould around your windows, as the damp air provides the perfect conditions for mould to grow and spread.

If you notice condensation or cloudiness between the two panes of your double glazing, your windows probably need replacing. This can happen at any point with double glazing, especially in the winter months as your home is kept at a warmer temperature than it is outdoors.

The good news here is that there are preventative measures you can take that help avoid the issue of condensation in the first place.

• Ventilate rooms with fresh air, opening windows when the weather isn’t too cold
• Open windows when showering or bathing to let steam escape
• Use extractors where possible, such as your oven extractor fan
• Install ventilation systems – trickle vents and air bricks can help
• Use a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity levels within your home

Seals around doors or windows failing (12%)

As we mentioned above, the seals in your double glazed windows or doors can fail. This can happen for a number of reasons, but it’s important that you get these faults fixed to maintain the energy efficiency of your windows.

·       Natural Wear and Tear Over Time

As our windows age, so does the quality of the seals around them.

·       Weather Damage

In summer months, your windows are exposed to high temperatures that can cause the glass to expand. This places additional pressure on the seal as it copes with the extra weight. At night when the weather cools down, the glass then shrinks. This repeated process can damage the seal due to the constant expansion and shrinking of glass putting extra stress on the seal.

·       Faulty Manufacturing

Damaged window seals can result from faulty manufacturing or defective materials used to install your double glazed windows. To avoid this from the beginning, look for a quality double glazing specialist with excellent reviews. If broken seals occur due to product faults, your manufacturer may have a window warranty in place so it’s always worth checking before you seek a repair.

• Improper Maintenance
  The more care we treat our windows with, the longer they will last. If you use damaging products on your windows such as pressure washers or strong cleaning products that can wear the plastic down, this can damage the seal.

Double glazing cracking or shattering (4%)

Windows can break or crack, depending on the weather conditions and the way you treat them. While this is the least common of the reasons double glazing becomes faulty, it can happen. Prevent any damage to your windows by:

• Opt for tempered glass when you have your double glazing fitted.
• Choose pale-coloured window coverings avoiding exreme temperature differences.
• Reduce humidity in your home by using a dehumidifier, especially in more extreme temperatures.
• Be careful around your double glazed windows and check for any scratches in the glass regularly. Any damage to the glass creates weak points, which can later cause more damage to your windows.

Repair Your Double Glazing with Cloudy2Clear

If you’ve noticed any of the above issues with your double glazed windows, it’s time to get them repaired! Repairing your windows quickly is key to keeping your home energy efficient, reducing your heating bills as your windows work to insulate your home themselves.

For more information about how Cloudy2Clear can fix your double glazing, get in touch with our knowledgeable team on 0800 61 21 119. We can provide you with a free, no obligation quote so you know just how much your repairs will cost you. You can also fill out our handy online contact form if you’d like us to get back to you to discuss your quote.