Category: News

1. Keep doors and windows closed

As your grandma would say, “Were you born in a barn?” When you enter a room, make sure you shut the door behind you, keeping draughts out and heat in. Ventilation is important in both bathrooms and kitchens, but try to install an extractor fan, rather than keeping windows ajar.

2. Use only the rooms you need

If you’re finding that you have a room or two that are rarely used, such as a spare bedroom or office space, then make sure you keep radiators turned off in these areas. Heating rooms that don’t require it is a massive waste of energy.

3. Store bottles in the garage or in outside storage

Especially during the Christmas and New Year, we tend to have more food and drink in our homes. Storing bottles in your garage or outdoor storage units will keep them cool, but also means you aren’t overfilling your fridge, or having to run an additional one. Chin chin!

4. Wear extra layers

We don’t want to end up sounding like your parents, but before you turn the thermostat up another notch, why not grab a jumper or blanket and layer up? Before you spend money on heating costs, take a look in your wardrobe for cheaper insulation.

5. Boiler servicing

Having your boiler serviced can ensure it runs as smoothly as possible throughout the winter months, increasing efficiency and saving you energy.

6. Use LED Christmas lights

Light-Emitting Diodes, or LEDs, are much more energy efficient than older style Christmas lights, so make sure you buy new this festive period.

7. Invest in thicker curtains or blinds

Time to update your home? You can do this easily with new curtains or blinds that really set a room off. When investing in new furnishings, make sure you take into consideration thickness, as a good quality pair of curtains can block out any annoying draughts, as well as keeping the heat in. You could also invest in a winter duvet to keep you warming throughout the night.

8. Repair any faulty locks, handles, or hinges

Noticed that you can’t quite get that window pulled shut? This is probably because you have faulty locks, handles, or hinges, which won’t go away without being repaired. If you’ve put this job off because you think you need the whole window replacing, think again. At Cloudy2Clear, we can complete these smaller tasks without having to take the entire unit out.

9. Use a timer for your central heating

Want to wake up or come back to a warm home? Instead of worrying about energy bills by leaving your central heating on 24/7, use a timer switch to ensure that your heating only turns on when required. With advances in technology, it’s easier than ever to control your central heating, even from your mobile phone!

10. Utilise heat from the sun where you can

Keep your blinds and curtains open during daytime hours, especially if it’s sunny. Gaining extra heat from the sun is a free way of keeping your home toasty. Keep them closed at night however, to eliminate any excess draughts.

11. Draught proof

This can be both a small or a large job. Insulating your loft or attic is a great way to keep precious heat in, saving on energy costs, but can be an expensive method. Use draught excluders along the bottom of your doors is a great and cheap way of keeping draughts at bay.

12. Turn down the thermostat

We’re not saying to put a complete ban on using the central heating, but if you’re feeling comfortable in your home, then why not knock the thermostat down by a few degrees? You’ll find that you won’t even notice the difference – except perhaps on your energy bills!

13. Be cooking efficient

Simple tasks such as cooking can actually have a big effect on the amount of energy you’re using. By keeping lids on pots and pans, food will boil quicker, and less water vapour will occur. You should also ensure that you’re using the correct size ring on your hob for large and small pans, as this can waste energy.

14. Repair failed double glazing

If you’re looking for a more effective way to save energy in your home, why not consider getting your failed double glazing repaired? If you’ve noticed that your windows are misted up or cloudy, whether standalone, in double glazed doors or conservatories, then they could also be affecting heat loss in your home. Contact your local branch of Cloudy2Clear today to speak to our helpful team.

See our other posts on cutting your energy bills: 4 Ways Businesses Can Save on their Energy Costs This Winter and How to Reduce Energy Bills.

There’s no doubt about it; Britain has some of the most unpredictable weather, as well as some of the most miserable.

It’s so important that we ensure our homes are well looked after and maintained effectively, both from a longevity and security point of view. Below, we’ve outlined some of our top tips for maintaining your windows during autumn, and into winter too.

Improve insulation

Invest in some heavy curtains for these colder months as it will be a small change with a big difference. With a proper lining and thick material, curtains can actually provide more than just privacy and darkness, but also warmth and insulation. Think about blinds too; multiple layers of insulation will not only keep draughts out, they’ll contribute to locking in warmth and keeping your heating bills down as the weather gets colder.

Here at Cloudy2Clear, we also provide insulating glass when repairing any failed double glazing or even if you’re just looking for an upgrade.

Repair faulty locks, handles, and hinges

Windows that don’t quite shut properly, or those that can’t open for ventilation to reduce condensation, can be a hinderance throughout October – March. Ensuring that you check each and every window for stiffness, sticking, or broken / faulty locks is an important window maintenance task. This will prevent unnecessary draughts, improve security, and make sure you have that all important ventilation, especially when you start putting the central heating back on.

Clean away mould

Mould is an annoyance, as well as potentially affecting yours and your family’s health. Making sure you remove this safely and effectively is important for not only the aesthetics of your windows and home, but also for the ongoing health and well-being of your family. You can prevent mould from growing by removing moisture from your windows regularly; keeping furniture away from windows; and using ventilation techniques, such as extractor fans and keeping a window open when cooking or showering.

Protecting frames and seals

When preventing or removing mould during the autumn, make sure you use the correct cleaning products and techniques to avoid unnecessary damage. Scouring pads may seem like a good idea, but they can break up your seals, potentially causing your double glazing to fail, as well as damaging the look of your uPVC frames.

Streak-free shine

That watery, autumnal sunshine can magnify the smears and streaks on your windows. For clear glass that will be the envy of all your neighbours, check out our top tips for cleaning your double glazed windows. Cleaning them on regular basis will stop a build-up of residue throughout the autumnal / winter months when the weather becomes more erratic.

Repairing failed double glazing

Although we can repair cloudy or misted up windows any time of year, autumn is particularly popular for our customers as it allows them to get all of those home improvement jobs out of the way before Christmas comes around (only 9 weeks to go!).

If you’ve noticed that your windows are becoming increasingly condensed, or have stiff locks, handles, or hinges, contact your local branch of Cloudy2Clear today for more information. With autumn in full swing and winter just around the corner, it’s the perfect time of year to treat your windows to a bit of TLC.

Even with modern window products and materials, faults can be common. Although many issues are usually harmless and won’t affect the effectiveness of your double or triple glazing, some can become bigger problems in the future, so it’s important to look out for them and be aware when they need addressing.

Windows and doors not opening / closing properly or sticking

Although you may view this as an inconvenience more so than a serious problem, if you have difficulty opening your windows or shutting them, this may make them more susceptible to thieves. Even a slight gap in a window can catch a burglar’s eye; it’s simply not worth putting the job off.

uPVC windows and doors are notorious for expanding and contracting during very hot, as well as very cold, weather. In the UK, our weather conditions can change at the blink of an eye, so if your windows and doors are sticking uncharacteristically, it’s worth making a note of the climate before you make any assumptions about ongoing problems with your windows and doors.

However, most windows stick or don’t close properly because of the locks, handles, or hinges (and if you’re really unlucky, all three!). Not being able to open your windows properly can lead to poor ventilation throughout your home, which could lead to black mould and other unpleasant problems.

At Cloudy2Clear, we offer a comprehensive window lock repairs service for these particular assets; just contact your local branch today to arrange a free, no obligation quotation. We would recommend you call the experts before you try and fix any issues yourself, as sometimes this can worsen the problem and be more expensive in the long run.

Condensation between the panes

Not only can condensation between the panes of your double glazed windows affect your view, it can also affect the energy efficiency of your windows. It can be tempting to leave this kind of issue; after all, you might think it’s only the view from your window that you’re missing out on, but there are potentially more serious issues at stake.

Blown double glazing could lead would-be thieves to believe you’re lax with your security as you don’t look after your property as well as those who have faultless windows. Fully-working double glazing can actually be seen as a deterrent to criminals. You’re more likely to have a working alarm system and will have locked all your windows with keys.

Misty or cloudy double glazing, in the form of condensation between the panes, also could mean that you’re at risk of losing heat from your home, reducing energy efficiency, and potentially increasing your electricity or gas bills over the winter.

Dirty windows and window maintenance

We know – cleaning your windows inside, and especially outside, can be a laborious and time-consuming process and not something you’re going to look forward to doing. However, window maintenance is extremely important for ensuring the longevity of your double or triple glazing, as well as deterring burglars.

Clean windows are an indication that you look after your home, you’re up on your security, and you’re proud of your assets i.e. you’ve ensured that your home is protected.

You can read our window maintenance guide here for more information on how to prolong the life of your double or triple glazing.

To address the issues above, see our range of window services below:

– Double glazing repairs
– Double glazed door repairs
– Insulating glass
– Conservatory window repairs
– Caravan window repairs
– Locks, handles, and hinges
– Broken window repairs
– Velux Window Repairs
– Commercial window repairs
– Soundproofing & noise reduction