A friend is considering replacing all her double glazed windows and sliding doors with sealed UPVC units. She wonders if it is worth all the expense and effort in a standard uninsulated 20 year old concrete Cyprus house with no central heating. The house has been subject to damp and mold for a number of years, so she is seeking reassurance that this will help the situation in addition to keeping the house warmer.
Would be very grateful to hear of anyone's experience.
Many thanks
Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
-
merchant_banker
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 7:09 pm
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
The longest journey starts with a small step.
Answer: yes.
It will also increase your security.
Answer: yes.
It will also increase your security.
-
cyprusmax47
- Chief Cat Spotter
- Posts: 4976
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 10:10 am
- Location: Paphos area since 1982
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
To change all windows and sliding doors with sealed UP VC units is not only very expensive, but also could worsen the damp situation.kansas wrote: ↑Tue Feb 16, 2021 9:46 am A friend is considering replacing all her double glazed windows and sliding doors with sealed UPVC units. She wonders if it is worth all the expense and effort in a standard uninsulated 20 year old concrete Cyprus house with no central heating. The house has been subject to damp and mold for a number of years, so she is seeking reassurance that this will help the situation in addition to keeping the house warmer.
Would be very grateful to hear of anyone's experience.
Many thanks
Here a short info about it from Grammer Solar Germany:
"Poor air is unpleasant and unhealthy. If there is insufficient ventilation, the air does not contain enough oxygen; unhealthy outgases accumulate from furniture and textiles. Problems with dampness and mould develop.
In general, not only the consumed air escapes from the building but also valuable heat. Therefore, energy-saving buildings have to be build as insulated as possible. Nowadays, windows in new buildings are very good insulated so that no air can escape from indoors. This can cause dampness and mould inside the room if the windows are not constantly opened for ventilation. Alternatively, a ventilation system can be installed - a solar energy integrated ventilation system would be ideal."
Here a flyer in English from Grammer Solar, which is the leading company in Europe to produce air collectors with solar.
(My post some days ago: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14128)
http://www.download.grammer-solar.com/g ... act-EN.pdf
As I installed in my Italian house one of their units with perfect results I can only recommend it. The house is more than 300 years old and WAS damp before.
Max
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
It will not improve the damp and mold in the house.
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
This is an interesting question and there is not a single answer. Some 10 or so years ago, we faced a similar situation.We took the plunge and have not regretted it. We did two things at the same time; we installed UPVC doors and windows throughout, upstairs and downstairs, and we put in a form of roof insulation (two layers of thick metallised bubble paper). We were delighted with the results and any humidity – at any season – has not changed for the worse.
It is very difficult to judge heat losses, because the outside conditions are constantly changing. However, our electricity bills for storage heating went down, according to the season, by about 20 percent (summer) to 30 percent (winter). Outside noise levels (e.g. dogs barking or children screaming) went down by a very significant 30 dB or thereabouts.
Now, I'm going to let you into a little secret which will annoy some vendors. The closure of, for example, the windows is not perfect: it is very good but it does let through particles, air and gases in small quantities, certainly not enough for ventilation purposes. I can show this any day by the ingress of fine particulate matter (PM typically 2.5 µg/m³). Depending on conditions, this PM, invisible to the naked eye, can enter a closed room in a surprisingly short period of time. When the meteo office announces the presence of dust, this is what is meant, not the dust that you see settling on a polished table. Does this dust have any impact on the air in the interior of a room? The short answer is yes, under particularly bad conditions, sensitive people (rare!) may have problems breathing but the same people would have far worse problems with conventional (wood, metal or plastic) doors and windows, so this is a big plus for UPVC windows and doors: they can improve the lifestyle of people with breathing difficulties.
With over 10 years experience, I would not hesitate to recommend UPVC doors and windows but do the whole house in one fell swoop; you will get the full benefit and appreciate it better than if you do it in dribs and drabs. No painting is necessary nor any maintenance (other than cleaning the windows!). Of course you will also benefit from lower energy bills.
I am not able to say whether the latest announcement by the government of help for people improving their homes would or would not apply to the installation of UPVC double glazing.
It is very difficult to judge heat losses, because the outside conditions are constantly changing. However, our electricity bills for storage heating went down, according to the season, by about 20 percent (summer) to 30 percent (winter). Outside noise levels (e.g. dogs barking or children screaming) went down by a very significant 30 dB or thereabouts.
Now, I'm going to let you into a little secret which will annoy some vendors. The closure of, for example, the windows is not perfect: it is very good but it does let through particles, air and gases in small quantities, certainly not enough for ventilation purposes. I can show this any day by the ingress of fine particulate matter (PM typically 2.5 µg/m³). Depending on conditions, this PM, invisible to the naked eye, can enter a closed room in a surprisingly short period of time. When the meteo office announces the presence of dust, this is what is meant, not the dust that you see settling on a polished table. Does this dust have any impact on the air in the interior of a room? The short answer is yes, under particularly bad conditions, sensitive people (rare!) may have problems breathing but the same people would have far worse problems with conventional (wood, metal or plastic) doors and windows, so this is a big plus for UPVC windows and doors: they can improve the lifestyle of people with breathing difficulties.
With over 10 years experience, I would not hesitate to recommend UPVC doors and windows but do the whole house in one fell swoop; you will get the full benefit and appreciate it better than if you do it in dribs and drabs. No painting is necessary nor any maintenance (other than cleaning the windows!). Of course you will also benefit from lower energy bills.
I am not able to say whether the latest announcement by the government of help for people improving their homes would or would not apply to the installation of UPVC double glazing.
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
Changed my old Cypriot type dark wood doors and windows on the apartment with sealed double glazed replacements throughout a slight improvement in heat retention but no difference with regards damp or in some places black patches on the ceiling. Spraying with bleach helped get rid of the mould patches but the damp is a constant battle due to the construction methods used here no damp courses installed. A dehumidifier does help but not 100%.
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
I have a 30 yr old Cypriot built house with no damp course. My first winter here when the house had old single glazed windows and french windows was terrible. There were cold draughts as none of them fitted properly, I have had them replaced with double glazed sealed units.I chose those which have 'tilt and turn'. The result is no more draughts. In day time I put some windows on 'tilt', where they are locked. This ventilates the rooms. The new windows as well as cutting out draughts, keep the heat in where it is needed when I close them.
To combat damp, have you had your roof checked for leaks? . If necessary have the roof made water proof. Also, have someone check those concrete walls for any cracks. My house had quite a few. A builder repaired any external ones he saw. The house was then repainted with an elastic, waterproof acrylic paint.(2-3 coats), Damp from below isn't the only cause of damp. Since then, my house is far drier than it was previously, though I have to check for any damp if we have a prolonged period of rain.
I would definitely suggest that you get good quality double glazed UPVC windows and doors for the whole house, But unfortunately, you may also need to install some insulation to roof and possibly walls to get the full benefit.
Dee
To combat damp, have you had your roof checked for leaks? . If necessary have the roof made water proof. Also, have someone check those concrete walls for any cracks. My house had quite a few. A builder repaired any external ones he saw. The house was then repainted with an elastic, waterproof acrylic paint.(2-3 coats), Damp from below isn't the only cause of damp. Since then, my house is far drier than it was previously, though I have to check for any damp if we have a prolonged period of rain.
I would definitely suggest that you get good quality double glazed UPVC windows and doors for the whole house, But unfortunately, you may also need to install some insulation to roof and possibly walls to get the full benefit.
Dee
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
Morning all.
Over our time here in this property we have changed all of our aluminium framed window and doors, was it worth it? yes it was, but it is an expensive upgrade, only advise it if you intend to stay in the property, as we do...by the way the first job we had done was roof insulation, all of it, definitely worth the time and money.
Over our time here in this property we have changed all of our aluminium framed window and doors, was it worth it? yes it was, but it is an expensive upgrade, only advise it if you intend to stay in the property, as we do...by the way the first job we had done was roof insulation, all of it, definitely worth the time and money.
Jim.
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
Jinx
Did you have the roof tiles taken off and installation put under them or did you have the ceilings lowered inside and installed?
Have you got sloping ceilings?
Thank you
Did you have the roof tiles taken off and installation put under them or did you have the ceilings lowered inside and installed?
Have you got sloping ceilings?
Thank you
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
I put 4" thick rock wool type insulation in the loft between the rafters and then boarded out the complete loft area with chipboard made a big difference during both Summer and Winter months.
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
Our original sloping roof structure was very simple. On the outside, we had heavy ceramic tiles which sat on wooden planks which I guess were about 15 mm thick. In turn, these sat on beams about 9 cm wide and 18 cm deep. The planks and beams were apparent in the rooms and had been varnished for appearance.
We had two options. The simple one was to plank over (or rather under) the beams and to fill the gap between the beams with insulation. The other one was to keep the beams visible and put the double bubble insulation between them followed by an estimated 15 mm T and G. This allowed us to retain the rather rustic appearance of the beams at the cost of a slightly less efficient insulation and considerably more work (cost).
At one time we had a website explaining this with illustrations that I think it is long since gone! In retrospect I still like the appearance of the beams in the ceiling and I believe that we did a reasonable compromise between efficiency and appearance.
We had two options. The simple one was to plank over (or rather under) the beams and to fill the gap between the beams with insulation. The other one was to keep the beams visible and put the double bubble insulation between them followed by an estimated 15 mm T and G. This allowed us to retain the rather rustic appearance of the beams at the cost of a slightly less efficient insulation and considerably more work (cost).
At one time we had a website explaining this with illustrations that I think it is long since gone! In retrospect I still like the appearance of the beams in the ceiling and I believe that we did a reasonable compromise between efficiency and appearance.
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
Hello neighbour.
We have wood rooves not concrete so no need to remove any tiles, they are slopping rooves, it was easy to put insulation into all our ceilings, not an expensive job but highly recommended, also we do not have mould or damp problems.By the way it is Jim...
Jim.
Re: Replacing windows/doors with UPVC double glazing
I lowered the ceiling... relatively straight forward job, rockwall insulation , new modern lighting....
Now the heat stays in the Villa longer...
Never had mould or damp....oh and also upvc windows and doors.
Now the heat stays in the Villa longer...
Never had mould or damp....oh and also upvc windows and doors.
