Improving Victorian tenement windows How South Seeds delivered warmer homes, health improvements and lower bills Growing a Greener Glasgow 1 Options for upgrading South Seeds’ project area window BUTTERBIGGINScondition ROAD snapshot A vital issue in the frame windows in WINDOWS are an essential leaking and broken windows, southside tenements feature in a home: they let in excessive noise and sky-high natural light and fresh air, and heating bills – and those having keep in the heat. to choose between heating Hang thermal curtains your window with Thermal lining looks like a magnetic strips. It can be Victorian sandstone tenement and eating. heavy cotton and is added during winter/ properties have windows which South Seeds wanted to see generally available in white removed during summer take up a larger proportion of how residents’ lives would or cream, or with blackout as necessary. the exterior wall than modern change following their windows properties. Curtains properties. As windows are less being mended and improved, so should be made to reach Maintain your frames VICTORIA ROAD efficient than walls at keeping in we launched a pilot project and the floor to minimise heat for longer loss through the windows Make sure you regularly CALDER STREET the heat, most residents in installed double glazing and and stop any draughts. paint any wooden frames Victorian tenements have higher secondary glazing where people CATHCART ROAD South Seeds has a free with exterior paint, and Four blocks energy bills than residents of Housing Act 2006, tenants can lived in conservation areas. factsheet available at block any gaps in PVC targeted for more modern properties. contact the Private Rented This opportunity for southside the office (see back page). frames with silicon. investment Anyone who has lived in a Housing Panel on 0141 242 residents was highlighted in the by Victorian tenement knows how 0142. Similarly, Glasgow City Evening Times newspaper. Draughtproof frames Restore your Govanhill Housing important it is to close the Council can request owners This project was made PVC frames can be traditional windows Association draughtproofed with Window preservation curtains when it starts to get make improvement but we found possible by funding from Energy silicon; wooden frames firms can restore dark to keep in the heat. little evidence of enforcement. Action Scotland redistributed with strips. GTI, an traditional windows by Windows in poor condition Mending windows is expensive, from an energy provider through insulation firm based in replacing rotten wood, Windows not in immediate need of repair keep in much less heat and so windows are often the last on consumer redress. Dunoon, has a wide variety ensuring windows are result in even higher bills. Where the list of jobs which need done. of purpose-made strips. properly weighted and DIXON AVENUE Windows in need of care properties fail to meet the In South Seeds’ project area Casey Dickson We recommend Q-LON painting the restored Retro B seals for sash-and- frames. Draughtproofing repairing standard in the there are people living with South Seeds energy officer Windows in need of case windows. can be added at the same replacement time for a fraction of the Install temporary total cost. Glasgow City suggest you get three the cost. We suggest Problem window types and what can go wrong secondary glazing Heritage Trust has a list of quotes from window you call three different Temporary glazing film fits preservation companies fitters before you decide fitters and manufacturers over existing single glazing and may have grants who will fit your windows. for quotes. Broken glass Poor design and reduces heat loss available for properties in through the windows. It conservation areas. Install sash-and-case Get coated glass can be bought for less than double-glazed windows The coating reflects heat £20 online or at a Upgrade to PVC Traditional window back into the room while hardware shop. South double-glazed windows manufacturers make sash- letting in heat from the Seeds has a how-to-guide As long as there are no and-case double-glazed sun, known as passive solar for installing glazing film. restrictions (for example, windows, which are a lot gain. This glass is pricy but properties which fall in lighter to lift and a lot you will only need a single Single-glazed Rotten frames Water ingress Install removable conservation areas must easier to fit than their pane per window. By using The surface secondary glazing maintain the original traditional counterparts. coated glass in your The original windows Frames have not The frame and seal temperature of have been replaced been regularly will continue to Polycarbonate secondary windows), PVC double- However, be aware that as windows you can achieve a single-glazed windows Possibility of glass with tilt-and-swing painted and so have perish until the glazing is an effective glazed windows are the window is thicker you window energy rating is very low. Warm air shattering and units which are hard rotted. Heat now pipe above is alternative to double probably the most efficient may need to replace the (WER) band A, therefore becomes cold on the falling on to to clean, draughtproof escapes through mended and the surface of the glass. glazing. It uses a rigid sheet windows available for a casements as well as the exceeding the latest energy pedestrians below. and maintain. the ill-fitting frame. stone dries out. attached to the frame of reasonable price. We frames, which will add to -saving building regulations. 2 Growing a Greener Glasgow Growing a Greener Glasgow 3 Metal-framed Family who rent privately find new windows single panes keep children safe and noise levels down swapped for MARIA Covaci lives on the second floor of a traditional Maria efficient PVC tenement with her husband and their two little girls. They double glazing have rented their home for eight months. ‘There are many things RAYMOND has lived in his ‘Now I don’t get ill all the wrong with the flat but the ground-floor tenement flat glass and time, and enjoy coming home’ windows were the worst,’ for 30 years. In 1991 he collected in says Maria. ‘Several panes installed single-glazed metal- pools on the window ledge. afford proper curtains for were cracked and there were framed windows thinking He kept towels on the ledge his big windows as they’d draughts round the edges.’ they were a good deal. But to catch the water and have had to be handmade. Worst of all there were no over time they developed wrung them out most days, When given the offer of locks. One day her three-year- draughts at the edges and the but when it was really bad free windows, Raymond old managed to open the metal and glass retained cold. the water ran down and leaped at the chance. window by herself while Maria You could feel it if you went damaged the laminate floor. ‘What a difference it’s was in the other room. On near any of his windows. Raymond tried to heat his made,’ he says. ‘My bills have another occasion, Maria found Condensation built up on home using an electric gone down and I spent the her with her finger in the hole the inside of the pane, as convector and a bottled gas money on curtains. I don’t in the pane. ‘Safety was a damp air met the cold glass heater which emits fumes, get ill all the time, and enjoy constant worry,’ she says. and frame. It ran down the and large quantities of coming home to a warm Now the family have proper moisture, adding to the house instead of a freezer.’ Raymond double glazing, no broken condensation. In his bedroom He adds: ‘And the best glass, no draughts and with he has an old oil-filled thing is the noise. It’s so child locks and keys for radiator which doesn’t work quiet. I notice it most at extra security. as well as it used to and his night when there’s always ‘We are really pleased and bedding was often damp. In vans and cars and people happy with the change,’ says winter ice formed on the standing outside talking. I’m Maria. ‘There’s still a lot to be ‘Safety was a constant worry windows and ledges in all the on the ground floor so the done but this was by far the rooms. He says he caught a windows make a huge biggest problem. The best thing due to the broken panes’ lot of colds and always wore difference. You can hardly is that the kids are safe now. extra jumpers at home. hear anything at all.’ ‘We had the heating on until got ear infections. They also The flat has two rooms When his daughter and There are many other seven hours ago and the used to sleep in their clothes which overlook Allison Street, granddaughter came to visit advantages. ‘There’s no house is still warm even for extra warmth. Sometimes a narrow thoroughfare which the first thing they said was: condensation,’ says Raymond, though there was frost last they’d have a bath just to is busy with pedestrians and ‘Gonna put that fire on, so no towels under windows night.’ She smiles happily in a warm up – an expensive way traffic 24 hours a day. ‘The Papa. It’s freezing in here.’ or listening to the ‘drip drip thin T-shirt. ‘We could never to stay warm and one which noise used to be terrible too,’ The industrial dehumidifier drip’ as the water hit the sit in T-shirts before.’ doesn’t last.