Lifestyle Home Solutions is a family owned and operated business based near Nottingham and Derby. Whether you are looking for UPVC Windows, Timber Windows or double Glazed windows, Lifestyle can provide you with a wide range of quality products for a great price.
WINDOW ENERGY RATINGS
Changes to Document ‘L’ of the Building Regulations
As of October 2010 all replacement windows must meet further improved thermal efficiency standards, this can be achieved by demonstrating a compliant ‘U’ value of the combined window and glazing of 1.6Wh/M2/oK or what will the more popular option run by the BRFC; Window Energy Ratings (WER’s).
A minimum Window Energy Rating of ‘C’ will be required for the combination of frame and glazing to meet the new requirements of Document ‘L’ of the building regulations. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Window Energy Rated windows will also be available giving home owners the opportunity to more accurately gage and up-grade the thermal performance of the replacement windows they are buying. Given that a ‘C’ rating is the minimum rating we can install to comply with building regulations we have chosen to simply offer ‘A’ Energy Rated Windows as an up-grade to homeowners.
Window Energy Ratings and Security – Our Standard Specification
An easy way to achieve Window Energy Ratings is to omit some or all of the steel reinforcing from the outer frame and integral sections; we feel that the reinforcing is too important for long term durability / movement in the window section and security i.e the performance of the locking systems, screw retention and any flex in the PVCU section under break in conditions so we have opted to keep our windows and doors FULLY REINFORCED AS STANDARD and specify the appropriate glazing to achieve a Window Energy Rating of ‘A’ (We are now also including TCI – Thermal Chamber Inserts which is a reinforcing section made from recycled materials in certain sections of the window frame to again further improve the thermal performance of the frame and screw retention). Some windows with decorative glass or with obscured glazing receive special dispensation from the BRFC as they cannot meet an ‘A’ rating due to the type of glass used, typically these would be a ‘B’ rated window. Doors with 50% or more glazed area do not currently have a WER but will be required to meet a minimum ‘U’ value of 1.8W/02/K. We have opted to glaze our doors with the ‘A’ WER specification glazing we include in our windows.
Some windows with decorative glass or with obscured glazing receive special dispensation from the BRFC as they cannot meet an ‘A’ rating due to the type of glass used, typically these would be a ‘B’ rated window. Doors with 50% or more glazed area will be required to meet a minimum ‘U’ value of 1.8W/02/K.
Window / Glass Specification:
Minimum Requirement - WER ‘C’ Rated
FULLY REINFORCED (Small Outer or Large Outer Frame)
Pilkington Optiwhite Low Iron Glass / Warm Edge Spacer
Bar / AIR FILLED / Pilkington Low Iron K
FREE Up-grade - WER ‘A’ Rated
FULLY REINFORCED (Small Outer Frame only)
Saint-Gobain Diamant Low Iron Glass / Warm Edge Spacer
Bar / Argon Gas Filled / Planitherm Total Plus Soft Coat
Key statistics from the Energy Saving Trust
Each household in the UK creates around six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That's six times the weight of the rubbish a household throws away in a year. Each household in the UK produces double the carbon dioxide emissions that the average car produces in a year. The average household could save around two tonnes of CO2 a year by making their home energy efficient.
If everyone with gas central heating installed a new condensing boiler, we'd cut emissions by 13.1 million tonnes. We'd also save almost £1.8 billion per year on our energy bills and enough energy to heat over 3.7 million homes for a year. If everyone installed cavity wall insulation, we'd cut CO2 emissions by more than 6.8 million tonnes, enough to fill more than 1.3 million hot air balloons. If every home that could had 270mm loft insulation we'd save almost 4 million tonnes of CO2, the same as the annual emissions of around 710,000 homes.
If everyone put an insulation jacket on their hot water tank, we'd cut CO2 emissions by 670,000 tonnes - enough to fill around 134,000 hot air balloons. If everyone in the UK installed one energy saving light bulb, we'd save enough CO2 to fill the Albert Hall nearly 2,000 times.
I’ve had to write to let you all know how delighted I am with my new upvc windows and doors. The workmanship is of the highest standard, quite a few people have asked about them already, and I’ve only had them in 3 days. More...
