Always check the windows on your new property
Buying a home is an exciting time. It’s a new start in your life! You have so much to look forward to. When you’re viewing properties, it’s essential to be practical, looking at features that please the head as well as the heart.
At your next viewing, take off the rose tinted spectacles and look at the reality of each house you are taken to see by the estate agent. The location, the age and the size of the house are always going to be at the top of the wish list, but it’s important to look at the DIY jobs you will be facing so you can take the cost into account when making an offer.
External checks
The most exciting moment of a viewing is stepping through the door and taking in the ambience. But make sure you get there a few minutes early to check the outside, too. Note type and age of the windows currently installed in the property.
You want your new home to be energy efficient, secure and relatively modern. Do they tick all the boxes?
Frames
The easiest assessment is the material the frames are made from. If they are wood, you need to look at how well they have been cared for; is the wood warped and are any of the windows are difficult to open? Is the paint chipped of flaked? Both could be signs of deterioration and age.
If the frames are uPVC, then you will need to check the style of frame, the type of security locks installed and the age of the units themselves. Also, look for any condensation as this may mean they are ageing and have failed. Older windows often don’t have vents drilled into them, so they pick up condensation inside the panes. Damaged seals may result in moisture between the panes.
Single or double glazing
If the property has single glazing you will need to make an immediate switch to double glazing or even upgrade further to triple glazing. You will need to factor this in. Even if the house has double glazing, ask when it was installed. If before 2002, it will lose just as much money through draughts as you will spend in heating the room itself – a scary thought.
Security
Check out the locks on the windows, because insurance companies will ask what kind of lock is installed when you start to gather quotes. The most difficult locks for burglars to tackle are 5 lever mortice deadlocks (or the ABS type cylinder locks). Anything less and you’re leaving yourself vulnerable, particularly with cheap cylinder locks that can easily be snapped.
Also, check all the keys are available for all the windows. The last thing you want is a window which can’t be locked, or one which is locked shut due to a lost key (a fire hazard).
Get advice
If you find the place you’ve always wanted and it doesn’t have modern double glazing, contact Hamilton Windows. We can give you a quote to replace the windows so you can enjoy a cosy home for the next stage of your life.
