The cooler months can be delightfully cosy, especially if you take the time to winter-proof your windows! After the ceiling space, windows are the main culprits of heat loss in the home, responsible for around 15-20% of overall warmth escaping to the great outdoors. Additionally, windows love a little condensation, another unwelcome winter visitor.
Luckily, we have a few easy tips and tricks to get your windows, and your home, ready for winter. From double glazing to quality window treatments, here’s how to prepare your windows for winter.
Double-glazed windows in Auckland have been a basic necessity overseas for decades, but the two-pane tactic is only just starting to become basic building practice in New Zealand.
Double-glazing, or even triple-glazing, means there are multiple panes of glass that sits within a single window frame. This creates air pockets between the frames which trap heat, holding in the warm air and keeping out the cold. It’s an insulation barrier that will not only keep your home toasty but will also save you money on heating bills!
Multi-glazed windows not only help with heat but also help to keep condensation at bay. The air pockets create a buffer between your home and the outside, meaning there is a less dramatic temperature change on the glass from the outside to the inside. This reduces the likelihood of condensation and means the home can remain dry of droplets.
One of the best ways to winter-proof your home is by having good window treatments. No, this doesn’t mean giving them compliments! It means adding curtains will thermal-lining or using the right blind materials in the bathroom, kitchen, or any other high-moisture space.
Thermal-backed curtains are multi-layered, with a lining of acrylic foam to help keep out the cold and keep in the heat. They tend to be quite heavy, which helps in their mission to block out any unwanted drafts or cool air that can cool down the home. As a bonus, they also work to block out light, which makes winter hibernation a little easier.
Windows should have some sort of covers to keep the cold at bay. Since the bathroom and kitchen tend to be quite high in moisture, having PVC or another hardy synthetic material is a good choice.
Roman or Venetian blinds are some of the best choices for window coverings. They can be opened and closed, pulled up, or rolled down as you wish, which means you can control the airflow easier and combat condensation by letting hot air and steam escape.
Thermal glass is a great way to add a little extra layer of warmth to your windows.
Thermal glass can be an overlaid laminate or low E glass. Either way, they’re great to reduce sound, can control the sun’s rays bouncing around your home, and fit with almost any pane of glass.
Cracks and crevices can be sneaky paths through which heat can escape. It may not seem like much, but if there are multiple gaps and cracks in the windows throughout your house, you can start to lose a serious amount of heat.
To combat the cracks, grab some caulk or sealant from your local hardware store and get filling! It won’t take long, and it’s a simple fix to not only stave away the cold but make your windows last longer! Juddering frames or loose settings can compromise the glass, so secure the glass with sealant for a win/win situation!
It pays to go through your house once a year with a keen eye for any cracks, broken frames, or chipped windows. This way you can get on top of a small issue before it becomes a big one, as well as ensure your windows are ready for any storms winter might throw at them.
It’s a proactive approach to winter that takes a little amount of time but can pay off in a big way.
You can never go wrong with a little old-school ingenuity, and draft stoppers are still an effective way to stop breezes in their tracks. If you’re waiting on your windows to be replaced or repaired, one of these long cushions snuggled into the frame is a great interim choice to keep your home warm. They may not be the height of home décor, but they’re a little bit of fun!
Atlas Glass can help you to winter-proof windows with a range of options to suit you. Choose from a range of timber double-glazed windows, thermal glass, and more to make sure your windows are the best they can be. We offer a free consultation and quote, so you know you’re getting a fair deal from quality glaziers. Get in touch today to learn more.
There’s nothing like natural light to boost a dreary day, and it’s been proven that sunlight is an instigator of good health and well-being. It makes sense to try incorporating more natural light in the house, and we should. Ask any architect (or home-office dweller for that matter!) and they’ll tell you natural light is one of the most important aspects considered when designing a home.
As a glass company based in Auckland, we know that natural light can be hard to capture, and even harder to get right. Too little, and a room can become artificial, but too much can mean a stuffy room that’s hard to relax in. If you're interested in maximising natural light in your house, this blog post is for you! From structural design to soft furnishings and colours, we reveal ways you can make the most of natural light.
One of the best ways to incorporate more natural light into a house is through its physical structure. Obviously, this option is a little more pricey than soft design tweaks, but if it’s a new build you’re looking at, focusing on its structural design is the best strategy for stealing sunlight. Think patio doors and skylights and get creative with your internal walls.
What’s the smartest way to get more natural light into a house? Simply let it flow in! Skylights are a staple of smartly built homes for a good reason. When built on the right angle for a room, they optimise the amount of light let in, without the need to occupy your wall space with windows. Top light (which is what skylights produce), lets in three times as much natural light as vertical openings, so they punch above their weight.
If skylights don’t fit into the structure of your home, patio doors are another way to elegantly bring more natural light into a room. Floor-to-ceiling patio doors are not only a design statement, but they also have great functionality for a sweeping indoor/outdoor flow. Just make sure you find the perfect window treatments to complement the design, so you can have a little privacy when needed.
If you’re wanting to go all out with the glass, why not try a roof lantern in the bathroom? It’s essentially a glass roof and maximises the window space and the privacy in what can be a dark part of the house.
We’re not done with windows yet. They are an essential part of the home, and they must be done right. Although there is much hubbub about large windows losing heat, this is an easy fix! Simply choose double glazing or thermal glazed windows to seal in the heat!
Also, have a good look at how the light enters a room. When you know where the light comes from, you know how best to utilise it! In New Zealand, it’s best to have windows facing north, to capture most of the sun’s rays as it slides across the Southern sky.
Replacing interior walls with glass blocks or window separations is a good way to let natural light bounce around the home. Not only does a glass wall open a room, but it also filters the light to create soft rays that dapple instead of glare into your space.
Soft design features are a good way to take advantage of the existing natural light within a house.
Colour plays a huge role in how light manoeuvres through a room. Warm light likes red, orange, and yellow tones, whereas cool light finds friends in blue, green, and grey. Think about how rooms in the house are used and the type of light they receive. Rooms that receive light at dawn and dusk will favour warm hues, whereas day rooms prefer cooler colours.
If the right colour doesn’t come naturally, a good strategy is to stick with light tones. Whites, or even gentle greys, soft blues or foamy greens are great to let natural light in.
Furniture can orientate a room to take advantage of natural light. A reading room would do well to have chairs facing the natural light, whereas a TV room should angle furniture away from harsh glares.
As well as the orientation of furnishings, the tone has a big impact on how light enters a room. Furniture with lighter wood, reflective tiles, and even strategically placed mirrors all help natural light to bounce around a room.
Textures are also key here, so think glossy paint finishes, fabrics with a light sheen, and even incorporate a few metallic knick-knacks to keep the natural light flowing!
If you’re looking to let more natural light into your house with the help of expertly glazed windows, Atlas Glass is here to help. We do a range of glazing for timber windows, such as double-glazed and acoustic glass to keep your treatments functional and easy on the eye.
Get the most out of your windows with the glass company Auckland loves! Get in touch with the team at Atlas Glass for a free consultation and start your journey to a naturally lit, beautiful home.
