Find a Window Installer you can trust in Strathaven.

If you’ve never had Velux windows before, you might be wondering how to open them. If you’ve got very high ceilings and your roof windows are set high up in the pitch of the roof, you might not even be able to reach them. So how do you open them in this case?

When Velux windows are installed so high that they’re out of reach, the installers will often recommend that they install an electric switch for you to open and close your windows. They often come with a rain sensor, so you don’t need to rush up to the top of the house if there’s a sudden downpour – they will close automatically. You can also choose to have a remote so you can open and close your roof windows wherever you are in the room.

If you don’t have an electric switch, but you still can’t reach to open and close your Velux windows, you should be supplied with a telescopic pole when they’re installed. If you weren’t or you’ve moved into a home with roof windows and there isn’t one, you can buy them online. They have a hook on the end and can be extended to the correct length so you can hook it over the handle of the window and pull or push to open it.

If you’ve got a top-hung Velux window that can also be opened in a centre-pivot position, it’s easy to switch between the two. Simply ensure the window is completely closed before you start, then open the handle up – but don’t push it out. Then pull the vent bar down until the sash is rotated 180 degrees. Then secure the position by sliding the barrel bolts into the holes at either side of the bottom of the frame. Easy!

If you’ve got a problem with condensation and don’t have double glazing, you should find that getting new windows will help. Condensation is caused by warm air meeting a cold surface which then turns into water droplets. With two panes of glass, less heat will escape from your home and keep the window warmer, meaning when steam from the bathroom or kitchen touches your windows there should be less condensation.

The simple answer to this question is... they can be! Although there are many types of porch designs that are available in the market, the uPVC porch happens to be one of the most loved and cost effective. Most home and property owners prefer the installation of a uPVC porch for a number of reasons. These includes:

• Value for money

It’s no coincidence the uPVC is widely accepted across the building industry with a plethora of uses. Not only is it relatively inexpensive to manufacture, but even the recycled uPVC is now becoming more and more useful. UPVC’s main rivals are wood and aluminium, and both are way more expensive to incorporate for frame profiles. Therefore, making use of uPVC is going to make your initial costs relatively low.

• Life Span

Although the main rivals in both hardwood and aluminium can also boast a lengthy lifespan just as uPVC. However, considering the price that you can get a uPVC, the lifespan is just incredible as it can be measured in decades.

• Aesthetic Appeal

UPVC gives you a wide range of foil colours that’ll fit your home perfectly well while also enhancing it’s visual appeal. You can actually get a porch that looks exactly like it’s manufactured from timber frames. To achieve this, all you need to do would be to make use of a wood grain surface finish. This is also long lasting, strong and resistant to fade.

• Little Maintenance

This is a very common feature of uPVC that makes it even more advantageous when used in making a porch. Unlike timber or wood which swells due to absorption of water or shrinks, you’ll never need to worry about all these distortions and more with uPVC. No painting, no sanding and ultimately, low maintenance required.

Velux installers offer the Velux Active home kit. This provides an automated system to enhance your indoor living. With its sensor-based ventilation apparatus, the Velux active home kit’s smart sensors repeatedly monitor your home’s temperature, humidity and CO2 levels for its optimum healthy living standards.

Sensor-based ventilation
Velux Active tracks temperature, humidity and CO2-levels, and ventilates to keep your indoor climate nice and healthy.

Automatic heat protection
Velux Active automatically protects your home from excessive heat by closing your Velux Integra blinds, awnings and shutters on hot days.

Set personal preferences
Want to swap your alarm clock for a sunrise or air out while you’re at work? Customise your indoor climate with Velux Active.

Voice-control and smart speaker integration come standard with VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO, enabling you to draw the shades or open the windows just by asking.

Did you just purchase a double glazed window and confused about how to have it installed? Fitting the window yourself can be quite easy with the help of this step by step guide. However, if you lack proper training or experience, we’d recommend you reach out to a trustworthy professional who can guarantee the best results for help. That said, now let’s take a look at the process.

• Remove the old windows by detaching the old beading and glass window safely. Then make some interval cuts using a hand saw before using a crowbar to pry it out.

• Cut the external double glazed window seal. Once done, take a measurement of the window area’s width once empty. Then transfer the measurement to the window sil to face outside and cut using a handsaw.

• Seal the window sil. Add a bead of clear silicone along both inside lip as well as the centre to seal the sil.

• Screw the double glazed window to the sil. Position the window on the top of the lipped section that was siliconed. Then pre-drill them together and screw in three places. You should make sure the screws do not go totally to the sil’s bottom.

• Install the double glazed window. After successfully screwing the double glazed window to the sil, you can now fit in the double glazing. Make use of packers to make sure it’s even in the slot.

• Screw the uPVC window to the wall. If you’re happy and satisfied with the position of the window, you can then pre-drill through the frame of the window and the brick wall. Once done, simply screw it in place using masonry screws or Spax screw as they do not require crawl plugs in bricks.

• Seal around the window. To do this, simply fill any gaps with expanding foam, wipe out the excess and seal with silicone.

Most window installers will be able to provide you with one double glazed window and fit it for you. If you’re replacing one double glazed window in your home, ask them to try and source the same windows that you already have or find one that’s very similar. Externally, you probably won’t be able to notice the difference, but if your existing windows are very old there may be some exterior discolouration and the locks and handles might look slightly different.

If you want one double glazed window so you can fit it yourself, there are lots of online companies that can supply you with one window. However, window fitting is a skilled trade and you might want to consider whether you have the right tools and experience to fit it yourself. Of course, you’ll save money on installation costs, but if something goes wrong, you might end up shelling out to get it fixed anyway.

The other thing to consider is that any replacement windows need to be certified that they meet Building Regulations. If you fit the double glazed window yourself, you’ll need to apply to your local council building control officer to get a certificate that confirms that you fitted the window within the regulations. You’ll have to pay a fee for this, and it will be even more expensive if Building Control say that the window hasn’t been fitted within the regulations and you have to start again.

The alternative is to ask a reputable window installer that is registered with a self-certification scheme, like FENSA, to install the window. That means that they can self-certify that the window meets building regulations once they’ve finished the installation.

• Climate - If your window faces south, it will be subject to direct sunlight for a lot of the day. This tends to cause the sealed unit to fail more quickly – a south-facing window may last between 10-25 years. This is because the spacer bars will twist as the temperature rises and causes the adhesive holding them together to eventually fail.
• Moisture - Windows in kitchens and bathrooms tend to fail more quickly because they come into contact with moisture more often. For example, if water gets on your windowsill when you shower, the seal around the glass will come loose more quickly if it’s constantly wet.

After fitting your new windows, your installer should take away and dispose of your old windows. If you want to keep them, just let your installer know before they start work. The UPVC frames are melted down and used on the unseen parts of new windows. Aluminium frames are re-smelted and wooden are broken down and used as chipboard.