Make sure new double glazing lasts beyond a decade

As we start a new decade there remains no shortage of double glazing window companies looking for your business. However, you will no doubt want to make sure you choose a double glazing manufacturer, supplier and installer that is professional and reliable. So here are a few tips and things to consider to make sure any double glazing you buy lasts more than a decade!!

In these recessionary times, quite rightly, nobody wants to pay more than they need to, so it is important you do not put yourself under financial pressure by spending more than you can afford. Consequently, it is wise to get two to three quotes from different companies, not just for a price comparison, but more importantly for value for money, service and quality reasons. Following a visit by a sales consultant, a written quotation should be provided on a no obligation basis, then left with you for you think about in your own time and space, without you being in any way pressured to sign. Don’t fall for any “but if you sign today” gimmicks.

It is important you only deal with FENSA registered companies. The FENSA scheme ensures any window and door double glazing work is compliant with building regulations, so therefore should be proven and safe. You can check online on the FENSA wesbite to ensure that each of the companies you plan to obtain quotes from are FENSA registered.

With household energy costs soaring as energy becomes a more valuable resource, the Government and environmental groups are urging us to become more energy efficient for the sake of our planet and increasing financial outlay. Modern energy saving double glazing is now essential for any property. So if you are fitting your double glazing for the very first time, or wishing to replace older less energy efficient windows, finding a reliable company to manufacture and fit your windows is more important than ever, as high quality technologically advanced products are costly!

It is therefore a good idea, when chatting over new window requirements with a double glazing company, to ask them what written guarantee they will provide you with, plus more importantly, how they will “guarantee” to deliver it, both in the short and long term. It is probably worth asking how long have they been in business? Plus find out if they can produce genuine recent (and past) testimonials from satisfied customers that you can check up on. Also, do they have a showroom so you can see what you will get before you order?

Check who is actually going to make your double glazing (and where!), does the company have its own surveyors, fabricators, installers and service engineers (and are they all qualified and experienced?), or do they just sell to you and do the fitting, and maybe sub everything else out to who will do the work cheapest?

It is worth your while dealing with experienced expert manufacturers and installers, who will want to ensure (for both their own and your sake) that they both make and fit your made to measure replacement windows and doors correctly, as they will not want to have to return to correct any installation defects that arise, any more than you will want them to!

By taking your time in selecting a reliable double glazing company, you will help ensure that the windows and doors you have installed in your property are fitted properly and offer value for money over their lifetime, as in the long term, as long as you stay for a decent period of time in your property, the cost of energy efficient replacement windows will be offset by energy and financial savings.

It is therefore important to choose a company that you are certain will be around to handle any service issues that do arise during the guarantee period, so if years later you get the odd broken handle, lock or blown double glazed sealed unit, the repairs are carried out professionally under guarantee at no cost to you. Going for short term “savings” on cheaper installations can prove costly to you later if the company you went with purely to “save money” is no longer around to give you the customer service and deliver on their “guarantee” which you will want to last a decade. So, take your time to research the double glazing companies you have requested a quote from carefully, invest wisely, taking any potential medium and long term ramifications into consideration before selecting your investment partner of choice.