Your windows are in poor condition, they no longer ensure their role of sealing and thermal insulation? Now is the time to replace them! In addition to bringing a facelift and comfort to your home, your new joinery will help you save energy. But where to start ? Choice of material, type of glazing, search for quotes… what are the steps to follow? Ootravaux shares its advice to carry out your window replacement project!
How to choose your windows?
Before you go headlong into window replacement work, it is important to analyze the layout of your home. 3 elements must be carefully selected to carry out your project: the material, the glazing and the leaf. On the other hand, you will also need to take the exact measurement (height and width) of each window to be replaced. Even if the professional will also do it during his technical visit, this allows you to check that there is no error.
The different possibilities of materials
The wooden window . Wood gives a traditional and warm look to your home. It offers good thermal and acoustic insulation, and very good comfort. However, this model requires regular maintenance;
The aluminum window . The range of aluminum windows has a wide color palette. Aluminum is appreciated for its resistance, but often remains cold on the surface. Be careful to always choose a model with thermal bridge breakers for reinforced insulation;
The PVC window : PVC is durable, with a good quality-price ratio and requires very little maintenance. Its level of insulation is optimal. Nevertheless, its aesthetic appearance is often more classic, white in color;
The mixed window . Some hybrid windows combine the advantages of several materials. For example, the best known is the wood-aluminium version, it is a very resistant and insulating model! But, it is now also possible to have PVC-aluminum windows installed.
Which glazing to choose for your windows?
The choice of glazing is just as important as the choice of materials! Indeed, depending on the thickness of the glazing, and the number of panes, your window will be more or less insulating. In addition, each joinery is to be chosen according to its location and orientation: bay window in a living room, bedroom window, roof window for a room under the roof… In all cases, double-glazed or triple-glazed models are the only ones to offer you optimal thermal and acoustic efficiency for your home.
Tip: to obtain performance guarantees for the replacement of your windows, always favor glazing with VIR (Reinforced Insulation Glazing) certification, one of whose panes is laminated.
How to choose the number of leaves and the direction of opening?
The leaf or “opening” represents the mobile part of your exterior carpentry. The number of leaves to install varies according to the width and type of window , but also according to its location. For example, a roof window always consists of a single leaf. The toilets generally have a very small window, in 1 single leaf. On the other hand, a bedroom window or a bay window in a living room will often have at least 2 leaves.
In addition, the presence of shutters must also be taken into consideration, as they have a direct impact on the opening direction, which can be:
With bellows or hinged frame : placed high up, the window opens inwards on a horizontal axis for effective ventilation, with however a restricted opening angle;
Step 1: removal of the old window
To replace a window, it is necessary either to completely remove the frame (method known as “installation in new”), or to keep the existing frame (method known as “installation in renovation”). The latter option is faster and cheaper. However, it can only be carried out if the frame is in good condition and if the dimensions of the new windows correspond to the old frame. Note that for wooden windows, the removal of the frame is often necessary due to wear.
Step 2: installing the new window
The 2nd step for the replacement of your windows consists in positioning then solidly fixing the frame of the window on your facade, after having taken the right measurements. The frame must be perfectly straight to ensure a good opening of the leaves. Also consider using a compriband gasket. Placed against the wall and the frame, this seal is indeed essential to guarantee the tightness and insulation of windows. In principle, this seal is pre-compressed and expands when it is installed to perfectly match the shape of the windows! This optimizes the energy performance of your joinery.