New windows installation

[rockpaper4u]

Hi All,

I am in the process to get windows upgraded to tripe glaze. This would ultimately feed into improvement of BER ratings. However the supplier has said that they will only give BER cert relation information after completion of the work which can be used for SEAI assessment. Can anybody confirm that would be the case or you need proper quote with U/G values as well either beforehand or on the certificate at end of the work ?

 

[50andOut]

Hi

I don't follow the above, who is the supplier you reference? the window supplier/installers don't provide a BER assessment and cert?

If this helps - I recently got a BER assessment and the assessor asked me to get a report from the window suppliers/installers (new windows were installed 2 years ago and I didn't get anything at the time). I called window co and they emailed me a summary Report - which showed all u ratings etc which I gave to the BER assessor.

This was all done same day I was impressed at how smooth this went.

50+o

 

[rockpaper4u]

Hi

I don't follow the above, who is the supplier you reference? the window supplier/installers don't provide a BER assessment and cert?

If this helps - I recently got a BER assessment and the assessor asked me to get a report from the window suppliers/installers (new windows were installed 2 years ago and I didn't get anything at the time). I called window co and they emailed me a summary Report - which showed all u ratings etc which I gave to the BER assessor.

This was all done same day I was impressed at how smooth this went.

50+o

its a local windows company. They have given me a quote and said you will get a certificate which you can give to architect/BER assessor and they are saying its a cert which will have all the info. I just want to ensure i am not being taken for a ride here in terms of not provided the info upfront if that makes sense.

 

[rustbucket]

The certificate you are talking about is a cert for the windows. Gives the details including the u value

 

[Leo]

As above, and if the supplier is unable to confirm u values in advance, find another supplier!

 

[AJAM]

This is totally normal. How can they give you a cert for windows that you don't have.
However they should be able to tell you what the U values will be in advance.

Only thing to watch out for is that the triple glazed u values may not be as much an improvement over good double glazed ones, hence the supplier might be worried that when you see that you go for cheaper double glazed ones.

 

[rockpaper4u]

As above, and if the supplier is unable to confirm u values in advance, find another supplier!

Well most of them said we will give it when its installed...so assuming they are just middle men ? Or dependent on their end supplier

This is totally normal. How can they give you a cert for windows that you don't have.
However they should be able to tell you what the U values will be in advance.

Only thing to watch out for is that the triple glazed u values may not be as much an improvement over good double glazed ones, hence the supplier might be worried that when you see that you go for cheaper double glazed ones.

Yes i know that...tripe glaze is more for noise insulation in our case. I have not asked for cert but specs. What does the completion certificate have ?

 

[Leo]

Well most of them said we will give it when its installed...so assuming they are just middle men ? Or dependent on their end supplier

I should clarify, they should be able to confirm the ratings of the products they are proposing. It's fine to issue the actual cert afterwards, but they should have the ratings information to hand. We have had threads here in the past where a company promised a certain u-value but only confirmed after installation that a lesser product was fitted. You want confirmation of the rating in writing in advance to have solid grounds for come-back in the event of this happening you.

 

[MelF]

There's little to no difference between the U-value of double and triple-glaze windows, like you say it's more about sound insulation. We replaced ours a few years back thinking it would improve the BER but the assessor told us there's no certifiable difference.

 

[Leo]

We replaced ours a few years back thinking it would improve the BER but the assessor told us there's no certifiable difference.

Some is better, some is worse, it's all down to the products themselves, which is why it's so important to get the u-values up front. Where a BER assessor doesn't have a cert to go on, they may well assume the save values, but where a cert is available they should use those values.

 

[fayf]

I only saw pro’s for triple glazed, when we changed ours,
leaving aside u values and BER impact, far superior noise insulation is one, but there is another.

Less solar gain coming into the house with triple, so house does not heat up as much in hot weather, and conversely, less heat going out of the house, in winter. Its definitely better at insulating from both hot and cold, albeit other factors relevant, like leakage etc

On the few extreme heat days we get here, i couldn’t sleep properly when we had double glazed, that problem is totally gone, since we got the triple in 2 years ago, the house is not heating up as much, and it makes a difference.

Our triple glazed windows, had a U Value of 1.0, and were about 8% more expensive than the same, in double glazed with a U Value of 1.20.