Comfortable atmosphere in the house is primarily associated with warmth in the room. To keep your home warm, you should remember and use energy-saving and energy-efficient technologies. Correctly chosen windows play not the least role in saving energy and efficiency of the use. Therefore, if you still have old window structures in your apartment, house or office you should think about replacing them. The logical consequence after replacing them is more tangible heat in the room and significantly lower heating bills. But these are not all the advantages of replacing old windows with modern one, it is worth adding:

• better thermal insulation;
• high degree of security;
• long service life;
• easy to care for;
• variety and attractiveness of designs.

Replacing windows in an apartment is not an expense, but an investment in increasing comfort. Such an investment will definitely pay off, because already in the first year of use you will notice significant savings on heating.

You should be prepared to deal with some issues related to the replacement process. To make it easier to find new windows, we will try to cover as many important questions as possible.

In what cases is it necessary to replace the windows?

Most often, we start thinking about the replacement of windows during the capital repair. We also start thinking about installing new structures when windows get damaged. For example, they don’t close properly or fall apart. But these are not all the reasons why we order new windows and replace the existing ones, there are also the following reasons:

• mold and fungus on the window sill, slopes and frame;
• condensate is constantly collected, even under a slight temperature contrast outside and inside of the room;
• loss of tightness of the window structures due to penetration of dust, moisture and cold air from the outside;
• windows have lost their attractive appearance;
• window structures don't protect the premises from street noise;
• incorrect operation of hardware (structural elements do not fit tightly or something similar) and window adjustment does not help.

It also happens that a wooden or old plastic window looks quite attractive and has no obvious problems. But it should be taken into account that modern technologies and new design bring positive changes to the manufacturing of plastic windows. You should also pay attention to installation problems, as old technologies are significantly inferior to modern warm installation.

Old plastic windows have their own problems. Quite often owners complain about drafts, which is the result of a reduction in the density of the double-glazed window and/or the seal becomes less elastic. In addition, you can notice that the material of the profile has turned yellow, and its surface is covered with a thick net of small cracks. This is the result of the influence of atmospheric phenomena, cleaning agents etc. All this points to outdated manufacturing technologies or low-quality of windows sold under the Polish brand.

Replacing wooden windows with plastic windows

Much depends on the type and wood processing technology. The strongest and most reliable windows are made of oak. Under favorable conditions, the service life of such structures can be more than 20 years, but only with high-quality work and proper processing of materials.

Today, wooden windows are still found in private houses and high-rise buildings. In addition to the fact that such structures have already lost their functionality, they also require significant investments for their seasonal repair. Very often, replacing a wooden window with a modern plastic is the only logical solution that saves the building from mold, unpleasant smells, drafts, etc.

Replacement of plastic windows with new uPVC windows

Low-quality window structure is one of the main reasons for premature replacement of plastic structures. Very often, such structures did not serve even half of the predicted term. Defects and broken accessories are even more common problems.

Things are going better now, because many manufacturing companies have appeared on the market. They use modern technologies and improved materials. And customers, while choosing PVC windows prefer high-quality profile systems, accessories and double-glazed windows. It’s also important to pay attention to such properties as energy efficiency, burglar resistance, soundproofing and protection against ultraviolet light.

Replacement of windows with aluminum windows

Not everyone is delighted with only plastic windows. Wooden windows also have lost their operational qualities. That’s why people try to find another way out by installing combined structures made of aluminum and PVC. Such windows have a number of features:

• opportunity to choose a suitable design, there are ‘cold’ (for gazebos and similar buildings) and ‘warm’ windows suitable for residential and office buildings;
• significant strength and practicality of structures;
• visual attractiveness, such windows look more elegant;
• ability to create large and very large structures;
• less weight compared to PVC and wooden structures;
• service life of more than 50 years, high resistance to high and low external temperatures.

It is worth mentioning that such windows can significantly increase light transmission due to the use of a thinner profile. But the price of aluminum windows is higher compared to other analogues.

Replacement of standard and non-standard windows in apartments and cottages

Both standard and non-standard windows can be installed in apartments and private houses. We regularly come across the following glazing options:

• panoramic windows on loggias and balconies;
• arched windows for a country house;
• round windows;
• triangular, polygonal structures, standard windows, etc.

What to consider when replacing the windows?

Such an important process as window replacement cannot be implemented without a plan. Due to such a balanced approach, you will not only save on the price of replacing windows, but also get a very high-quality result.

Here is your plan of actions:

1. Find out the dimensions of the window; try to make accurate measurements.
2. Choose what materials the windows should be made of - PVC or aluminum, wood or combined structures.
3. Choose a profile. We advise you to pay attention to the modern PVC profile, because it has quite a lot of advantages. The main feature is that this profile has a different number of chambers, insulation and it is thicker.
4. Next, you should choose a type of double-glazed window based on its properties. The assortment includes energy-saving, double-glazed windows with the function of protection against external noise, equipped with theft protection etc. You can also order "cold" double-glazed windows for unheated premises (for example, gazebos or garages).
5. Choose the shape and other features of the new window structures. Of course, you can leave the concept of the window as it is, but you can increase/decrease the number of leaves or change the shape of the frame.
6. Choose the way of opening the leaves. There are more modern two panes and standard one pane models, which are available in several variants : tilt, turning, tilt-and-turn and casement model.
7. After that, you have to choose the color and design of the structure.
8. Pay attention to additional options. These are mosquito nets, window sills and external window sills.
9. When you have chosen the window structures, you should compare the prices and offers of different manufacturers.
10. We recommend ordering online.
11. The company will deliver ready-made window structures to you.
12. You can either install the structures by yourself or entrust this job to professionals.
13. Carry out finishing works inside and outside the building.

Does window replacement require a permit?

The owner of the house decides whether it is time to change the windows in his house and it sounds logical. However, it is not so simple and there are some nuances. In most cases, it’s not necessary to obtain an official permit from the relevant authorities to perform the work. That is, when you make a decision to replace the old wooden windows in the apartment with new PVC windows, you don’t need to apply to various committees and departments. You simply follow the plan of actions presented above.

But there are cases when it will be necessary to obtain permission before making a decision to replace the windows. Such cases are:

• if you want to replace standard windows with non-standard. For example, instead of rectangular windows, you want to install arched structures in a high-rise building;
• if your house is included in the register of architectural monuments, it is not allowed willfully replace the elements of the facade;
• replacement of windows is one of the stages of the building's capital repair. This also must be agreed.

How long does it take to replace a window?

Installation can be done independently, but only if you have an understanding of how to use the tools, or you can order a professional service. While placing an order for new windows the specialist must discuss with you the time required for the process. It should be noted that sometimes the quality of work performed depends on the time you spend on it, so there should be enough of it.

Installation of one window takes 1-3 hours due to features of structure. But it should not be forgotten that we apply an individual approach to each order. The complexity of the specific case, features of structure and their number, as well as the experience of the master will undoubtedly affect the installation time.

By the way, the weather and time of year have almost no effect on the performance of work. But there is a rule - do not install windows at temperatures below -5°C.

Are there any subsidies/grants for window replacement?

Windows replacement is a rather expensive pleasure, but it is useful not only for the owner of the premises, as it may seem at first glance. Ordering low-quality structures is also not a good decision, because very soon they will lose their operational characteristics.

But there is a way out. In the case of replacing windows in Poland a program called "Clean Air" (Czyste Powietrze) can help you to save money. It is possible to get a grant under this program, but some conditions should be taken into account:

• first of all, the program is aimed at helping owners (individuals) of buildings that are being restored or are still under construction;
• while calculating the subsidy the income per family member is taken into account. Households whose income per family member does not exceed 600 PLN can receive the largest subsidy in the amount of 90%.

From January 3, 2023 the "Clean Air" program has co-financing up to 135,000 PLN. Amounts exceeding these limits are issued as a low-interest loan.

How much does it cost to replace windows and what does the price depend on?

It will be more profitable to receive a subsidy for replacing windows under the "Clean Air" program. But not everyone has the right to receive these funds. Even if there is an approved amount of compensation, you will have to pay the difference between the work budget and the subsidy.

The cost of replacing windows is calculated individually while defining the amount of the subsidy. Many factors affect the final amount:

• Quality of used materials and accessories. In our manufacturing we use only proven materials. (Renau and Winkhaus accessories).
• Manufacturing features. We use only modern technologies and ultra-precision equipment.
• Number and complexity of window structures. Every client can be sure that we will cope with any task as soon as possible.
• Level of professionalism of specialists. Only experienced specialists work in our company.

Even if you know the price of window replacement and installation it’s impossible to take into account all the nuances and subtleties. It is advisable to contact a specialist who will not only calculate the amount, but also suggest the best solution in your particular case. And if you want to know the most accurate amount needed to replace the windows in the apartment, we advise you to use our configurator on the website. It is not difficult and very fast.