Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Sash Window Refurbishment Or Replacement Which Option Is Preferable:

By Gary Fisher


As Jane Austen's novels are made into films and screened world wide sash windows play their parts in defining the elegance of the buildings that graced her era. Behind them gentlemen and ladies interact as people do. By night they are covered by gilded curtains and by day they are open to let in the fragrances of English gardens. Sash window refurbishment or replacement which option is the best:

Things are not always so perfect in real life. Gazing through a window a man may see a pretty girl passing in the street outside. He longs to seize the moment and impart some news that will further their acquaintance. Advancing eagerly to the window he tugs. It rattles a bit and then refuses to budge. Defeated, the man gesticulates and mouths words as the girl passes. He beats on the panes with the palms of his hands. She looks up, puzzled by strange antics, and passes by.

Prior to the post-modern era massive public buildings were erected with sash windows embedded in the facades. Architecturally that were pleasing, contributing to the harmony and balance of a building. They were designed to admit light and air into interiors.

The interiors of these buildings may present another aspect of the sash window. The cords that hold weights to balance the frames and help them slide are often perished or hanging suspiciously. Wooden slides are swollen or congested by dirt and flaking paint. Frames that refuse to budge up or down seem so heavy that they take would take on the nature of a dangerous object if they were to move. In many cases empty tins, blackboard dusters or toilet rolls are used to prop them open and allow for some ingress of air.

Inevitably the question arises of whether to refurbish old windows or replace them with new ones. Broad expanses of bullet proof or one way glass are now available and they may be fixed in light weather proof aluminium frames. The problem is that such windows can destroy the character of a precious old building making it appear like a lady of advanced years wearing teenage trinkets.

Refurbished features can preserve the character of a building and provide great pleasure, as their smooth functioning contrasts with what users may have endured for years.

There are firms which specialize in protecting the integrity of the built environment. They will refurbish architectural features that beautify buildings and restore them to good working order. The pleasure of sliding open a frame that moves easily and balances exactly where desired may be all the greater for people who have endured sticking and jamming for years. More importantly, the preservation of elegance in a building may impart a deep personal satisfaction.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment

Blog Archive