“We never thought we’d be able to use our conservatory all year round!”

Problem

Mr and Mrs Shaw had downsized after their children left home, and were looking to make a long-term investment in their new property. Unfortunately, although their new house was perfect for them in many ways, it did have an old rickety conservatory at the back. 

The worn polycarbonate roof had almost no insulative properties, which meant the space was sweltering in the summer and bitterly cold during the winter, and the sound of heavy rain was deafening.

“It very quickly became apparent that we just couldn’t use the conservatory as we’d hoped,” Mrs Shaw explained. “As well as the temperature extremes, the room felt very dark and suffered from condensation and a range of other issues.”

In fact, the conservatory had old timber frames that hadn’t been properly maintained for years, as well as single glazed windows. The single glazing added to the lack of insulation, as well as causing a condensation issue that resulted in damp penetrating the timber frames.

Solution

Mr and Mrs Shaw contacted Britannia windows, who gave them expert advice along with helpful suggestions on how to personalise their conservatory space while making sure it was as energy efficient as possible. 

After speaking with our consultant, they decided to go for a performance glass roof and energy efficient glass sides, with French doors leading to the garden. The performance glass roof has a low U-value (meaning it is very thermally efficient) and the glass has been manufactured to self-clean when it rains. The glass both reflects direct sunlight to reduce glare in the summer, and retains valuable heat in the winter, making it into a liveable space, no matter the season. 

“The change was instant – our new conservatory replacement has more natural light and ventilation,” added Mr Shaw. “Most importantly, we can use the space all year round, especially when our grandchildren come to visit.”