In the Frame - Ventrolla sash window renovation specialists

As well as keeping your sashwindows in good working order, it’s also essential to keep them secure.

One particular locking mechanismrecommended by Ventrolla engineers isthe highly effective but discreet Brighton lock.

Fitted at the centre point where the top and bottom sashes meet, the lock is firstfastened in the traditional way with a hook and then tightened with a separate screw for extra security.

It negates the need for unsightly secondarylocks or restrictor bolts and can be easily fitted to an existing or refurbished window.

The Brighton lock is also a winner when itcomes to insurance. One of the countryʼsleading insurance providers has alreadycontacted Ventrolla in support of their use.

They say many of their clients prefer this type of lock because it complies with their

insurance requirements, without the need for additional fittings.

For more information on window security,speak to your local surveyor or visit ourwebsite at

www.ventrolla.co.uk.

For more information and to find our nearest office call FREEPHONE 0800 378 278 or visit www.ventrolla.co.uk

Issue 02 • Summer 08

INSIDE:• Case studies: Focus on East Anglia• EPCs go commercial• The Summer House• Testing Times for VPSS• Explained: Sash Removal System

In The FRAMEWelcome to In The FrameWelcome to the second issue of In The Frame, the newsletter fromVentrolla, the UK’s leading sashwindow renovation specialist.

Having recently taken up the post of Managing

Director for Ventrolla, itʼs my pleasure to

introduce the summer edition of In The Frame.

In this issue youʼll find news of whatʼs been

happening within the Ventrolla network,

including some of the high profile projects

weʼve been working on recently, with a particularfocus on East Anglia.

We also discuss the implications of the completeroll out of Energy Performance Certificates intothe commercial sector by October 2008.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of In The Frame, and we welcome any comments that you may have regarding the content of our newsletter.

David GreavesManaging Director, Ventrolla Ltd

Brighton Locks Rock

4193_In the Frame Newsletter 2:4193_In the Frame Newsletter 2 9/9/08 17:22 Page 1


With so many satisfied customers, itʼs easy to see why VentrollaEast Anglia was named Franchisee of the Year within the Ventrolla network.

Now entering its twentieth year as a Ventrollafranchise, the business was recognised for its achievements in 2007.

To celebrate, Managing Director of Ventrolla East Anglia, Colin Grosvenor and his team

were treated to a day at Great Yarmouth races.

David Greaves, Managing Director for the Ventrolla network, said: “Overthe last 18 months East Anglia hasachieved fantastic results and rightlydeserves to be rewarded for all thehard work put in by the team.”

There are a total of 23 Ventrollafranchises operating throughout the UK and Ireland, each providing a high quality renovation service for traditional sash windows.

Projects range from homerefurbishments, to large scalerestoration projects on landmarkpublic and commercial buildings.

Also recognised this year wasVentrolla Lancashire, which claimedthe title Centre of Excellence, for thesecond consecutive year.

Franchisee ofthe Year: Clearlya winning team

Home is where the heat is

TheSummer House

Seasonal sash window issues

FOCUSon

East Anglia

In 2007, the UK Governmentlaunched the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The regulationsare designed to reduce CO²emissions of buildings and improvetheir energy efficiency.

Whilst most of us are aware of the requirementfor Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) aspart of Home Information Packs (HIPs) fordomestic properties, people may not realise the legal requirement for EPCs will extend tocommercial buildings in England and Walesfrom 1st October 2008.

These changes mean building owners andlandlords must provide an EPC to allprospective buyers or tenants when theyconstruct, sell or lease a commercial building.

Changes are being phased in as follows:

• Buildings over 10,000m sq, already applicable

• Buildings over 2,500m sq, came into force on 1st July 2008

• All other buildings over 50m sq, applicablefrom 1st October 2008

Under the Building Regulations, when theconstruction of a new building is completed, the builder or person responsible for the

construction is responsible for obtaining the EPC and supplying it to the owner.

This also applies to building conversions which include changes to the heating, hot water provision or air conditioning/ventilation services.

These changes bring commercial requirementsin line with the current HIPs initiative introducedfor all residential properties in December 2007.

The Ventrolla system provides a renovation and performance upgrade for existing sash andother wooden windows. For the facts about ourservice in relation to EPCs, visit our website orcontact us to obtain a copy of our Green Pack.www.ventrolla.co.uk

EPCs go commercial

Warnerʼs Hall

Original sash windows offer undeniablecharacter, but can present seasonal challenges.

Over the years, our customers have asked usto provide solutions for the following issues:

• Windows that are painted shut preventing ventilation

• Sashes “sticking” or refusing to stay open

• Draughty windows that arenʼt energy efficient

• Difficulty accessing windows forcleaning/painting

Our unique renovation and performanceupgrade service provides solutions to all these challenges, without having to replaceor change their appearance.

The service includes:

• Renovating the window - repairing rotten timberand thorough overhaul of cords and weights,ensuring sashes are fully operational

• Sash Removal System - enables removal of sashes easily and safely for essentialmaintenance, e.g. painting

• Installation of our unique Ventrolla PerimeterSealing System, which virtually eliminatesdraughts, thus improving the windowʼsenergy efficiency

Keep an eye out for the launch of our

“Save Our Sashes” campaign, in 2008!

Hotel boasts roomswith a better viewVentrolla East Anglia has checked inwith a Suffolk hotel to help refurbish a number of its bedrooms.The Wentworth Hotel in the seaside resort of Aldeburgh dates back to the 1830s and has 35 ensuite rooms, all with characterperiod windows.

Originally the residential home of therenowned Wentworth family, the building wasconverted into a hotel in 1900 and acquired by local businessman, George Pritt, in 1920.

Still a family run business to this day, theWentworth Hotel is now under the stewardshipof Georgeʼs grandson, Michael Pritt, who firstcontacted Ventrolla five years ago.

He said: “We call on Ventrollaʼs services everytime a bedroom or public room in the hotel isrenovated. The results are fantastic and allowus to retain the period look of the building withno compromise on functionality or the need toinvest in a secondary glazing system.”

Windows at the hotel have been upgradedusing the Ventrolla Perimeter Sealing System (VPSS), which virtually eliminates

draughts, offers good energy retention andensures sashes slide efficiently and areproperly balanced.

It has also proved extremely effective attaming the fierce coastal winds that regularlybatter the hotel building.

Michael said: “Some rooms had becomealmost unusable in bad weather and there was nothing we could do to keep them warm.Ventrollaʼs solution is hugely effective andhelps ensure our guests have a pleasant,comfortable stay.”

The project was overseen by Ventrolla EastAngliaʼs Managing Director, Colin Grosvenor.

He said: “The repeat business we have beenable to secure from the Wentworth Hotelspeaks volumes about just how effective our Perimeter Sealing System can be.

Together we have tackled the majority ofrooms with no need to replace any completesash window unit.”

For further details on this and other Ventrollacase studies, visit our website at

www.ventrolla.co.uk

The Wentworth Hotel

East Angliaʼs winning team

Continuing the seaside theme, Ventrolla East Angliahas also been helping a local homeowner keep out the cold.Neil Kennedy owns the magnificent Warnerʼs Hall in Burnham on Crouch on the Essex coast.

His plan was to completely refurbish the Grade II listed building and convert it from flats back to its original use as a family home.

Enter Ventrolla, who renovated a number of sash windows during the project, some of which were more than 150 years old.

Managing Director of Ventrolla East Anglia, Colin Grosvenor, said:“Warnerʼs Hall is a local landmark and it was essential to renovate the windows without damaging any of its character or charm.

The coastal location exposes the building to strong winds, so achieving a good weather seal was key to us delivering successful results.

We were involved in the project from the beginning, working with the owner on site to advise on how best to tackle the windowrenovation before the overall refurbishment began.”

Warnerʼs Hall was built in 1848 by Mr Auger, a wealthy oystermerchant in the area. It was converted into a hotel in 1910 and laterused as an officers ̓mess during the First and Second World Wars.

Following this, the building underwent further conversion into flats,which is how it remained until Mr Kennedy took ownership.

He said: “I canʼt believe the improvements the Ventrolla system has made to both the performance and the appearance of thewindows. It is truly remarkable considering they are so old and only single glazed.

Without the window renovation work this house simply would not be such a pleasant and relaxing place to live.”

For further details on this and other Ventrolla projects please visit our website

www.ventrolla.co.uk



Testing Times for VPSS

How it works: Sash Removal SystemThe most common issues with sash windowsinclude not operating correctly, getting stuck, or being painted shut. These maintenanceissues can be difficult to overcome due to accessibility to the window.

To rectify this issue, Ventrolla have developedtheir unique Sash Removal System (SRS), which allows easy removal of both the upper and lower sashes for future maintenance, such as painting. It also helps meet the Construction Design andManagement Regulations (CDM Regulations)with regard to the provision for ease ofmaintenance requirements.

The Sash Removal System has beenindependently tested and is suitable for sashes weighing up to 80 lbs (36 kg).

The system is mounted discretely into the timber sashes and is not visible either internally or externally during the normaloperation of the window, therefore not altering its character or appearance.

Sash Removal System ComponentsSRS consists of three components:• Sash Cord Brake

• Sash Cord Housing

• Plastic Sash Cord Holder

The inner edges of the sashes are routed to facilitate the Sash Cord Housing, which is screwed into place.

The sash cord threads through the Sash CordBrake. The sash cord is then threaded throughthe Sash Cord Holder, looped and secured with a screw.

Removal of sashes is now a simple threestep process:

1. Remove the staff beads that have been fitted using Ventrollaʼs popper system or screw and cap, which facilitate easy removal and reinstatement.

2. Pull the sash forward to expose the SRS andslide the sash cord brakes up to the pulley toprevent weights falling and damaging the cord.

3. Remove the Sash Cord Holders from theHousings – freeing the sash to work on.

To reinstate the window simply reverse the three step process.

Obviously with sashes removed, care must betaken to ensure the area is safe and secured.

For more information on Ventrollaʼs SashRemoval System or any other aspect of theVentrolla service

call us free on 0800 378278 or visit thecommercial pages of ourwebsite www.ventrolla.co.uk

Independent tests have proven theenergy saving benefits of the patentedVentrolla Perimeter Sealing System (VPSS).

The system achieved Class 3 of BS 6375-1, that tests the windows to 600Pa, which is the equivalent of winds of up to 71mph.

Sash windows fitted with the VPSS werescrutinised at the British Board of Agrément (BBA) test facility in Watford. They concluded the Ventrolla system provided a 30 per centimprovement in the window energy rating (WER).

A live test was also conducted by OxleyConservation and Hann Tucker Associates, who checked for air permeability reduction and sound insulation within a sash window.

The testing demonstrated that installing the VPSS reduces the air change rate by 20 per cent down to 0.4 air changes per hour. The noise reduction level fell within the 6-10 dB(A)range, which in acoustic terms is deemed to be a ʻsignificant ̓reduction.

The energy performance of a window is calculatedby using a combination of three elements. Theseare the thermal conductivity, or U-Value, the airpermeability, which is the amount of air leakage or air change rate, and solar gain, that is alsoknown as the g-Value.

Ventrollaʼs Marketing Director, Alan Bell, said: “This testing and accreditation demonstrates how our VPSS greatly improves the energyperformance of windows in line with Part L of the building regulations.

Properties which are listed or situated inconservation areas are exempt, but at the sametime the buildingʼs energy efficiency should beimproved, wherever possible, providing thechanges do not alter its character or appearance.

By installing VPSS, the buildingʼs energyperformance can be improved without affecting the character or appearance of the property thuscomplying with the spirit of Part L and meeting the requirements regarding the conservation of our historic built environment.”

Sash Cord Housing

Sash Cord Holder

Sash Cord Brake


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In the Frame - Ventrolla sash window renovation specialists