There is a lot of hype over the government’s new Green Deal, which has been billed as the largest home improvement scheme since the Second World War. The scheme will create new jobs, improve the nation’s energy efficiency levels and create a better future. But how will this affect you and how can you benefit from it?

Fundamentally, the Green Deal has been created to improve our homes and commercial buildings, making them more comfortable and energy efficient. On a larger scale, this will help to reduce the nation’s carbon emissions. 

Let’s look closer at the Green Deal and try to answer some of the most common questions. 

Will the Green Deal cost me a lot of money?

The idea behind the Green Deal is to make it financially viable for all property owners to benefit from better insulation. With the Green Deal, it will be possible to get an upfront loan which will cover the cost of home improvements. This will range somewhere between £6k and £10k per property, although this will vary depending on the work carried out. The repayments of the loan will be added to the property’s energy bill. 

Will my bills be too expensive with the added loan repayments?

The people behind the Green Deal have created rules and structures which will protect property owners from paying back more than they can afford. The Green Deal’s “Golden Rule” states that improvement measures must provide savings which are equal to or more than the cost of the loan. In other words, your energy bills cannot increase. This means you will have a warmer, better insulated home, without paying any more money for it. 

What can I use the Green Deal funding for?

Insulation

Britain is said to have some of Europe’s most poorly insulated property. For this reason, the Green Deal will primarily provide funding for energy insulation. This will include loft insulation, wall insulation, double glazed windows and energy efficient exterior doors. 

Energy Generation

The government are keen for British property owners to start generating their own power. People often laugh at the idea of using solar panels in the UK, but believe it or not, we actually have more than enough sunlight to generate a substantial amount of our home energy needs. It is also possible to sell this power to the National Grid. As well as solar panels, other micro generation systems will be available such as air and ground source heat pumps. 

Who will install the improvement measures?

To protect consumers of the Green Deal scheme, the government have created a training and accreditation system which all Green Deal installers and assessors must complete before they can carry out any Green Deal work. 

Where can I get a Green Deal loan?

Trusted and reputable high street brands like Tesco, B&Q and Marks and Spencer will provide Green Deal loans and it is likely that many other companies will get involved as the Green Deal kicks off. 

I’m interested in Green Deal improvements, but we plan to move house soon, then what?

The Green Deal loan is unique in that it is attached to the property, not the person who takes out the loan in the first place. This means that if you sell your house, the bill will be passed to the new owner, who will benefit from the energy efficiency improvements. This also applies to rental properties, where only the current tenant will pay the loan repayments. 

What is the main reason I should get involved in the Green Deal?

As energy costs continue to increase, we all need to find ways to cut our energy bills. The Green Deal offers a sustainable way to reduce your energy bills and create a warmer, more comfortable home for yourself and your family, without having to use your own money. 

Yale door supply highly effective, energy efficient doors which will be available to purchase with Green Deal funding. To learn more about how a composite door will make your home more energy efficient, you can read more about our energy rating system or speak to one of our friendly advisors today on 0800 787 9253. 

Home is a place where you and your family should feel warm, safe and secure.  We spend a great deal of time and money, making sure we have everything we need and want in our homes and let's not forget about the emotional energy we invest!

Do you ever think about how much money you have spent on new TVs, furniture, computers and music systems? Even the smallest of houses have thousands of pounds worth of contents and if you include the value of what you keep in your shed or garage, we are talking big money. The problem is that there are people out there who spend a considerable amount of time thinking about the value of what is in your house and how they can get at it. Criminals know what to look out for and what to avoid, they are often well versed in their trade and your warm, cosy home can either attract them in or put them off. What does your home say to them?

Burglary in the UK is a serious problem and it is estimated that a burglary takes place every 37 seconds, with the average burglar getting away with over a thousand pounds worth of stuff. Adding insult to injury, they often only sell it on for pennies, where as you have to pay full price to replace it! However, I think we would all agree that the emotional turmoil this causes is beyond monetary value and you can’t put a price on feeling safe and secure. Knowing that somebody has been in your private space, looking through your personal possessions is heartbreaking and terrifying. People often feel targeted and humiliated after they have been robbed and it really can be difficult to get over.

So here we have a selection of our top tips to help you make your house more secure and discourage those pesky burglars.

1. Don’t Invite Them In

Most burglars are opportunists. If they walk past your house and see an empty drive way with an open window, chances are they’ll jump straight in and take as much as they physically can. In some cases they may even return with back-up to really clear you out! It may sound absurdly obvious but make sure your windows are locked and don’t assume upper level windows are inaccessible. They aren’t called cat burglars for nothing and many of them are as nimble as they are crafty!

2. Put Them On Stage

Most burglaries take place under the cover of darkness which reduces the chances of the burglar being seen. Invest in some automatic outdoor lights which turn on when they sense movement. Chances are, the burglar will be put off by the light and will move on to the next target. 

3. Give Them Lots Of Attention

Criminals don’t like attention. Fit an alarm system and make sure you use it! It may not stop them entering, but it won’t make things easy for them once they’re in. Also, if they see that your house is alarmed, they are unlikely to add you to their to-do-list.

4. Don’t Tell Them Your Plans

Like most industries, burglary has benefited from technology. A sad point is that only 50% of burglaries are carried out by strangers. This means that the other 50% are burgled by somebody they know. It may be hard to not brag about your 3 week luxury holiday to Barbados but be careful who you tell. You never know who is reading your Facebook status or your twitter tweets.  To a burglar, “I’m going to Barbados for 3 weeks tomorrow” translates as “I won’t get in your way if you want to burgle my house at some point over the next 3 weeks”.

5. Keep Them Out

Invest in solid windows and a strong composite front door. Desperate criminals know all the tricks of the trade and can easily break in if they have the right tools. Our doors are all police approved and secured by design which could make you eligible for a home insurance discount. They are incredibly safe and secure and criminals will know to avoid them. Just don’t leave a key under the mat for them!

Choosing the right materials when upgrading your house is invaluable but it’s important that you have a good understanding of what you are looking for before you part with your hard earned cash. Knowledge is power and in this case, knowledge can save you power. Your home’s energy efficiency depends on the quality of the materials you use. 

You can see the transfer of heat through your front doors by measuring the energy rating levels. The government legislation which was passed in October 2010, stated that all replacement composite doors and windows must have a U-value rating of 1.8Wm2K or less.

Energy Efficiency, Knowledge is Power 

Put simply, the better the energy efficiency rating of your door is, the less money you will need to spend on maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home. It sounds simple enough, but how do you find out how energy efficient a door is?

Most composite door manufacturers offer a detailed energy rating report which they send you with your door. This is great but also means that you won’t know exactly how energy efficient your door will be, until you’ve already paid. At Yale door, you can see exactly how efficient your door will be as you choose and customise your door. If you add glass, for example, our door configurator tool will adjust the efficiency indicator accordingly, so you can see exactly how efficient your door will be as you customise it.  Knowledge is only helpful if you have it at the right time!

The screenshots below demonstrate how you can view the energy rating as you customise your door. The door without glass has a fantastic “B” grade energy rating. You can also see how adding glass to a door has reduced the energy rating to a “C” grade.

Different materials offer drastically different levels of energy efficiency and when you are looking to replace your doors, it is invaluable that you know the U-value and energy rating before making your purchase. There is no point investing in a new door only to find out when it arrives that it is less energy efficient than the door you already have. 

Obviously your decisions won’t be based purely on how energy efficient the door is, as style and design are also important to us all.

Things That Will Affect Your Doors’ Energy Efficiency Rating

Generally speaking, the less glass you have in your door, the more energy efficient it will be. Many door manufacturers allow you to customise your door with different features. However, do they show you how these changes will affect the energy rating of the door? More often than not, the answer is no. 

The Yale door configurator tool updates the energy efficiency rating of your door as you pick and choose your preferred styles and features. This means that not only can you see exactly how your door will look, but also exactly how efficient it will be. 

Hardwood Door Energy Ratings

According to CENsolutions, a typical 60mm-65mm thick hardwood door has a U-value of around 2.5 to 3.0. Although hardwood doors are aesthetically pleasing, they do not meet U-value legislation and offer poor energy efficiency. 

Timber Door Energy Efficiency Ratings

Timber doors are said to be manufactured with the least energy consuming methods. This in itself is good for the environment but does not insure long term energy efficiency.  Timber doors offer the poorest energy efficiency levels and it has been said that it would be almost impossible to manufacture a timber door which would comply with a minimum U-value of 1.8W/m2k. 

UPVC Door Energy Efficiency Ratings

UPVC was a massive step forward for home energy efficiency and offer fantastically low U-values. Typically you will find most UPVC doors meet the U-value legislation of 1.8W/m2k. It’s worth noting, however, that much like other doors, adding glass to your UPVC door will lead to a higher U-value and poorer energy efficiency. Also, remember that although UPVC doors offer low U-values, the plastic materials they are made with can lead to a cheap looking finish. Practical, but not necessarily stylish.  

Composite Door Energy Efficiency Ratings

Composite doors are manufactured with the most modern materials available and offer the lowest U-values and outstanding energy efficiency. Unlike UPVC doors, composite doors are available in many different styles and finishes such as glass panelling and wood grain finishes. Composite doors have become increasingly popular as they combine the style and design benefits of wooden doors and the practicality and efficiency of UPVC doors.  

The award winning Downton Abbey has inspired many of us who are interested in interior design and classic architecture. This incredibly popular period drama is set in the Edwardian era and reminds us of the romantic summer evenings of a bygone era, in golden sunlit gardens, sipping from elegant tea cups and enjoying all that’s good about life. The strength and boldness of Edwardian design is said to have reflected their confidence and eternal optimism and it is this that we are still trying to emulate to this day. 

The Edwardian period is generally considered to span the years of 1901 to 1914 and came about under the reign of King Edward VII. Although a relatively short period of time, the Edwardian era saw a housing boom around the country’s cities. Middle class families moved to the suburbs where they built modest sized homes which were more manageable and easy to maintain. 

Edwardian Features & Design 

By modern standards, Edwardian homes displayed a much simpler approach to design than the Victorians. Although Victorian properties are equally as popular, most interior designers would agree that this simple approach to design makes Edwardian properties far easier to modernise. 

Lighter paint colours replaced the dark, sometimes over powering colours of the Victorian era, and wallpaper designs became less fussy. Edwardians were fans of natural light and the entrances were built with spacious hallways and wide flowing staircases. Expensive parquet flooring was installed on both the floor and walls along with dado rails and elegant picture rails. Home comfort was inspired by the arts & crafts movement of the time and included fitted furniture and “cosy corners” such as cushioned benches beside the fireplace and fitted reading alcoves. It really does bring connotations of a great lifestyle to mind; lounging around with a book, whilst poking the fire and enjoying being at home with your loved ones. No wonder we all fell in love with Downton Abbey!

Edwardian Architecture Features

Simple but bold red brickwork adorned the front of Edwardian houses, often with flashes of colour on painted balconies and verandas. The inherited Victorian porches were given an uplift with intricate tiling and terracotta details. In fact, you will find most Edwardian features located at the front of the house. This is because a large percentage of Edwardian properties were owned by businessmen and property developers who would rent the property out. They invested money into the front of the house in order to maximise curb appeal, with little consideration for the rear of the property. If you are considering buying a property and are wondering if it is Edwardian or not, look for an impressive front facade and a less than impressive rear end.

Edwardians would never compromise on the quality of their front doors as they understood how vital it was to their prospective tenant’s first impression of the house. Strong and handsome Edwardian doors with beautifully etched stained glass were fitted to the front of their properties, often in traditional Oxford-blue or Royal-mail-red. Side panels were fitted to fill their homes with natural light. 

If you would like to add a touch of Downton Abbey Edwardian style to your home today, you can view our selection of Edwardian front doors which are all available in 7 different colours and a selection of different styles. You can also customise your door using our door designer tool. 

If you think your property may be Victorian, you can read our blog “How to tell if your property is Vicotrian” to double check. 

Victorian Architecture

The Victorian era spanned the last three quarters of the nineteenth century and was greatly impacted by the Industrial Age, which made mass production possible. Interior design products and styles, which were previously only available to the rich and wealthy, soon became affordable to the middle classes. In many ways, Victorian architecture was considered to be a retrospective design style and drew heavily on previous architecture styles. 

Beautiful arched windows and dramatic features made Victorian architecture some of the most memorable of all time, but there are plenty of other classic Victorian features which will indicate if your property is Victorian or not. If you are trying to find out whether or not your house is Victorian, have a look around your property for some of these classic Victorian trademarks. 

Victorian Porches & Outdoor Lights

The Victorians were keen to show off their wealth and went to great lengths to make sure that their homes reflected their social status. Elegant porches and outdoor lights were added, to the front of their homes. Not only to provide shelter for visitors, but also to show  that they were of greater status to their neighbours. Dramatic wood trims were fitted to the porch and were often painted in dramatic, rich colours. 

Victorian Front Doors

Grand Victorian front doors with Gothic styling and carved panels are icons of the Victorian era and they usually opted for a classic green front door. Elegant hardware was also designed to impress and there was a whole industry dedicated to door knockers, knobs and letterboxes. 

Other original features such as skirting boards, fingerplates and window catches are also clear indications that your property is Victorian. The fireplace was typically the centre piece of Victorian living areas and great attention to detail was paid to its design. 

Victorian Insulation Techniques

Victorians were not all about image, however. They were also practically minded and installed glazed panels at the top of the door, allowing natural light into the hallway of the house. Although the Victorians did not benefit from the energy efficient doors we have today, insulation still featured in Victorian design. Their windows and doorways were built to house thick netting and curtains, keeping out the cold British winter draughts. This insulation was not something only the rich Victorians benefited from and was also implemented by the less wealthy. An archway in your hallway is also an indicator that your property is Victorian, and was originally used to hang curtains from, helping to contain the property’s heat. 

Victorian Colours

Dark colours were popular with the Victorians, perhaps not by choice, but more so because they had very little choice. Colours were restricted because the chemical processes we benefit from today, were not yet developed. Dark ruby reds and natural tone greens were common, as was the arrival of a new purple colour, which was created in the middle of the 19th Century. As well as a love for these bold colours, Victorians also implemented paint effects such as stencilling, stippling and faux marbling. All of which have drifted in and out of fashion up until present day. You may still find these dark colours as you strip paint off old wood and walls, which is another indication that your house is Victorian. 

We have an elegant range of Victorian front doors in a selection of 7 colours. You can also design and customise the finer details of your door by using our door designer tool. 

It’s not always easy picking new items for your home. Whether it’s the lack of creative inspiration or an inability to make a decision from the options available; even the smallest updates can take weeks of procrastination. 

Picking the right front door style for your home is a pretty big decision. You have to look at it multiple times a day and so do any visitors; it also plays a big role in the desirability of your home according to some studies. So whether you are looking to sell your home or just make a good impression; picking the right door style is a pretty big decision.

Here at Yale Door we have 5 different door styles to choose from. Each style is very different from the other and each inherits classical and contemporary lines generated from centuries of design innovation. From the delicate lines of our Victorian front doors to the more structured linear Georgian doors we have the perfect style to compliment your home.

But Just how do you decide which style most suits the front of your home? 

Most of the time the decision comes down to two things; firstly personal preference and secondly the period in which your home was built. 

Nothing can ever really top personal preference as the determining factor in major home purchases. You know the kind of look you are after and it will probably take a fair bit of convincing to make you deviate. 

In the UK we have the oldest housing stock in Europe, which means the construction dates of a large proportion of our homes will fall into classic design periods.  So for those of us who live in an Edwardian home the likely choice will be an Edwardian style door and so on. That is not to say that you couldn’t install a new contemporary door in a Victorian or Georgian home. If you are going to mix up styles it is always important to research and spend time visualising how your new door will look in your home.

Picturing how your new door isn’t always an easy task, which is why we developed our Yale Door Visualiser. Our interactive tool allows you to upload photos of your home and overlay our different door styles configured to your bespoke specifications. Enabling you to see how one of our composite doors will look in your home. We are proud of our door designs and we think you will be too.

Changing your home’s front door is one of the biggest design changes you can make to a home. It can transform the look and feel of a property. At Yale Door we are committed to making that process as fun and seamless as we possibly can.

Whether your house is 18th century or a new modern build, what matters most is that the front door works together with the style and design of the exterior of your home. Every new homeowner will inevitably end up with the decision of replacing their new front door and with so much choice out there the decision never gets any easier. There are a few fundamental things that you should consider

What will your new door be made of? There are currently 3 basic choices on the market at the moment; Wood, UPVC and Composite doors. Wood can be expensive and quite a long process for making and fitting. UPVC is a common material but can look cheap and colours can fade in direct sunlight. Composite doors are just what they say, a composite arrangement of materials are used in the door, hence a ‘composite door’.  Most modern composite doors have a timber hardwood sub frame and are filled with a high density polyurethane between two skins of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP).

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The recent shocking news of the riot which swept across the country has made more people think about the very basics of their home; security and peace of mind. Did you know that 67% of all break-ins are through a door, so a good review of your door security is a must and will help you feel safe and secure in your home.

Doors

Before purchasing a door it is advised that you speak to close friends and family or neighbours about their doors to see if they recommend their supplier. Check whether the doors are police approved as this is always a good sign of the strength and reliability. Always look around and get numerous quotes before committing to a purchase as you want to find the best deal and door design for you and your home. 

If you have a wooden door make sure that all the wood is in good condition and all the locks are working properly. The door frame should be free of any rot or damage, remember that if there is weakness in the frame an intruder could force the door open, the door is only as good as the frame it’s fitted to.

Locks and Keys

Another factor that you might want to consider when purchasing a door is multiple locks. The more mortice or dead bolt type locks your door has the better, but remember that you have to use them, so remember to lock up at night before you go to bed. It can be stating the obvious but if you have to carry around more than one key for each door maybe its time to re-think the whole door. Keyless door locks are now quite a common choice for homeoweners with the options of a remote keyfob or a numberpad proving to be popular.

Don’t leave keys under pots or doormats, it’s the first place that a burglar will look. Do you know who has a key to your door? If you have recently moved to a property you should consider changing the locks on the doors so you know that no one else can get in with a key.

Hopefully none of you will suffer from being burgled, it’s a horrible experience but with a bit of foresight it can be prevented or deterred. We hope that by highlighting the above points it will help you think about your door security.

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