Double glazing from Westech by Certainteed - cheaper than curtains

If you're planning to give your house a makeover it pays to weigh up all your options and costs. You may be surprised to find that double glazing can more than pay for itself in savings on curtains, heaters and air-conditioning. Always a good long-term proposition for lower energy bills, double glazed windows have also come down in price recently, due to increasing competition.

"My hallway is a long wall of glass," says Mrs Wilson of bayside Melbourne. "It would have cost many thousands for floor-to-ceiling drapes but I have left my double glazed windows open to the garden and the sky. In winter the sun comes under the eaves to give us a lovely warm-up and we can enjoy every last minute of daylight. Our living room heater is hardly ever on but it warms up the whole house." Conversely, summer sun is cleverly shaded so the insulating power of the double glazing can keep the heat outside. "Our air-conditioner is only ever on for short bursts," Mrs Wilson concluded. "And we stay cool for hours afterwards."

The Wilsons calculated that their energy-efficient renovation cost about the same as conventional building but gave them huge benefits in lifestyle, running costs, noise abatement and environmental responsibility.

A website specialising in sustainable renovations has been set up by CertainTeed double glazed windows, who are also importers of the no-frills EnergyWise range. Visit www.sustainablewindows.com.au.