Double glazed windows have been a standard feature in UK homes for decades. However, with constantly rising energy costs, installing double glazing units to help tackle mounting energy bills is seen as a necessity today, not the luxury it once was. Increased energy efficiency is not the only advantage of double glazed windows.
New energy efficient windows and doors don’t just prevent heat escaping from your home, they also offer additional benefits such as increased security and noise reduction, essential for hybrid and homeworkers living in locations with high levels of external noise.
In this article, we explore how double glazing works and how updating your existing windows will improve energy efficiency and generate substantial energy savings. Enhancing the energy ratings for your home is a worthwhile investment which not only reduces heat loss but lowers energy consumption, increasing your property value at sale time and making new double glazed windows well worth the initial cost.
How Double Glazing Works
With single glazed windows, cold air from the outside hits the window’s glass pane, making it colder, particularly when temperatures fall during the evening and throughout the winter months.
This cold window then comes into contact with your home’s warm air, causing heat loss and replacing warm air with colder temperatures. With only one pane of glass separating your home from outside, your property will be susceptible to low thermal performance. Modern double glazing units solve this problem.
Double glazed windows have two panes of glass, one touching the air inside the home and one touching the air outside the home. Between the two panes is a barrier – a vacuum – which is typically filled with a non-thermal inert gas such as argon. Argon does not conduct heat well, stopping the warm air inside your house from transferring to the outside. As a result, there is no movement of heat.
Lower Energy Bills Save You Money
By helping retain more warm air in your home, double glazing allows you to switch off the heating that little bit earlier and lower the temperature on the thermostat. You save money on your energy bills by using less energy to keep the same temperature in your home.
Energy efficient double glazing allows you to retain that temperature for longer, allowing for extended periods when your heating is turned down or off. Double glazed windows provide exponential saving opportunities on your heating bills because of their ability to insulate the home at a higher level and offer optimal energy efficiency.
Increase Thermal Efficiency With Triple Glazing
Energy efficient double glazed windows prevent heat loss, improve the aesthetic of your home and provide an uplift in property value. You would think this is impossible to beat but triple glazing can increase your energy saving even more! So, if you’re thinking of installing new windows, it’s worth comparing the benefits of double glazing with the added advantages of new triple glazing. Just think of the environmental benefits, too, of lowering your carbon footprint.
Instead of two glass panes, triple glazing has three layers with two spaces for insulating gas creating an exceptional barrier and lowering your energy costs even more.
Triple glazing is more expensive than standard double glazing but the increased energy efficiency means you will be able to recoup this cost with even more reduced heat loss and better energy performance. And that means even better energy ratings too!
There is a downside to triple glazing other than the higher cost and that is the frame materials mean there is a little less glass area and slightly reduced visibility. However, most people think this is a small price to pay to reduce their energy bills even further.
What Are The Other Benefits Of Double Glazed Windows?
Double glazed windows and doors not only provide an immense energy saving but double glazing also helps with other lifestyle improvements, like sound insulation and upgraded security for your home.
Single pane windows don’t just cause heat loss, but are easier to force and vulnerable to intruders, presenting an increased security risk. They also don’t protect against noisy environments.
Double glazed windows tick both these boxes. They drown out noise pollution from busy roads, air traffic, or nearby commercial premises and, advanced locking systems make the windows almost impossible to force, winners on both fronts.
How Much Money Can I Save On My Energy Bills With Double Glazing?
According to the Energy Saving Trust, installing double glazing with an A+ rating in an entirely single glazed gas heated property, could save £140 per year and 380kg of carbon dioxide, lowering your carbon footprint as well as your energy bills.
If you install A++ rated double glazing to replace single glazing, the savings can increase to £150 annually and 420 kg of carbon dioxide.
Don’t forget double glazing helps with sound reduction too, provides an attractive aesthetic which will uplift your property value, and ensures a warm and comfortable home.
How We Can Help
Here at Double Glazing on the Web, we provide a wide variety of double glazing products whether you’re looking for high quality double glazing or want to be even more energy efficient and opt for triple glazing.
Our windows and doors all have energy efficient glazing as standard so there is nowhere in your home heat can escape from.
Join thousands of others installing double glazing in their homes and get a free quote from Double Glazing On The Web today!
Comparing different installers is a guaranteed way to find the best prices and ensure you really do get value for money.
Our trusted local suppliers provide high-quality materials, stellar service, and competitive prices, much lower than many national brands. We review our network regularly to ensure we only work with the best companies, many of which are Which? Trusted Traders and Checkatrade members.
Our online service and trusted advice makes the whole process so easy. We aim to find you the best possible double glazing for your home and budget.
Get in touch today and start your journey to a warmer and more energy efficient home. Use our online calculator or talk to our friendly team who can guide you through the process.
If you’d like to find out more, you can also call us on 0800 015 5679!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Solar Gain?
Solar gain is the name given to the natural increase in heat provided by the sun. Solar gain can be used to lower heating bills as it provides free heat. However, too much solar gain can overheat rooms and cause damage to furniture and textiles. Modern double glazing reduces solar gain by around 10% compared to single glazing. Triple glazing lowers it again by a further 10% compared to double glazed windows and doors. Depending on how much natural light enters the room, you can mix double and triple glazing to maximise or minimise solar gain to suit your property and lifestyle.
What is Low Emissivity Glass?
Low e glass, as it’s sometimes called, is a type of glazing that’s designed to reduce the amount of ultra violet (UV) light and infrared that comes through your windows whilst still keeping the room light and bright. E glass has a thin transparent coating that reflects heat; this improves energy efficiency and lowers heat transfer.
When Should I Renew My Double Glazed Windows?
Most double glazing lasts around twenty years if you keep the windows in a good state of repair. However, there is no such thing as a lifelong energy efficient window and so most double glazing starts to lose its insulating barrier after a couple of decades. New double glazing will allow you to benefit from the latest technology when it comes to energy efficiency and other features like increased security and noise reduction.
Is Double Glazing Always Supplied As uPVC Windows?
Double glazing doesn’t have to be supplied in uPVC, there are other options like wooden and aluminium frames. Wooden frames work well with older and period properties and may be a requirement if the building is listed. Aluminium frames are popular for contemporary properties as their slimline design increases the amount of visibility. Both wooden and aluminium framed double glazing still comes as a sealed unit with argon gas in the vacuum to maximise your energy saving and lower your carbon footprint.
What Does U Value Mean?
U value according to the British Fenestration Rating Council measures how effectively a window or other material conducts heat. The lower the u value, the better the insulation and the lower the heat lost. With new homes, building regulations mandate u values for the windows and the rest of the property.
