Double pane windows, also sometimes called dual pane windows, are windows that have two panes of glass inset into the frame of the window. The panes of glass are separated, creating an insulating air pocket that inhibits heat transfer much better than single pane windows.
1. House stays warmer: Double glazing acts as insulation, helping reduce the passage of hot or cold air between the inside and the outside of the house. This means the inside air stays warmer or cooler for longer.
If you can afford to upgrade your property then secondary glazing is one of the best ways to keep cold air from penetrating your windows. Secondary glazing is extremely versatile and offers a permanent solution that improves the overall appearance of your property.
Double glazing is effective because whilst glass is a good conductor of heat, air is not. The air pocket between the two panes of glass, therefore, creates a seal against the outdoors. This reduces the transfer of heat.
Double glazing works by trapped air between the two panes of glass acting as an insulator, reducing hear loss from condition from the inner glass to the outer glass. Using efficient double glazing can reduce the heat loss from windows by over 50%.
Double glazing is effective in all weathers because it stops heat transferring from one side to the other. That means in winter, it stops heat escaping from the inside of the property and in hot weather it limits the amount of heat energy from outdoors transferring to inside the building.
The general consensus on double glazing lifespan is estimated to be anything between 20 and 35 years depending on the supplier and the fitter. Others even suggest up to and above 40 years in some cases.
Double-glazed windows are very energy efficient, as they can reduce heat loss or heat gain by almost 30% in comparison to single-glazed aluminium windows. Double glazing can contribute significantly to a 6 star or higher energy efficient home and is widely available.
Insulators like fibreglass and plastic foam are put into the cavity in the walls of a building to trap air and to reduce the transfer of heat energy so that heat stays inside the building.
The layer of Argon gas inside your double glazing unit acts as an insulator and prevents heat from escaping through your windows. Testing has shown that new double glazing can reduce heat loss from your home by as much as 18%. It is important to note that double glazed windows will also help to keep the cold out too.
Double glazing your windows can prevent a 70 percent heat loss in the summer and provide a 75 percent heat gain in the winter. These savings on your power bill is just one of the many benefits to double glazing.
But the question is, is double glazing worth it? The short and simple answer is “Yes, It most definitely is.” While it may cost a few pounds more, it has many benefits that make it worth every extra penny you spend. The higher cost of double glazing comes from the fact that there are two panes of glass rather than one.
Once the sun is off the glass the double glazing effectively insulates your home from heating up in summer and prevents heat loss in winter.
It's expected that on a standard house, you can save approximately $200-250 per year with double glazing. So big picture, say your double glazing lasts you 20 years (although it should last a lot longer) and you're saving $250 a year. That means you'll save $5,000 on electricity, over the course of its lifetime.
There's no doubt double glazing will make a difference to the comfort of your home and your energy bills, but deciding to get retrofit or new joinery can be daunting. Retrofit double glazing in most cases can be more affordable or cost effective compared to new joinery, due to new framing or extra materials needed.
ComfortPlus™ consists of a range of clear and toned laminated glass options featuring a transparent, durable pyrolytic Low E coating. ComfortPlus™ products offer improved thermal and sound insulation in a single laminate with a selection of colours, daylight transmission and solar control.
As with standard windows, the sealant on double glazed windows can also be replaced. There are no extra considerations that affect the cost, so you'll pay a similar amount to a window seal replacement cost.
Whether it's due to poor installation or simply wear and tear, broken or faulty seals are one of the most common causes of cloudy and blown double glazing. Windows are affected by weather conditions and will therefore expand and contract when temperatures rise and fall.
Double glazed windows prevent the convection of heat from the outside to the inside of the house. They do this by the empty space in between the two panes of glass that is found in double glazed windows not allowing the heat to pass through.
Double glazing can be as effective as improving your home's insulation by up to 73% and can reduce noise by as much as 70%. However if you have single glazed timber windows you can get the same insulation, acoustics, security, glare - and less moisture - for about one-third of the price of new double glazed windows.
Double-glazing of windows improves both safety and security. They are harder to break than normal windows. That means they are safer if you have small children, and also make break-and-enters a whole lot harder.