Facts about Energy Efficient Windows

Energy efficient uPVC windows will reduce your home’s carbon footprint, not forgetting your heating bills. By chosen either double glazing or triple glazing, will provide you many benefits:

• Make your house a more comfortable home – energy efficient windows will reduce heat loss via your windows.
• Noise reduction – double glazing will provide insulation against external noise.
• Reduce condensation – double glazing can reduce condensation build up within the inside window.

As you can clearly see replacement double glazing provides many benefits to home owners. Throughout this blog we will explain what exactly double glazing is and when it was invented. We will then discuss various benefits helping you decide whether or not you should purchase double glazing for your home.

What is double glazing?

As you may be aware the phrase double glazing is one of the most common terms within the construction and home improvement industry, so it should not need an introduction. But to understand the benefits, then you should really need to appreciate what exactly double glazed windows are!
Double glazing is used in all types of glass insulation, such as composite doors, French doors, patio doors, bifold doors and not forgetting the most obvious, windows. Double glazing involves two panes of glass which are fitted within a frame, these panes of glass are separated by a thin air vacuumed layer. This layer between the two panes is often filled with argon gas to provide additional warmth.
Double glazing prevents the cold from entering via the windows, whilst retaining the warmth within your home. They also reduce draughts significantly, which is a huge step forward comparted to the traditional single glazed window. The single glazing involves only a single pane of glass which cannot accommodate a barrier not like the double glazing. As everyone who still has just single glazed windows will acknowledge, during the winter months these properties with single glazing can get extremely cold. If this is the case within your home then we recommend changing your windows immediately.

When were double glazed windows invented?

The earliest accounts for double glazed windows which were used as a shield against the cold clement was in the early 1870s, in Scotland. For anyone who has been up to Scotland during the winter months, can easily confirm how difficult it would be to heat up a Victorian house, especially with multiple rooms using only a kitchen fire. As you can imagine these homes would feel like a giant fridge.
As the local population discovered that by fixing an extra pane of glass to the inside of their property, would significantly raise the temperature within the household. These robust windows would raise the barrier between the extreme winter cold and the freezing cold families, reducing the draft, raising it to a liveable room temperature.
However, double glazing as we recognise it today, was invented around 1930 in the USA. Where the window was designed involving two panes of glass, equal in both size and thickness, which was bonded within a single flame. This form of glazing was extremely expensive which made it impractical at the time. Then in 1941 Haven (the inventor of double glazing), managed to seal a deal a company which could provide double glazing at a more affordable cost.
The double glazed windows were then put on hold during WW2, which then finally went to the production line in 1952. It became the most popular luxury home improvement on the market in no time.
In the 1970s double glazing hit the UK market, as energy prices become to rocket. This was the result from the UK trying to be dependent on our own oil supplies. This led to homeowners trying to reduce their energy bills by improving energy efficiency. Which made double glazing the perfect solution.

Why choose double glazed windows?

Now that you have a knowledge on what double glazing actually is and how it was created, the next step would be to understand the benefits of double glazing. Double glazed windows and doors offer many benefits to a property, such as:

Double Glazing can reduce your energy bills

By purchasing new double glazed windows will provide some heat via the windows during winter months, this is achieved by the reflection of sunlight through the window. Old windows which allow draft through could cause an increase in heating bills by an estimated 10% to even 25%, depending on the state of the windows according to Energy.gov. This is why we recommend replacing your windows with our double glazed energy efficient windows as they could reduce your heating bills. As an extra bonus, if you are considering selling your home, replacement double glazed windows could be a real selling point

Double glazing helps with noise reduction

High quality double glazing offers effective sound proofing especially compared to single glazing or cheap double glazing. This occurs as the sound is reduced as it enters the first pane of glass. The sound wave hits the first surface then some of it reflects or bounces off the glass. Some of the sound wave does pass through this pane into the vacuumed area, while some of it is absorbed within the window frame. This vacuum area (space between the two panes of glass) provides a buffer, which reduces the sound significantly. This is then enhanced with the second pane of glass.

Double glazing increases home security

Double glazed windows are far more effective for eliminating an intruder from entering your home via the windows. Single glazing even when toughened can be quite easy to enter through. Simply by obtaining that second pane of glass within a fixed frame, will heighten home security considerably.

Double glazing reduces condensation

Condensation can only form on surfaces which are cooler than the surrounding air temperature. A perfect example of this would be of a car windscreen steaming up on a cold morning, the windscreen is cold while the car interior is now warm. Double glazing however reduces heat loss therefore the interior pane does not get cold. Which means that condensation will not build up on the interior pane of glass. This will also assist in reducing moisture within a home, preventing mould which can build up due to poor glazing.

When should I replace my windows?

If your windows are looking old and deteriorated, then it may be time to replace your old windows with our energy efficient glazing.
Windows which are damaged, warped, or broken
Sometimes it can be possible to repair windows if there is small signs of deterioration instead of replacing them. Small window problems such as minor weather tripping or hardware issues, then this can easily be repaired which could be the better option. However, if windows are warped, or damaged window sash or frames, then we will always recommend replacement windows rather than attempting repair. Even when the windows appear to be operating correctly, they have high probability of developing problems. Other problems like draft coming through windows, sticky windows while closing or opening. If your glazing is suffering from any of these issues then it will definitely be worth replacing them
Now that you have a great understanding on what double glazing actually is including the benefits. Maybe it is time for you to replace your old windows for our energy efficient double glazed or triple glazed windows today!