What are the Benefits of Double Glazing?
Quick guide to the benefits of double glazing.
Up to 25% of the heat lost from your home is done so through leaky old windows, which means you could literally be throwing money out of the window every time you heat your home.
The best way to help reduce this waste of money and energy is to upgrade your old windows to new energy efficient double glazing.
Double glazed windows include a sealed unit which has two panes of glass separated by a gap between them. In this gap, for a standard unit, you will normally find a partial vacuum with a desiccant to keep the area free from moisture.
A popular upgrade for double glazing windows is to use argon gas in the space between the inner and outer panes of glass. Argon is a heavy gas that is also a poor heat conductor. It therefore helps keep more heat or cold being transferred from one side to the other.
You will also find a difference in sound insulation. Double glazing is known to deaden noise from the outside world.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, you could save £2,200 over 20 years in a typical semi-detached house by replacing single glazing with A-rated double glazing.
Whilst that may not sound like much on its own, when combined with other energy saving initiatives such as improved insulation or renewable energy, it can help slash your heating and energy bills significantly.
Here are some of the main benefits of double glazing
- Save up to £160 per year on your energy bills by removing draughty single pane windows
- Cut your carbon footprint: save 16 tonnes of CO2 every year
- Two glass panes act as a barrier to sound reducing noise pollution in your home
- Prevent the build-up of condensation in your home
- Double Glazed Windows come in a variety of styles and colours helping improve the overall aesthetic of your home
- Security: keep your home safe with secure locks and frames
- Increase the value of your home
How much will double glazing cost?
No two properties will have the exact same costs and the price of double glazing will depend on a number of factors:
- How many windows you want replaced?
- What size the windows are.
- What locking mechanisms are required.
- How many openers each window has.
- Whether you’ve chosen uPVC, Aluminium or Timber.
- Type of glazing – double, triple, gas filled
- Thickness of the sealed unit (14mm to 28mm).
- Your chosen supplier.
Are there costs for optional extra’s?
Often the windows will come at a basic rate with additional costs for special requirements such as colours or openers to be provided on a final quotation.
Some companies include one opening window in their base price with additional opening window sections costing extra.
There is going to be an added cost if you are planning on fitting coloured UPVC or Aluminium double glazed windows. Coloured frames or frames with a wood-grain effect surface finish cost more than plain frames.
Patterned, obscure or leaded glass can often attract a small extra charge.
For more detail on prices read our Double Glazing Cost Article here.
What type of double glazing or double glazed windows should I buy?
With replacement windows, the most popular option is to use uPVC for the frames, however, you could go for Aluminium or Timber.
- UPVC double glazing is popular for a number of reasons. The most influential reason could be that, compared to hardwood or aluminium, UPVC windows prices are usually lower. Proven to last a long time, UPVC needs minimum of maintenance over the years, unlike timber windows that need painting every 5 minutes. You can find the frames in about a dozen or so different colours and even get a surface finish that has a wood-grain effect.
- Aluminium windows can be made with thinner frames than UPVC because it is metal and has better structural strength than UPVC (UPVC frames must have metal reinforcing built-in). These slimline aluminium frames look good and you get “more glass, less frame”. Surface finishes of the latest aluminium frames use powder coat paints which are baked on. Using powder costed frames will allow you to choose from over 150 different colours.
- Timber windows basically come in 3 types – hardwood, softwood and engineered wood. Hardwood windows can be a bit pricey, but when looked after will last decades. Softwood windows will need constant care and attention to make them last, but they are cheap. Engineered wood combines the long life of a hardwood a lower cost like softwood. In terms of pricing it lies between the 2.
See more information in our article Important Things to Know About Buying Double Glazed UPVC Windows.
Final Thoughts
However many windows you require, the important thing to remember is that they will begin paying for themselves as soon as the installation is complete.
Their heat retaining properties will help you to reduce your heating bills, their modern locks will help secure your home and the overall improvement in appearance can very often add resale value to your home.
As always, we recommend that you take the time to compare quotes for any installation to be sure you get the best price possible. Always remember to take the time to check out genuine reviews on any installer to be sure that you are employing a tradesperson you can trust.
If you want to know how much double glazing costs for your home, just send us a few details via our quote request form (it just takes a minute) and we will do the rest.
