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Installing double glazing is the best way to insulate your homes and reduce your energy bills. The double glazing windows keep your home warmer and also reduce the outside noise. In colder months, the double glazing technology will help your home to be cozier and comfortable as it reduces heat loss. This double glazing technology may be a bit expensive but it sure pays off well in the future. Double glazing glass windows have many benefits for you and your home. Also there are different types of glass glazing each of them serving a different purpose and having essential benefits.
Double glazing windows are also known as insulating glass units (IGU) as the name explains its property it self. Double glazing technology is the process of glazing where a window is made with two panes of glass having an air space in between them. The air space in between the two glass panes is between 0.6mm to 0.7mm wide. The air trapped in between the two glass panes creates a layer of insulation. Argon gas is used as an alternate to air in between the panes. The gas is colorless, odorless and non-toxic and is six times denser than air. This gas helps reduce transfer of temperature even more than the regular air. The IGU or double glazing glass windows are manufactured using 3mm to 10mm thick, laminated or tampered glass. Most units use the same thickness of glass for all the panes. Thickness of glass may vary due to the purpose of the window, for example if a window is used for security purposes then the thickness can also exceed 10mm per glass. Double glazing frame structures are made with different materials like wood and steel. But the most durable and highly effective material, which is now being commonly used, is the uPVC.
Continue reading to uncover types of Double Glazing
uPVC is a long lasting, durable, strong and recyclable form of plastic, which require lower maintenance than other traditional window frames. These uPVC frames have the qualities of not getting rot or peeled so they don't need to be coated, sanded or repainted again. The best way to keep them clean is just to wipe the double glazing uPVC frame with soapy water and they'll be good as new.
The double glazing windows form a solid multilayered structure of glass and air/gas. These windows are an evolution to the traditional double hung and storm windows and have also eliminated the need for these types of windows. The double glazing windows prevent air from leaking and provide robust protection against the sun. Your homes will be cooler in the summers and warmer in the winters. The insulated glass unit consists of two glass panes and a single window structure. The two glass panes have small gap in between them for insulation. The spacer is used in the gap between the glass panes, which seals the air or gas in between the insulated glass system. The seal is made of a less conductive material such as structural foam. The glass panes are pressed against the sealer and an adhesive sealant is applied to each side of the spacer. The sealer prevents from gas or air to leak and also prevents humidity or air to enter from outside.
Which Type of Window Glazing is best for you?
There are many solutions and types of window glazing. You can always choose between any of them according to your home requirements. If you are building a new home, then new windows will be installed and the IGU will be built according to the size and structure of your windows. There are window glazing solutions for already existing windows as well and also for homes that are being renovated.
Single glazing windows consist of a single glass pane used in the window structure. A simple window will never provide any insulation for your homes. But a single glazing window can have larger properties than a simple window. They are more effective in keeping the warm air inside the room and also reducing the noise from outside. So this is the best and most cheapest possible alternative for traditional and simple windows. At least they will provide some insulation to your homes. The single glazing windows can always be improved by the secondary glazing method.
Secondary glazing can be a do it yourself job as involves installing additional glazing on the inner side of an already installed single window. This is again a solution for existing windows and homes at renovation stages. The secondary glazing is cheaper than double glazed windows. Secondary glazing is a winner when it comes to noise reduction. Secondary glazing windows will also provide heat loss prevention and keep your homes warm. Secondary glazing is easy to install and can be done on your own.
Retrofit double glazing is the procedure where existing window frames are used. In this method, your existing single glazing windows will be converted in to double glazing windows. The double glazing system is installed in these window frames through a process of some minor modifications in the existing frames. The modification process for the retrofit double glazing involves changing the aluminum or wooden beads and allowing the double glazing windows to be installed. The aluminum window frames will be functioning the same way as before. Retrofit double glazing is a good option for homes at renovation stages. They will cost lesser than new double glazing windows. Retrofit double glazing provides you a good solution for better insulation of your homes.
Double glazing windows consists of two glass panes separated by a spacer and filled with air or gas in between. The two glass panes are sealed to form an insulated glass unit. These are the most commonly used window solutions around the world. The window structure is made of uPVC as it is more effective and long lasting than the traditional materials like wood or steel. The double glazing windows provide twice more insulation than the single glazing windows. They are expensive but will reduce your energy bills.
Triple glazing is the most effective way for insulation. Instead of one or two, three glass panes are used with two spacers in between them. Double glazing has made a big difference over the single glazed windows. So keeping this in mind, the triple glazing windows will have an even more improved insulation. Triple glazing helps to reduce condensation in the windows. The double glazing can create cold patches but the triple glazing has provided the solution to this problem. Triple glazing educes the difference of the U-value between the windows and the house. Well insulated frames are also needed for triple glazing, as the window frames are the major source of heat loss.
The structure and the construction of the double glazing windows have made it clear that they have a lot of essential benefits.
Keeps your home warm in winters
Double glazing windows are the ultimate system of insulation. They reduce more than 70% of heat loss from your home. This also helps in reducing energy bills. The double glazed windows capture the natural heat from the sun and keep your home warm in winters.
Keeps you home cold in summers
Double glazing also minimizes the heat which makes your homes warmer in summers. It reduces the passage of heat from outside and keeps your homes cooler in winters. So this process helps reduce energy bills in summers as well.
Reduces noise making the home more comfortable
Double glazing system is the best way to reduce outside noise from coming inside the house. Especially in highly populated neighborhoods, these windows will make your home quiet and peaceful. Noise can always make you detracted from the family environment but the solution to this is the double glazing windows. The double glass panes do the work for you and let all the noise stay outside.
Reduces Energy Bills
As the insulation process keeps your homes warm in winters and cold in summers, the use of heating and cooling equipment will be reduced which eventually will cut the costs of energy as well.
Safety and Security
Most of the robberies and home burglaries are done by coming in from the windows. Single glazed or standard windows provide no security to your homes. The modern double glazing technology uses uPVC frames that enhance security and the multi-point locking technology used to lock the windows also increase the safety level of the house. Window security altogether is increased by the use of double glazing window technology.
Enhances the outlook and value of your home
The double glazing uPVC windows give your home a nicer and modern look from the outside. The technology helps in creating a better insulated house, which increase the value of the house. So if you plan on selling the house later, you might get a higher return on investment.
Now the best part
5 steps checklist for Double Glazing
So now if you are convinced to get double glazed windows for your home, you must know which window will provide a higher performance and also give you all the benefits listed above. Here is a checklist that might help you in installing the perfect window system for your house.
Look for frames that are made of insulating materials and the joinery of the frame must have a plastic or resin section. uPVC frames work best for double glazing window systems.
The windows and the glass panes must have multiple layers of suitable seals that will help to keep the dampness, sound and draught out of the house. The joints between the insulating glazing unit and the frame structure must be sealed with adhesive sealant.
The space between the glass panes must be filled with inert gas such as argon. Argon is a better insulator than air. There are no bad effects of argon gas as it is odorless, colorless and non-toxic. Double glazing windows with air also work good but argon gas makes them more effective.
The spacers must not be made of metal. The must be made of low conductive materials like plastic or stainless steel. These spacers reduce the condensation at the edge of the glass and also reduce heat loss.
The double glazing window unit must consist of low emissivity or Low-E glass. This form of glass helps in the light and heat to enter in but prevents the heat from escaping outside. Double glazing window system work best with Low-E glass.
This checklist will ensure that you are buying and installing a high performance and highly effective double glazing glass window unit in your home or office.
Double glazing has provided the best solution for insulation combined with reduced energy bills. This insulated glass unit has now become a standard in many homes. Whether you are building a new house, or renovating your old one, double glazing is something you don't want your house to miss out.
