With sustainability being such a hot topic at the moment, we are all keen to do our bit to save our wonderful planet as well as meet our needs without compromising the ability of future generations in meeting theirs. As all successful innovators will tell you, the secret is to think big, start small, learn fast. So, anything we as individuals, can change for the better in our everyday living is a great move that will have impact. Installing double glazed windows is a great place to start. However, the question we hear a lot is ‘how does double glazing save energy?’ Let’s take a closer look…
Heating up our homes uses tons of energy (not to mention wasting lots of our hard-earned money!) so, retaining as much heat in our homes as possible will help keep the central heating dial to a minimum and save precious energy (and money). Investing in good insulation in your walls and loft space, choosing carpets, using draught excluders are good examples of effective heat loss reductors. However, reducing the heat lost through your windows will have the most impact and can be easily achieved with double-glazing.
A typical double glazed window unit consists of two sheets of glass with a 16mm gap between the two. Double glazing works by trapping air in between the two panes of glass. The two glass layers and air space, means that thermal energy is unable to move as freely through your windows as it does across single glazing. Single glazing sees heat escape by transfer through air, through the glass, and by radiating off of the glass, but with double glazing, thermal energy has to move through two panes of glass plus the air space. The air gap is too small to allow for proper conduction and the air itself slows down the movement of heat energy.
To increase the thermal performance of double glaze windows even more, it is possible to replace the air in the air space with Argon (an inert gas that provides superior thermal performance – it also helps reduce sound). Argon will slow down the movement of heat, and therefore reduce heat loss, even further.
Our double glazed sashes are made to measure. They will fit the frame and the hole in your wall with exact precision. Once fixed, it will be sealed in place to ensure an airtight fit.
The nature of our work, installing sash windows, naturally sees us working in a lot of older style, period properties born in the Victorian and Georgian eras and boasting large, (often bay) sash style windows. Although unquestionably beautiful, they are renowned for being draughty. When we initially meet our customers, many of them are unaware that it is possible to double glaze sash windows. Modern timber sash windows are certainly able to accommodate thicker double-glazing. In fact, double glazed sashes will add value to your property too.
We are also able to improve the energy efficiency within listed properties as we are one of a few approved installers of Vacuum insulated glass windows, which are the perfect solution for retrofitting into listed properties as the super thin glass can be fitted into the original sash window frames that listed properties are keen (and bound to) preserve. Despite their slim appearance (the width of single glazing), they are actually more thermally efficient than a traditional 36mm triple glazed unit!
If you already have double glazed sashes, regular maintenance and repair, such as our draught seal and overhaul service is key to ensure the existing sashes and frames not only look like new but are as efficient as possible. A regular overhaul of your sashes will highlight and damage, broken locks, rotten timers, or poor insulation so you ate able to get them resolved quickly and retain the quality and energy efficiency of your windows.
