Throughout modern homes, double glazing is a constant, for a good reason. It will boost your home’s energy efficiency, save you money, and keep you warmer. It will also reduce your home’s impact on the environment. However, many people have put off upgrading or replacing their current windows. Partly, because of the unknown potential price tag that a new renovation can carry. So, when upgrading, you want to ensure that your windows fit correctly. They must also be energy efficient, robust, and built to last. Brackenwood double glazing can provide all those things! So, let’s find out a little more about double glazing!
A Brief History of Double Glazing.
Over the last century, double glazing has evolved immensely. It was thought to have first been developed in Scotland in the 1870s. Victorian homeowners were trying to develop methods to increase the thermal insulation of their homes; especially during the colder months of the year. However, despite being invented in the Victorian era, the double-glazing window boom did not hit the UK until decades later. Post World War 2 houses were cold, draughty, and extremely difficult to keep warm. It wasn’t until 1965 that the government passed the first national building regulations for this type of window, which became an aspirational installation that was guaranteed to last.
Encouraging home builders to invest in energy-saving technology and materials was one of the rules introduced to help home buyers and homeowners cut costs. Before you know it, uPVC windows were brought into the UK from Germany and everyone was replacing their windows using this type of frame to house the double glazing that was fast becoming the installation of choice.
By the 1990s, double glazing in homes had increased from just 16% in the 1970s to over 60%; an astounding seal of approval from homeowners all over the UK.
How Does It Work?
Double glazing uses two panes of glass, separated by a layer of Argon gas. With sealant in place, your windows will be completely airtight; providing you with superior performance all year round. Double glazing provides the home with an array of property features and tackles major challenges that homeowners often face.
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Heat loss: Does double glazing prevent it?
Conduction involves heat transferring through a material, so when a property uses single glazing, heat hits the glass and then passes through the glass easily to the outside - significantly increasing the heat loss from the house. Double glazing works directly against this as the conducted heat is transferred to the air between the panels. As Argon gas is a poor conductor of heat, (during the process when heat is transferred through a liquid or gas), the second pane of glass prevents the conducted heat from escaping - eliminating the heat transfer of your property. Argon gas has a 34% reduced thermal transfer rate when compared with air. This dramatically slows down or prevents (altogether) the loss of heat.
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External noise: Does double glazing reduce it?
When sound waves hit glass, it will vibrate the window pane, which in turn, vibrates the air on the other side of the window and passes the sound on to listeners inside the room. Therefore, when a property has single-glazed windows there isn’t much protection from sound. It can easily travel through your windows and disturb your peace. If your property is in a noisy area, effective windows are an absolute must-have. Double glazing reduces the transfer of sound waves as the sound has to permeate not just one, but two layers of glass and one layer of gas, which dampens it dramatically. As long as the window itself is fitted correctly, with no tiny gaps in the lining for noise to get through, sound wave vibrations will be disrupted when passing through the glass, preventing a lot of sound entering your peaceful home.
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Condensation: Does double glazing prevent condensation?
Condensation is a huge problem in houses with single-glazing. It often causes mould, damp, and other structural problems - including a shortened shelf life for your windows. Condensation manifests when vapour in the air comes into contact with a colder surface and single-glazed glass is more susceptible to cold, so as a result, condensation forms inside the home. Double glazing helps to reduce condensation on your windows as the glass surfaces are going to be a lot warmer. This prevents the condensation process from occurring. The air gap in between the two panes of glass helps to keep the internal pane of glass closer to room temperature. This will keep your rooms much warmer.
Find out more about why double glazing is effective in a modern home HERE.
What are the benefits?
Here at Brackenwood, we are home improvement experts and we know the many advantages of installing double glazing. Here are some of the reasons:
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Energy efficiency
Double glazing windows make a huge difference to energy efficiency. So much so, in 2002, the government updated building regulations. Since then, all replacement windows must carry a minimum of a C-rating. This is compulsory unless the property is a listed building or in a conservation area. Brackenwood double glazing allows the property to retain most of the heat it gains from the sun during the day, so in the winter, the heating doesn’t need to be turned on as often. Similarly in the summer, the cooler house means you are going to be more comfortable. It also means that you are not wasting any money on heating your home in the winter.
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Increased property value
Making any improvement on your home will be beneficial in terms of the property price. Upgrading your windows to energy-efficient double glazing is the easiest way to modernise any property. Even if you are not planning to sell-up straight away, double glazing can significantly improve the comfortability of your home. It also makes the property more attractive to potential buyers in the future. Research has revealed that double glazing can actually enhance your property’s value by 10%. By simply changing the windows on your property, or upgrading damaged ones, the investment can provide your home with much more presence on the market.
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Low Maintenance
Windows with double glazing also require little to no maintenance, especially after a recent installation. This is certainly a bonus when purchasing a property. Home buyers are always looking for properties that they are going to have to do little to no work on when they move in. All of Brackenwood’s windows come with a ten-year guarantee.
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Tightens security
Single glazing is, unfortunately, very easy to smash or break, as there is only one pane of glass to damage. When you want your property to feel more secure, double glazing is a great option. These windows are harder to damage or open from the outside. Double glazing units are also more secure than single glazing windows, because they are twice as tough. Due to their extra strong design, this is bound to discourage unwanted intruders and make your premises more secure. When coupled with any of Brackenwood’s windows and your home will have security and energy efficiency as standard.
How does replacement double glazing make you home more secure? You can find more information HERE.
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Insulation
With the additional pane of glass, Brackenwood double-glazed windows act as a better barrier from the outside world. They keep your home at a comfortable temperature in both Summer and Winter. On the cold days, heat will not escape, so you can enjoy a warm and toasty home without wasting money on your energy bills. Likewise with summer, double glazing prevents the heat from seeping into your home, keeping it as cool as possible.
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Environmental impact
If you are conscious about your carbon footprint, double-glazed windows are the way forward. Reducing energy use by installing them is much kinder on the environment as it prevents burdening the country’s energy suppliers with wasted heat loss. By spending less on your energy bills each month, you can inevitably reduce your carbon footprint.
We also have a blog on the surprising benefits of double-glazing in the summer months. Read it HERE.
How Much Does Double Glazing Cost?
When it comes to how much double glazing will cost, there are many factors to take into consideration. From the size, style, framing, even the energy rating of the glass; all of this needs to be accounted for in the overall cost. Of course, the higher the quality of the windows, the more expensive they will be. Here at Brackenwood, however, we passionately believe that upgrading from single glazing to double glazing shouldn’t be a financial burden and we will do all we can to prevent your new installation from burdening your bank balance. We offer a range of funding options to those who are keen to install double glazing, and we will happily discuss these with you in more detail. With our help, you will always get the very best quality at the very best price.
Conclusion
We know how effective Brackenwood double glazing is in a modern home. Whilst there are a number of benefits, the main advantage is that it will make your property more energy efficient. Double-glazed windows are an investment for the future. Your existing windows and doors may not currently be providing the level of insulation that they should. This, in turn, causes excessive heat loss, a high amount of carbon emissions. It also repeats the wastage of energy. When investing in new windows, they pay for themselves in terms of the reduced energy bills. Not to mention the increased value to your home! When you choose Brackenwood, you will never be short of styles and designs to suit you and your needs and requirements. Contact the team at Brackenwood, today, for more information about double glazing by Brackenwood.
Ready to get started? Read more about how to measure your windows for new double glazing HERE . Or you can contact our team for more information.
