Why Do We Use Double Glazing?
Why Do We Use Double Glazing? Double glazing for windows reduces loss of heat through the glass and cuts down noise from outside. There are many different systems, including some which do not need professional installation, but the principle is the same. Two sheets of glass are fitted together with a layer of air trapped between them. This glass-air-glass sandwich should, therefore economize on fuel and make the room quieter.
It should also reduce condensation, or water on the inside of the window caused by warm air meeting the cold glass. It will make a room more comfortable in winter, especially near the windows, and may even make it more difficult for a burglar to get in. The majority of home burglaries gain entry through windows or doors. Standard, single-glazed windows offer your home no protection from burglars.
Modern double-glazed windows and doors, using multi-point locking technology, and security-enhancing uPVC framing, help improve window security, and deter would-be burglars. The efficiency of this insulation (or separation from the cold outside) is affected by the distance between the glass sheets. Heat insulation increases with air space up to three-quarters of an inch, but a four-inch space is required for effective sound insulation.
Half or even more of the heat that goes out through single windows can be retained by double glazing, but three-quarters of the heat lost from an average house may escape through other outlets. In a standard single-glazed window, both heat and noise are easily transferred. In summer, sunlight heats up your house. In winter, heat escapes from inside your home to the outside. You pay more for heating and cooling costs.
All year-round, noise can easily pass through the window. By using two (Double Glazed) panes of glass, the gap between the panes dramatically reduces transmission of both heat and sound. The double glazed unit is often referred to as a IGU (Insulated Glass Unit). In cheaper products, the gap may only be air. In more efficient, higher quality units, the use of a gas such as argon to fill the gap provides superior performance.
Double Glazing your windows and doors will have your family feeling more comfortable in your home. Having double glazed windows will help keep the heat out in summer, and keep in the warmth in during winter. Not many of us enjoy heating and cooling systems that are forever turning on and off, causing noise and blasting us with hot or cold air. Double glazing will keep your home’s temperature more stable, cutting down the number of times your heating/cooling system has to switch on and off.
Double glazing your windows can dramatically cut any noise pollution that you might suffer from. This could include annoying noise such as barking dogs, loud air conditioners, noisy neighbors, aircraft noise, traffic noise, nearby pubs and clubs, to name a few. Energy bills are forever increasing and this will definitely be an ongoing issue for your family budget. Windows can severely impact on the heating and cooling loads of a building. Up to 40% of a home’s heating energy can be lost and up to 87% of its heat gained through windows.
Improving windows’ thermal performance reduces energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Condensation is caused when a cold surface and moist air meet. You see it when a drink glass drips condensation on your table, and you see it when your bathroom mirror fogs up. In many homes today, condensation on windows and doors is a problem. We have these thin 3mm panes of glass that in the cooler months becomes a cold surface. When the warm, moist air inside your home meets this cold glass pane, it can cause condensation.
Condensation on your windows can cause a number of problems. The moisture can trickle down and damage the window frame- particularly if it is wood. Sometimes really bad condensation can damage your wall, your architrave, your carpet or your floor. High moisture levels like this are also breeding grounds for mold. Double Glazing will virtually eliminate these problems. The gas in-between the two panes of glass will ensure that the inside glass is kept at room temperature. Condensation issues will become a thing of the past.