How Does Double Glazing Work

You’ve probably had double glazing installed in your home for a while now and never asked this question.

And if you haven’t got double glazing, you’re missing out on so many fantastic benefits double glazed windows have to offer.

Pause for a moment, while you go ahead and take a look at the various window styles, colours and benefits the Double Glazing Network has to offer.

Ready to continue? Great!

We want to answer the question, how does double glazing work?

And the answer isn’t as straight forward as it may seem because double glazing is made up of a multitude of elements that factor into how it works,  which we will be covering in this article.

We’ll break it down and take a look at:

• What is double glazing and what are the benefits?
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Reduced Energy Costs
  • Increased Security
• Window opening options
• What are window energy ratings?
• What is Low-E glass?

What Is Double Glazing And What Are The Benefits?

Double glazing is two window panes encapsulated together to form a strong and sustainable window.

In between the two windows is argon gas which is used to keep warm air inside the property and stops it from escaping.

The second window pane acts as more of a barrier to noise, keeping your home quiet and peaceful.

While there are many benefits to double glazing, we’ve narrowed down three of the biggest benefits that homeowners will receive once they upgrade from single to double glazed windows.

Energy Efficiency

Once double glazed windows are installed, your homes’ energy efficiency will instantly increase as the heat has nowhere to escape, whereas before, with single glazed windows, draughts allowed hot air to easily escape, which is more than likely why you had your heating on running throughout the day.

But with double glazed windows, you’ll find that your home gets warmer quicker and the need to put the heating on is vastly reduced.

Reduced Energy Costs

In turn, you will notice that your energy costs will be decreased significantly as you will start saving a lot more money through double glazing than you did with single glazed windows.

Whilst the upfront costs for double glazing to be installed are quite high, over the years, you will make your money back and thus, double glazing should be seen as an investment rather than a heavy purchase.

Increased Security

One of the more obvious benefits is the increased safety and security of your home.

If you’ve ever had single glazed windows or felt the single glass panel in the window, they feel very flimsy and could easily be broken into or accidentally broken.

By installing double glazing, the increased security will be enough to deter unwanted intruders.

Furthermore, for more privacy, double glazing offers soundproofing and cancels a lot of noise. So that if you live in a congested area or near a main road, you will notice how peaceful and quiet your home instantly becomes after installing double glazing.

Most homes in the UK have double glazing, but 10% of the population is still without double glazing.

If you’re one of the few, we would highly recommend making the switch to not only enjoy the benefits we mentioned above but to also make savings on your energy costs each month. Money which could be better spent elsewhere.

Window Opening Options

A commonly asked question we often hear is that do the different window opening options such as casement windows, tilt and turn and french windows, do they make a difference to energy efficiency and privacy? Are casement windows more secure and private than tilt and turn?

The difference between styles is marginal if not at all.

It doesn’t matter which double glazing window style you go with as most of the windows that are manufactured these days have to meet today’s building regulations and are mostly highly energy efficient and highly secure anyway.

That’s why there are so many different window styles offered because it’s more of a bespoke, customised appeal to the homeowner than an energy efficiency difference.

So you can choose whichever double glazing window opening option you like and rest assured knowing that whichever style you choose will be durable and sustainable.

What are window energy ratings?

We’ve spoken about window energy ratings before, but just to give a brief overview.

Window energy ratings explain through a colourful label designed by the BFRC the energy efficiency a windowpane has.

If you decide to go with an A rated window, you’ll be investing in one of the best, most energy-efficient windows on the market today.

Whereas if budget is an issue, investing in a B or C rated window can still provide some of the benefits but may not be as energy-efficient as A rated windows are.

What is Low-E glass?

Low emissivity glass has been manufactured to include a coating to the glass which improves its thermal efficiency through sunlight.

It helps regulate the temperature inside the home and helps prevent harmful infrared radiant energy emissions entering the home.

Whilst many homeowners don’t really need to be aware of the technical information of Low-E glass and how it’s manufactured, it’s still good to be aware of what it does and how it improves thermal energy whilst reducing harmful emissions.

Get a Quote and Find an Installer Today

Now that you know how double glazing works, why not get a free, no-obligation quote from us through our online quote tool, where you can design your windows and doors to meet your specific requirements and see the designs in an online visual representation.

Alternatively, find an installer near you where you can get quotes and get an installer to fit your new double glazed windows.