All You Need To Know About Double Glazing Your Windows

Office with ceiling to floor double glazing windows looking out to mountains.

We all know the struggle with keeping up with the high costs of living. From paying rent to food shopping, travel and socialising, everything adds up and at times can be overwhelming. Most people’s instinctive reaction to money struggles is to cut down on spending. While that makes sense in most occasions when it comes to homeowners sometimes to save you need to spend. Double glazing your windows is one of the most efficient ways to cut down your energy bills. Not only will it save you money long term but it is good for the environment and can make your home safer.

New house with double glazing windows inserted.

What is Double Glazing?

Double-glazing refers to windows that are made up of two layers of glass which are separated by air. Single glazing is one layer glass. Naturally, double glazing keeps warm air in and cold air out, meaning you will use your central heating less with double glazing. This means using less energy and saving money. On top of that double glazing is much more soundproof than single glazing so you will benefit from peace and quiet. Plus, due to its thickness, double glazing is far more difficult to break than single glazing. Therefore, investing in this will improve the security of your home.

 

Different Types of Double Glazing

The traditional double glazing window frame is the unplasticized polyvinyl chloride, also known as uPVC. You will probably have noticed that single glazed windows have wooden frames while new double glazed windows are plastic. The use of uPVC for double glazing is beneficial as it is three times cheaper than wooden frames plus it can be recycled, is extremely durable and the most energy efficient.

Old windows without double glazing and worn down wooden frames.

If you own an old house that still has its original period exterior, you may feel that uPVC upsets your homes aesthetic. It is possible to have wooden frames with double glazing and it is a greener option since it is naturally renewable material. The downsides to this option are that wooden frames cost more and require a lot of maintenance. Despite all of this, when properly taken care of, timber frames can last a while. Naturally, plastic frames are much easier to clean than wood. The choice is entirely up to you.