Double Glazing: Keeping You Warm and Saving You Money

There’s no mystery about why more than eighty per cent of UK homes now benefits from at least some measure of double glazing. Double and triple glazing helps to prevent heat loss, which helps people keep their homes at their preferred temperature while keeping down the cost of their heating bills. But how does double glazing work and what is it that makes it so much better at retaining heat than single glazed windows?

When a window is double glazed it means that instead of just one pane of glass installed in the window frame, there are two. The two panes have a small gap between them. While it is often supposed that the gap is a vacuum, the problem is that a vacuum between the two planes of glass would place considerable strain on them. In fact, the gap often contains air at a low pressure that has been dried to prevent any condensation or misting between the panes of glass.

The gap may alternatively contain one of the heavy inert gases, for example, Argon, Krypton or Xenon, for extra efficiency at heat retention. This helps to ensure that the warmth in your home stays where you want it, where single glazed windows can often allow the hot air to escape. Offering a modern solution, double glazing enables you to stay warm and comfortable throughout the colder winter months.

Double Glazing: How It Works

The air or gas between the two panes is the secret of double glazing’s effectiveness at preventing heat from escaping. At a low pressure, air is unable to move around, which turns it into a powerful insulator and slows down the escape of heat from the room. As more heat is retained, people require less energy to keep their homes warm. This has the benefit of keeping their energy consumption down, which helps both their budgets and the environment.

Not only does this gap of air or gas guard against heat loss, but it is also an effective method for soundproofing a home against outdoor noise. This allows you to filter out the noise pollution that can arise from living in a big city or near a busy area. Not only will you be able to enjoy increased comfort double glazing can also offer you an economic benefit. This comes in the form of a reduced heating bill, as you will use your central heating less across the course of the year.

While the two panes of glass and the insulating gap of gas or air between them play a key role in preventing heat from escaping from the home, the importance of the frames used for double glazed windows should not be overlooked. Typically, double glazing is fitted in uPVC frames which are less at risk from the kind of damage that can allow heat to escape via traditional timber frames, further enhancing the heat retention properties of your home.

Modern Double Glazing

Many modern uPVC profiles comprise an intelligently designed multi-chambered profile, which has been designed to break up mini-convection currents and trap in pockets of warm air. This factor is also combined with high-performance weather seals and gaskets that help to prevent draughts and water ingress, which can prove to be detrimental to both the performance and appearance of your home. Modern double glazing is able to offer much more than their traditional counterparts.

If you are opting for aluminium double glazing, it is important to note that aluminium usually has inherently poor thermal efficiency properties. However, market-leading aluminium double glazing designs utilise a high-performance insulation material known as polyamide. This is used to bridge the aluminium profile, therefore bypassing any insulation problems that the aluminium material may possess. On a whole, aluminium windows are a cutting-edge home improvement solution.

Combining Double Glazing with Our Super Insulated Columns

When opting for double glazing in your conservatory, you can further enhance the thermal efficiency with our high performance super insulated columns. Utilising modern innovations and premium grade materials, these columns are able to achieve a standard of heat retention that is five times more thermally efficient than brick columns. This system allows you to enjoy a standard of home comfort that is expected from the modern age.

The columns feature externally, powder coated aluminium cladding panels, allowing them to cater to the traditional ‘Orangery’ look without the need to construct any brick piers. They are also notably versatile, able to accommodate a full height wall or a dwarf wall structure. Combining function and form, our super insulated columns are sure to be a worthwhile choice for any homeowner looking to enhance their home.

Find Your Nearest Approved Ultra Installer

Our home improvement solutions, including conservatories, orangeries, extensions and replacement roofs, are fully compliant with all modern double glazing systems. Due to our investments in research and development, we are able to offer the most technologically advanced conservatory roof systems on the current market.

Find your nearest Approved Ultra Installer to enjoy an installation process that is set to deliver the highest standards. All of our specialists are vetted and tested for their competency in reliability, professionalism and their ability to handle our products properly. You won’t have to settle for anything less than the very best.