subject: Benefits Of Double Glazing In Your Home [print this page] Installing double glazing is an excellent measure to both securing your home and reducing the energy costs associated with heating a property. By switching down the thermostat you will be helping to reduce the burning of fuel and thus remove yourself from the burden of mankinds collective CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, reducing your homes carbon footprint.
One of the main factors to be considered when double glazing your home is safety and security. Traditional window frames were made out of wood and use a single pane of glass. These windows almost prove to be an open door to burglars who, in the days of UPVC door and window frames, quite often target homes with older wood framed, single paned windows.
This is because over time the wood softens and rots from the inside out, making it easier to jimmy open a window or a door and thus gain access to your home or property. As well as this, a single pane of glass is (in this age of conservation and global warming awareness) a terrible insulator of heat. As a result of this, heat loss is, quite obviously, twice that of a double glazed window.
These days most glass contained on a double glazed window is toughened or strengthened to prevent shattering and to prevent damage from one sheet of glass affecting the other. This strengthening is much safer in terms of security and of safety from broken pieces of glass. With UPVC frames there is no rotting as plastic does not biodegrade, thus requiring less maintenance as opposed to a wooden framed window or door. And, with the improvements and developments in window locking systems, it makes it increasingly more difficult for the potential burglar to gain access to your home.
In recent years, with climate change being at the forefront of issues on the news, people have become more educated about how they can insulate their homes to both help the environment and save money on heating bills, and with these times of economic hardships, every penny that can be saved makes a difference.
Companies have been quick to move to develop ever ingenious methods of heating our homes and preventing heat loss. One such method from the double glazing industry is known as Low-Emissivity Glass. This is glass, which can allow the heat and warmth of the sun to penetrate the glass during the day, heating up the room. Then heat is then trapped in the room and cannot escape back through the glass. This creates a huge reduction in heat loss, which has been reported to be up to twenty five per cent in most cases.
The space between double glazing panels is filled with Argon gas. As well as proving to be an insulator of heat, it also provides an affective barrier against sound, ideal for those who live on or near busy roads or in city centres.
As well as keeping out the noise, double glazing also serves to keep out harmful CO2 emissions from passing cars and traffic. Other pollutants are also held at bay, simply through this effective means of doubling up on glass if these windows are fitted to the home or property. Homes in busy urban areas will clearly achieve the most benefit from fitting double glazing, and UPVC frames.
However their benefits extend to all properties, as over time the savings that can be made on heating bills can be quite substantial. The environmental impact of millions of homes collectively reducing energy consumption is massive. And there is also something to be said for keep the noisy traffic at bay and getting good nights sleep.
