Which Double Glazing?

Hardwood double glazing is to be contrasted with softwood and uPVC double glazing. Softwood will be cheaper than hardwood and the decision depends upon your budget. uPVC requires less maintenance than hardwood. Hardwood double glazing frames will need regular maintenance to ensure that they retain their looks and remain durable. The main reason for choosing hardwood is for the look. Standard white uPVC is not everyone’s idea of the right look for their home. If you want the traditional look, then many think that timber (either softwood or hardwood) is the way to go. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Modern uPVC options include wood grain effect frames and from a distance these can look just like the real thing. And, of course, being uPVC they have the benefits of price and low maintenance. However, if you are replacing sash windows or windows on an older property, you may be more comfortable with sticking to timber.

If your windows are in pretty good condition but you just want to improve your home’s heat and sound insulation, then secondary double glazing might be a better bet than standard double glazing in terms of price. Secondary double glazing is simply fitting another window to your existing window. It has the benefit of retaining the look and character of your home and is, therefore, allowed in conservation areas. Secondary double glazing has particularly good sound insulation benefits. To increase this sound insulation you should choose a different thickness of glass than the thickness of the existing window as different thicknesses block out different sound wave lengths. Secondary double glazing also offers improved heat insulation. The air gap between the two panes of glass reduces the amount of heat that can escape as air is a poor conductor of heat. Secondary double glazing can also be fitted fairly easily and cheaply as it is not as specialist a job as standard double glazing replacement.

Fitting double glazing is not a simple job. It is normally best left to the professionals. The units are expensive and any mistake can prove very costly. Before fitting double glazing be sure it is the right path for you. What are your reasons for fitting double glazing? If your windows are old, they have proved that they can stand the test of time and you might be better off repairing them. If they are beyond repair or if you are fed up of caring for them and maintaining them, then fitting double glazing is a good idea as the units normally come with long guarantees and need very little maintenance. Other reasons for fitting double glazing are often to reduce heat loss and increase noise insulation. Although the former will help bring down your heating bills, the money saved will be unlikely to cover the cost of installation in your lifetime.

Double glazing sealed units are made up of two panes of glass with an air gap between them. It is the double glazing sealed units that give double glazing its superior insulating qualities. Glass is actually a good conductor of heat so allows heat to escape from your house through single pane windows. Air, on the other hand, is a poor conductor of heat. So by having the air gap in the double glazing sealed units, it means that heat finds it harder to escape through the glass as it doesn’t conduct well through the air gap. The air gap is generally between 12-20mm. The bigger the air gap, the better the insulation. But if it gets too big, it allows the air to move around more which can have negative effects. If the sealed unit breaks down, you get what appears to be misting in the windows. This means that the perimeter seal has broken and is letting in moisture. When this happens, the unit won’t function properly and will need repairing.

The right double glazing advice can end up saving you thousands of pounds, so it is worth doing as much research as you can before deciding on the style and supplier which are right for you. When you have decided on exactly what you want, the most important double glazing advice is to look around and get as many quotes a possible and find a company you are comfortable with. The cheapest price is not always the best deal. Consider, for example, how many windows you want to be able to open. Windows that open cost more than windows that don’t. The cheap price you have been quoted might not include as many opening windows as you need. And on a similar theme, check out how secure the windows are. What locks do they come with and have the parts been fully welded or mechanically fixed. Fully welded parts reduce the risk of wear and tear over time.

Double glazed front doors can bring many benefits to your home. Broadly speaking, you will see improvements in security and insulation. And, if you choose wisely, you can create a fitting first impression of your home. The double glazed part of the front door is simply the two layers of glass with an air gap between them. This glass unit reduces the amount of heat loss from your home and insulates against noise from the street. The door frames can come in a variety of styles and you are sure to find a style to match the look you are after. uPVC frames are strong, low maintenance and will normally be guaranteed for life. Timber frames might be better if you are replacing an old wooden door, allowing you to maintain your home’s style but with the modern benefits of a double glazed front door. Aluminium frames are usually longer lasting than timber frames and are much stronger than uPVC.

When looking to purchase double glazing, it might be beneficial to look for a double glazing online quote. Thousands of double glazing firms will offer you the opportunity of contacting them online and arranging for a salesman to visit and assess your needs. But you can also get an online quote without the need for a salesman to visit. And there can be many advantages to this form of double glazing online quote. Online firms can, in certain circumstances, offer cheaper prices because they don’t pay commission to salesman. And this has the added bonus of not having a salesman trying to boost his commission by getting the maximum amount of money from you – through inflated prices, limited-time special offers and all the other marketing tricks. But with a double glazing online quote, all the usual rules still apply: shop around, get as many quotes as you can and makes sure the quotes are on a like for like basis.

The best double glazing will be a combination of several factors and the best double glazing for some people might not necessarily be the best double glazing for others. The best double glazing for any particular person will take into account their home’s style and its location and the customer’s preferences and budget. Some homes will be better suited to timber or sash window style double glazing while others will be better with white uPVC. Factors to consider are how your house will look compared to your neighbours’ and what windows you are used to. uPVC frames are thicker than wood or metal and you will be getting less glass for your window. And less glass equals less light into your home. On the other hand, uPVC is easy to maintain and should keep its colour for the rest of its life. The best double glazing companies will offer a range of products and styles to suit all tastes. Their experts will be able to talk you through the hundreds of options and help you decide what is the best double glazing for you and your needs.

DIY double glazing is not for everyone but, with the right skills and a bit of advice, there are savings to be made. A top tip for any DIY double glazing project is to make sure you remove the old window unit with care. The less mess you make here, the easier it will be when you come to fit the new one into the same space. Also, make sure you have measured correctly before ordering your parts. You only have to measure the frame space. The manufacturer will supply the right size glass for the frame you order. The frame and the sealed glass unit will come as separate packages and the beading will already be fitted in the frame. The third part of the package will be the sill. This will not necessarily be the right dimensions and you will have to cut it to the right size.

Replacement double glazing is not the right move for every household. You must consider why you want to replace your windows and whether it is cost effective. For example, if you have original sash windows, replacement double glazing will probably reduce the value of your house. And this is not money you can make back by the reduction in your fuel bills due to better insulation and draught proofing. If you want better insulation, you can opt for secondary glazing or thicker glass while keeping the same frames. On the other hand, if your windows are beyond repair – for example, the frames are broken – replacement double glazing is probably a good idea. It is not worth replacing your windows if they just need a bit of maintenance. If you have old windows which have stood the test of time, then it could be more cost effective to pay someone to maintain them every few years safe in the knowledge that these old windows were built to last.