Do You Need Double or Secondary Glazing in Your Home?

CategoriesHome Improvement

If you want to save money on your bills, the answer must be yes! With gas and oil prices on the rise, most householders want to reduce their energy use.

One of the best ways to minimise costs is to minimise heat loss, particularly through your windows. The two best ways are by using double glazing or secondary glazing in your home – but what’s the difference?

Double Glazing

This works by using two panes of glass, with a sealed gap in between containing a vacuum or inert gas such as Argon – this acts as a barrier to prevent heat escaping. Added benefits are that it reduces the amount of noise coming in from outside. It’s harder to break in through, too, so provides extra security to your property.

Double glazing comes in a choice of different materials, namely uPVC, wood or aluminium. UPVC is the least expensive and benefits from being durable, recyclable and energy-efficient. You can clean it easily with just a cloth and some washing-up liquid. Wood is more expensive and requires more maintenance, but can look better on older properties and should last a long time. Aluminium is also long-lasting and can be good for a slim-fit.

However, in a listed building, double glazing may not be allowed under planning regulations and secondary glazing is a good alternative.

Secondary Glazing

Secondary glazing means adding a second layer of glass to the inside of the existing window. It will probably save only half as much heat loss as double glazing but it can be better for reducing noise intrusion, so depending on your circumstances it may be the better choice.

It also has the advantage of being considerably cheaper than double glazing. It’s easier and quicker to fit, too, since it is an addition to existing windows rather than the completely new units which double glazing involves. In fact, if you are a competent DIY person, you could even fit it yourself.

The Energy Saving Trust has further information on preventing heat loss as well as other suggestions for reducing your energy use. You could also visit a showroom to see for yourself. For instance, if you are looking for uPVC windows a Double Glazing in Gloucester company can provide these for you.   As well as saving money, you’ll be doing your bit for the environment too.

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