What is double glazing and secondary glazing?
Double-glazed windows have two layers of glass separated by a space that acts as an insulator. The gap between the two sheets of glass can be filled with an inert heavy gas like Argon, or left empty. Both of these options slow down the heat transfer from one side to the other.
Secondary glazing is the installation of supplementary glazing inside an existing window. Secondary glazing can be permanent or temporary.
The cost of double-glazing is higher than secondary glazing
Double-glazing costs more than secondary glazing because you have to buy new units to double-glaze your windows. You can’t retrofit an extra sheet of glass onto single-glazed windows.
For double-glazing to be an effective thermal barrier, the space between the glass panes must be filled with an inert (or vacuum) gas. For each window that you wish to double-glaze, you will need a company to visit your home and take measurements and make the windows for you. For Double Glazing Cardiff, visit /choicetradeframes.co.uk/upvc-windows-doors/cardiff/
Secondary glazing is much cheaper. You can either buy DIY kits, or hire installers to install the supplementary glass on the inside of your existing window frames.
Double glazing is a job best left to a professional.
The double-glazing units are made to order, as mentioned above. Once they are built, the installer is able to install approximately 3 windows per day. The process is quick but this is not a project that you can do yourself.
You can install secondary glazing yourself, but there are companies that will do it for you. The process of installing secondary glazing is much easier than that of removing existing window units.
What type of glass is the best for minimising heat loss?
You can reduce your energy costs by replacing your windows with double-glazing, or secondary glazing. Both double-glazing as well as secondary glazing perform admirably in this area. The double-glazing is twice as efficient as secondary glass in stopping heat from escaping.
You could save around £150 per year by replacing all the single-glazed windows in a three-bed house with double glazing. You could save about £75 per year by adding secondary glazing to your existing single-glazed windows. Double-glazing uPVC units are expected to last 20 years or longer.
Secondary glazing offers a higher level of sound insulation
The two types of windows also do a great job at reducing noise pollution. However, secondary glazing wins the gold medal. Secondary glazing is different from double-glazed sealed units because the two pieces of glass act independently to block the transmission of sound. The larger the space between the two panes the better the dampening effects. Therefore, double glazing with panes that are close together will have a less effective noise reduction.
