If you want to reduce your energy bills and keep your house warm all winter, then energy-efficient double glazed windows are the solution.
By keeping cold air out and reducing heat loss from inside your home, you can lower your carbon footprint. You can also cut the size of your gas and electricity bills by a considerable amount.
How energy-efficient glazing works
Energy-efficient windows include double and triple glazing, i.e., windows with two or more glass panes in a sealed unit. In energy-efficient glazing, argon gas between the panes of glass keeps heat from escaping via the window. Argon gas has low conductivity, making it efficient at keeping warmth inside your home with the added benefit of stopping heat from coming in during the summer months.
This air gap between the glass panes will also limit the cold air able to enter through the window. Triple-glazed windows have three sheets of glass and two insulating gaps.
On top of this, energy-efficient windows have multiple layers of weatherstripping as part of the sealed unit. Effectively, these are draft excluders that provide an extra layer of insulation around the outside of the window.
Meanwhile, low emissivity (Low-e) glass has an invisible metal oxide coating on the internal pane that lets in light and heat but reduces heat loss.
Check the energy rating of your new windows
Energy-efficient windows are rated by the amount of heat that passes through the window. This will also assess how much sunlight and air move through the glass unit.
Check out the energy ratings for your new windows. The u-value should be displayed on an energy label. The higher the u-values, the more heat that’s retained. Windows with lower values will lose more heat.
Other factors that have an effect on the energy performance of a window are the materials used for the window frame and the spacer bar between glass panes. This is because heat travels at different speeds through different materials, therefore the performance is affected.
How much can I save on energy bills?
According to the Centre for Sustainable Energy, you can make significant household savings by fitting energy-efficient glazing.
How much you save will depend on other factors, including the overall energy efficiency of the property, how it’s heated, and its exposure to harsh weather conditions. The size of the windows being replaced also needs to be taken into consideration.
However, they estimate that moving from single to double glazing can save on average: £95-£115 a year for a detached house, £65-£80 for a semi-detached home, £50-£60 for a mid-terrace house, and £30-£35 for a mid-floor flat.
Additional benefits of energy-efficient windows
Energy-efficient windows come with a host of benefits. First and foremost, as we’ve seen, is their ability to retain heat in winter.
Another advantage is their soundproof qualities. If you want to reduce external noise, energy-efficient glass will block out more sound, making your home much quieter.
And, if you’re fed up with condensation forming on glass making your home damp, energy-efficient windows are an ideal solution. Energy-efficient glazing will eliminate or reduce condensation significantly.
Would you like to know more about energy-efficient windows?
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