When it comes to your home, the right windows can enhance your house’s security and comfort. The benefits of secondary glazing can make your existing windows much more efficient. There are several reasons you may choose secondary glazing instead of replacement windows. Your home may be listed, or you may like your existing frames and want to add another layer of glass for better heat retention. Here we explore the many benefits of secondary glazing.
Reduce energy costs
The windows in your home can account for almost 30% of the loss of heat. Energy efficiency, reducing our energy use at home, and decreasing utility bills are the focus of all homeowners these days. If you have single glazed windows, you may notice that your home is cold or drafts come from certain windows. Older model windows may also have poor seals, leading to even more loss of heat.
With secondary glazing installation, heat loss can be reduced by up to 50%, which will result in a more cosy space for you and your family as well as lower heating bills. Double glazed secondary glazing provides you with better thermal insulation and seals windows properly, so your home is less drafty.
Noise reduction
If you live near a busy road, traffic noise can feel like a real intrusion into your home. Similarly, for business premises, noise in the working environment can affect the quality of the workspace. By adding secondary glazing, you can reduce noise pollution in the building by around 75%.
Soundproofing is difficult if you have single glazing in your current windows. A double glazed window unit provides good noise insulation due to the gap between the two panes of glass. If your house has an issue with a lot of noise from outside, choose a thicker pane of glass for the secondary glazing installation as this will reduce the sound even further.
Replacing windows on listed buildings
Listed properties will often have original windows with single panes. Older windows are less efficient than modern double glazing installations. Single pane windows provide inferior insulation and soundproofing qualities. Making changes to listed buildings or updating properties in conservation areas can be challenging.
Listed building consent for changing windows with double glazing can be difficult to obtain. Most of the time, the conservation rules require any windows to be replaced like for like. However, adding secondary glazing to listed buildings is often allowed. Adding a second pane of glass inside your home will not affect the exterior look of a listed building. Due to this, it is considered a reversible change and is usually allowed as part of renovating a listed building.
If you are considering adding secondary glazing, or need assistance with finding the best replacement windows for your house, contact us today. Our expert window installers can visit your home and provide a quotation for window installation, repairs, or replacement.