Double glazing has been lauded as critical in the fight against global warming for many years now, but as the climate emergency worsens, it has never been more important that all property owners invest in energy efficient windows.
Reducing your carbon footprint is far from the only benefit of replacing your old windows with new modern double or triple glazed units and with energy prices at an all time high, using as little heat as possible whilst remaining safe and comfortable is as important for your wallet as it is for the planet.
Unfortunately, despite the upgrade being judged as an essential home improvement for many years now, many properties across the UK are still without double glazing due to a lack of promised investment from the Government, among other issues. Furthermore, window technology has advanced massively over the past decade and many double glazed windows are now also outdated and fail to meet the current industry standard for energy efficiency.
In this article, we will look at the environmental impact of switching to more energy efficient double glazing or even triple glazing, both for your home and for the nation as a whole in meeting net-zero obligations.
What is double glazing?
You almost certainly now that double glazing involves two panes of glass being fitted into a single window frame rather than one. Why, exactly, this improves energy efficiency however, and the technology involved, is less well known.
Besides simply putting another layer between you and the outside world, making it harder for cold air to get in and warm air to get out, these panes are separated by a layer of argon gas, a substance that creates a much more effective barrier than glass alone.
This gas limits heat transfer through the window unit and helps you to keep your home warm without having to use your home heating system as frequently or for as long a time. For obvious reasons, there is no space for this layer of gas in a single glazed window and we often find that much of it has escaped from older double glazed windows meaning that they are no longer as efficient as they once were.
It is estimated that around 1% of argon gas escapes from double glazing every year, meaning that if you have had your windows for 10 years, they will have lost around a fifth of the energy efficiency boost it provided in the first place. If a seal breaks or the window comes away from the frame, all the gas may well escape leaving you with far less efficient windows, not to mention some chilly breezes during the summer.
Nowadays, modern double glazing is not only fitted with argon gas but also a range of other features designed specifically to reduce heat loss including energy reflecting glazing bead and thermos-spacer bars.
What about triple glazing?
Triple glazing offers even more impressive rates of energy efficiency, due to the addition of another layer of glass and argon gas. As it stands, double glazing remains the industry standard for double glazing Edinburgh, but as environmental standards rise, along with the cost of energy, many people are choosing to get ahead of the game and invest in triple glazing that future proofs their home for decades to come.
How does double and triple glazing help the environment?
Simply put, the less heat that escapes from your windows and doors the less you will need to use your gas boiler or other home heating system and the fewer emissions you will produce as a result.
The UK Government has made pledges to slash the country’s carbon emissions, and has passed laws committing to reaching net zero by 2050. If this is to be achieved, home heating requires a complete revolution with gas boilers accounting for a huge percentage of the total emissions produced across the nation.
As part of this agreement, all properties in the UK must undergo certain energy saving improvements, and the installation or double and triple glazing is right at the top of this list. It is estimated that simply replacing all the single glazing on period properties across the nation with brand new energy efficient double glazing could save around 700kg of carbon emissions putting us well on track for net zero.
Double glazing has become such a necessity that there are now grants available to those looking. To make the upgrade from single glazing and all new properties are now fitted with double glazing, as a minimum, as standard.
If your home has single glazing, or double glazing over 10 years old, you will benefit significantly from new window installation. Contact your local windows installation expert for more information or to arrange for a free survey.