| Why replace your single-glazed windows with | | | | reducing your heating bills, keeping your house |
| double glazing ? For most, the precipitating factor | | | | warmer and helping you do your bit in the |
| for looking into double glazing is a need for new | | | | conservation of natural resources. Especially in |
| construction (or renovation) to conform to | | | | rooms with large windows, the difference in |
| modern energy standards. Others decide to | | | | temperature in the room is easily noticeable. |
| replace their windows as an energy saving | | | | Sitting by a large, double-glazed picture window is |
| measure. The main advantage that double glazing | | | | far, far more comfortable on a chill winter |
| offers over traditional windows is insulation. | | | | night.Style and DesignDouble glazing is available in |
| Because nearly 25% of your heat is lost through | | | | many different styles and types, and most people |
| your windows, well-made and well-fitted double | | | | attempt to match the style of their old windows |
| glazing can reduce your heating costs by as much | | | | with the new if at all possible, especially when |
| as half depending on the amount of glass in your | | | | doing restoration work. A good, reputable |
| home.Some of the things to consider when | | | | contractor will work with you to find double |
| shopping for double glazing for your home are | | | | glazing windows that suit your architecture and |
| safety, energy conservation, style, type of | | | | enhance your home's beauty.FramesThe three |
| frame, type of glass, cost and installation. Each of | | | | main frame types are PVCu, aluminum and wood, |
| these are important in your choice. Most will | | | | and each has its unique advantages and |
| affect the price that you pay - and all will affect | | | | disadvantages. In a nutshell - PVCu frames are |
| your pleasure and comfort in your home for | | | | best at energy conservation, aluminum frames |
| years to come.SafetySingle pane windows are | | | | are the sturdiest, and wooden frames are the |
| most often made of a single sheet of regular | | | | most attractive - at least in the view of some. |
| glass which shatters into long, sharp shards when | | | | For more detailed information about the |
| hit. When shopping for double glazing, you have a | | | | advantages of each, see the related articles.Type |
| choice of several different kinds of glass, each of | | | | of GlassSafety glass, tempered glass, low-e glass, |
| which are safer on breaking than traditional | | | | Pilkington K glass - there are many types of glass |
| window panes. If nothing else, the double | | | | that are used in double glazing. Glass with energy |
| thickness reduces the chances that both panes | | | | coatings - the low-e and Pilkington K among them |
| will be broken. Whether you use security glass, | | | | - add further insulating properties to your |
| toughened glass or shatterproof glass, double | | | | windows, and can certainly be worth that |
| glazing offers some measure of safety over | | | | additional expense.InstallationShop for a contractor |
| single glazing.SecurityThere's no doubt that double | | | | and supplier as carefully as you do for glass. |
| glazing makes it more difficult for a thief or | | | | Shoddily done work can negate all the advantages |
| intruder to break into your home by the simple | | | | gained in choosing to replace your current |
| expedient of breaking a window pane and | | | | windows with double glazing. Look into the |
| reaching through the hole - but real security has | | | | company's history and check for any complaints |
| more to do with the window frames and locking | | | | against them, even ask for references from |
| systems than with the glass itself. Be sure to | | | | others for whom they have done work. Installing |
| choose windows with frames that can be | | | | double glazing throughout your house is an |
| securely locked from the inside.Energy | | | | expensive proposition - it only makes sense to |
| ConservationDouble glazing can reduce heat lost | | | | know the people who will be doing the work. |
| through windows by as much as 50%, thereby | | | | |