Double glazing North Wales specialise in fitting top-quality double glazed windows, whether it is in a residential property or commercial premises. Windows Colwyn Bay can help you with all your double glazing requirements. Double glazing has become such an integral part of home design; here are some of the main things you need to know about it.

What is Double Glazing?

Double glazing as a phrase gets thrown around a lot in the building, construction and home improvements community; but to really get to grips with the benefits it can provide, it’s important to fully understand what it is.

To put it in simple terms, double glazing is used in all different kinds of glass installations (predominantly windows), and it involves two panes of glass set in the frame, that are separated by a thin layer of air (a vacuum), or sometimes even an inert gas such as argon. It’s this special layer between the two panes of glass that is the true magic ingredient to double glazing.

Double glazing keeps the cold out and the warm air in. It reduces drafts, and it is a huge step up from single glazing – which as the name suggests, involves a single pane of glass alone acting as a barrier between inside and outside.

The Origins

The earliest accounts of double glazing are as early as 1870 in Scotland – this isn’t surprising considering the low temperatures up there in the winter time. Double glazing as we know it today. Was invented in 1930 in the USA by C D Haven – in the UK it didn’t really take off until the 1970s, when energy prices skyrocketed and homeowners were forced to find alternative ways to reduce their energy costs and improve the overall efficiency of their homes.

What Does Double Glazing Do?

Double glazing offers a range of benefits to a property:

• Reduces heat loss and drafts; this is the biggest benefit that double glazing offers. It prevents as much heat leaving a property and it limits the amount of draft that can enter.
• Provides acoustic insulation; the amount of sound that can enter through a double glazed installation is reduced by the additional material, and the vacuum between the two panels.
• Increases security; the simple presence of two panes of glass set in the same frame provide an extra layer of security to a property.
• Reduces build-up of condensation; condensation forms on surfaces that are cooler than the surrounding air, but the heat loss reduction in a double glazed panel means that the interior pane of glass doesn’t get as cold, which results in less condensation build up.

How Does Double Glazing Reduce Heat Loss?

Double glazed windows reduce heat loss by limiting how much heat can be lost through both conduction and convection. In tackling both of these huge processes simultaneously, double glazing works to eliminate heat transfer. Whilst it is not 100% effective, the stark difference between single glazed and double glazed is enough to warrant an upgrade.

The Window of Opportunity

So, everything important you need to know about double glazing. It has become the standard offering for glass upgrades in most homes around the country – with additional benefits that make your home warmer, quieter and more energy efficient.