Secondary Glazing Thermal Insulation
When you own a property, whether this be your own home or commercial premises, you want to do what you can to ensure it’s in the best condition. One of the most important elements of this is your windows and that is where secondary glazing comes in. Sometimes known as secondary double glazing, it’s essentially when a second window is installed in front of the first, thus creating an additional barrier between your home and the outside.
The UK has a plethora of older homes which are teeming with character and period features and while these might look charming, they aren’t the most practical to live in. When winter rolls around and temperatures plummet, these old-style single-glazed windows leave little to the imagination and can cause it to feel cold and draughty for months on end. People might choose to replace their windows completely, but this can be costly, impractical and take a long time often changing the look and character of the property.
A good alternative is secondary glazing. Instead of having to completely start from scratch, secondary glazing works with what’s already there, adding another internal, secondary window to the window that is already there. In this article, we take a look at what secondary glazing is and the benefits it provides when it comes to thermal insulation.
What is secondary glazing?
Secondary glazing refers to the installation of a second, internal window to the inside of an existing window. This creates an extra layer of insulation that provides extra warmth for a property, keeps out noise and is relatively simple to install.
Secondary glazing tends to be made from a material such as aluminium and can work with a plethora of window types, from sash windows to fixed ones. This compares to double glazing where the entire window has to be replaced with a sealed unit of two panes of glass. Double glazing can be costly, harder to install and might not be possible in places such as listed buildings or those situated within a conservation area. Secondary glazing provides a host of the same benefits as double glazing while also being more practical and cost-effective. This includes:
- They can be used for any type of window
With so many different types of windows out there, you’d think it would be difficult to find a one-size-fits-all solution. As secondary glazing is fitted to the inside of a window that’s already in place, you don’t need to worry about taking apart or removing windows you already have. This ensures you retain the original features, something that’s often important, particularly with older properties. These might have ornate windows with features you want to keep.
- They tend to be more affordable
As stated above, secondary glazing is a more cost-effective solution. The design is slim, windows are easier to install. Their cost is lower.
- They can be added to windows with any type of fastening, including hinged, sliding or fixed windows
The versatility of secondary glazing means no matter the type of windows you have in your home, you can benefit from it. With increased thermal insulation and a better climate in the home, your windows can work, no matter their type. Secondary glazing can easily be customised.
- They provide improved thermal insulation which can take down your heating and energy bills
When energy bills are more expensive than ever, doing what you can minimise them has never been so important. Secondary glazing provides increased thermal insulation negating the need to have your heating on so high or for so long. Once the room has been warmed in the colder months, the glazing will help retain the heat making it much more economical.
- They can help reduce condensation from building in your home
When the cold air from the outside meets the warm air of the inside of your home, condensation can form. This can then lead to damp and mould which might not only damage your home, but may also lead to health issues for those living in the house. Secondary glazing creates an additional layer that acts as a buffer before any condensation can form. This can make a real difference to your property. Secondary glazing is known to greatly reduce condensation. In many cases, it has irradiated condensation.
- They can help to preserve original windows in a period-style property
If you live or work in a period-style property, you’ll know just how strict regulations on these could be. Yet that doesn’t mean you should sit and freeze. By adding secondary glazing and making the most of the thermal insulation it provides, you can reap all the benefits without doing any damage to the original features of the house you’re in. It’s a win-win situation making it comfortable for all.
- It improves the security of your home
You want your home to be your safe space where you feel protected from the outside world. While you might have burglar alarms and locks on your windows, secondary glazing can be another factor in stopping unwanted visitors from trying to enter your property. Being almost impossible to open from the outside and requiring a lot of force to remove them, intruders will either be deterred by the difficulty it takes to break in, or you will have enough time to ring for help should they try.
How does secondary glazing benefit thermal insulation?
In a time when energy prices are higher than ever, finding ways to improve the insulation of your home has never been more important. Secondary glazing can benefit thermal insulation in a host of ways, bringing down your energy costs and making your home warmer when it needs to be.
Thermal insulation is essentially the process of preventing heat from transferring between two places, which is exactly what secondary glazing does. By having a gap between the two window panes, it limits and traps the flow of heat. When done successfully, it can help you to maintain a consistent and comfortable temperature in your home. Secondary glazing is most often applied to single-glazed windows, but can also be applied to double-glazed windows too.
Efficient secondary glazing has been found to improve the thermal performance of a window by up to 60%, reducing the energy needed to heat your home in the meantime. With this increased thermal performance you can expect annual fuel bills to improve substantially compared to if you didn’t have secondary glazing. A warmer home is something we all strive for and it’s an easy way to achieve this.
Installing secondary glazing can also help buildings meet Part L of the building regulations, which concerns the conservation of fuel and power.
Single panes of glass are not very good insulators. They have a U-value of around 5.0W/m2, but adding secondary glazing to a single-glazed window will bring the U-value down to about 2.1W/m2 on average (the lower the better for thermal insulation). Depending on the product and the installation methods, even more, efficient windows can be achieved with secondary glazing.
As well as giving an extra layer of insulation to improve the thermal temperature of your home, secondary glazing also generates improved heat retention. The double layers prevent draughts and cold spots near the windows. Heat can’t easily escape once your home is warm and it’s also much harder for cold air to make its way in. This makes it an ideal solution all year round.
Thermal insulation plays a vital role in reducing the energy consumption of your home and making your bills more affordable at the same time. When costs have never been so high, this affordable solution can really make a difference. The thermal insulation factor can also make your home a more comfortable place to reside in. Your home will be energy efficient and with less energy needed to turn on the heating, it can also contribute to the environment, being more economical and also reducing greenhouse gases.
How to get secondary glazing installed
Secondary glazing is an effortless solution when it comes to thermal insulation in your home. When you’re looking to retain heat and save on energy, this is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to do so. To find out more about how secondary glazing offers thermal insulation for your home, get in touch with us at City Sound Glazing. Experts in the field, we are on hand to answer any questions you might have as well as provide you with a quote for getting your new secondary glazing fitted. Get in touch with us via our website.
Get Secondary Glazing From City Sound Glazing
Secondary glazing is a versatile solution for UK homeowners and businesses looking to reduce noise levels on their properties. It is suitable for various building types, including listed properties. It also works on multiple window types, including casement, sash, sliding and fixed lift-out.
Secondary glazing is also suitable for homes with pre-existing double-glazing and improves noise-reduction performance. Thirty per cent of the secondary glazing we install is with existing double-glazing.
If you want to find out how much installing secondary glazing on your property will cost, get in touch with our team at 020 8523 3210. You can also read the advice and guides on our website or view our gallery of completed projects to see how your property will look after secondary glazing noise reduction.