Changing My Double Glazing - Is it worth it?

Are you thinking of changing your double glazed windows, but not sure it’s worth the cost and the disruption? With UK energy prices higher than ever, it is more important than ever to ensure your house is as energy efficient as possible. With new technologies improving double glazing’s effectiveness through the years, we’ve gone through all the advantages, disadvantages, costs and savings made by upgrading your double glazing.

What Is double glazing?

Double glazing refers to a window that has two panes of glass. The main component of the window is the double glazed sealed unit, also known as an insulated glass unit (IGU) which sits in a uPVC or timber frame.

The IGU comprises of two sheets of glass separated by a spacer bar to create an air gap which is filled with an insulating gas.

Double Glazing FAQs

what makes our double glazing energy efficient?

✓ Argon-filled cavities

✓ Warm edge spacer bar to combat condensation

✓ Soft-coated low emissivity glass

✓ EPDM seal

✓ Pilkington Activ coating to help keep the glass free from dirt

✓ High-performance desiccant within the spacer bar to absorb any moisture

What Are The Benefits of Double Glazed Windows?

Is It Worth Changing My Double Glazing?

In short, yes, it is worth replacing your old double glazing. Outdated double glazing could be costing you money and could make a home colder in the winter months. In layman’s terms, older “K Glass” double glazing is around 30% energy efficient – meaning that 70% of the heat from your home will be lost through the windows! In comparison, our signature Maxitherm™ insulated double glazing is up to 90% energy efficient installed into uPVC frames.

a graphic showing the increasing thermal effectiveness of double glazing over times

Will Double Glazing Make My Home Warmer?

In Simple Terms…

Thermal transfer, solar gain, dew point, sound frequency and conduction – what all this information means in reality is that double glazing will:

Keep more external noise out of your home
Retain more heat and keep your home warmer
Reduce condensation on your windows
Reduce the amount of energy you use to heat your home
Reduce your energy bills
Add value to your home

Maxitherm™ Insulated Double Glazing – The MOST Energy Efficient Glass Available

Our signature Maxitherm™ insulated glazing is far more advanced than a standard insulated glass unit, as it works in a completely different way from standard double glazing. The inner pane of the window is made from a special low emissivity glass – the Maxitherm™ secret ingredient that you won’t find anywhere else! Low emissivity glass is a type of insulating glass, which increases the energy efficiency of windows by reducing the transfer of heat or cold through the glass. That means in the winter your house stays warmer, and in the summer it stays cooler.

Warm-Edge Spacer Bar

Our spacer bars are made from fibreglass rather than metal, as fibreglass is a very poor conductor of heat or cold. This will keep your home warmer, as none of the cold from outside can be transferred through the spacer bar.

a photograph of a cross section of a double glazed windows

Argon-Filled Cavity

The space between the 2 panes of glass (or cavity), is filled with dense argon gas. Argon is an inert gas, which is also a very poor conductor of heat or cold, and has no moisture to cause condensation.

Soft Low-E Coating

Maxitherm™ double glazing includes a pane of soft-coated low-emissivity glass designed to prevent heat escaping through the windows to the cold outdoors in Winter – this also keeps it cooler in the summer by reflecting the heat out.

HOW LONG DOES DOUBLE GLAZING LAST?

Choose Quality For Longevity

How long your double glazing will last really does depend on the quality of the products used and the skilfulness of the installation. A high quality installation using only the best products can last 20 years or more! In fact, we are so confident of the quality and longevity of our Maxitherm™ double glazing that we offer a LIFETIME guarantee on the insulated glass units!

Our Guarantees

Pros and Cons of Changing Your Double Glazing

cons of upgrading your double glazing

Creates mess in your home if you are changing your window frames

As with all home improvements, there is a cost involved

Leaded and stained glass windows are usually better encapsulated and made into triple glazed units

The quality of your installation makes a huge difference to the energy efficiency

Protect Your Investment – Choose Quality First

Since upgrading your windows to double or triple glazing is an investment in your home, it really isn’t something you can scrimp on. Especially with installing triple glazing, you really do need to ensure that you are choosing the best quality you can find.

You should always choose a properly accredited company to ensure that your installation complies with building regulations, is registered with the local authority and comes with a quality guarantee.

Staywarm Energy are FENSA Approved Installers, and accredited by Trustmark and Fair Trades. We have also passed the full enhanced vetting procedures for Rated People and Checkatrade!

We offer a wide range of market-leading guarantees, ranging from our 10 Year Insurance-Backed standard guarantee to a full lifetime!