How Effective is Double Glazing?

Double glazed windows are one of the top home improvements chosen by homeowners in the UK, because they are a great solution for maintaining a warmer temperature in the house, office, etc, but the question is how effective are they than a single pane window?

To start off, the first thing you need to know is what double glazing is and how it works. By double glazing, it is meant that the windows have two panes unlike normal windows which have a single pane, but that's not all, between the two panes there is a small gap in the centre which is called an air gap or a tight air pocket. This gap is either sealed with air or gas.

This gap between the glass panes behaves as an insulation not only for temperature but also sound. 

Due to this, temperatures cannot easily shift through one side of the window to the other, which enables the house to have cool air indoors, keeping the warm/ hot air outside or warm air inside and the cold on the out. 

Further explaining the reason behind the effective insulation, The process of heat energy travelling from a hot space to a cold space is called convection. Convection requires a good conductor. The trapped air between the glass panes cannot move around, hence it is a poor conductor of heat, this causes reduction of heat loss from the inside of the house. As a result of minimum heat being able to leave from the window panes, the house stays warmer for a longer period of time. 

Double Glazing decreases temperature gain and loss around almost 32 percent in comparison to single glazed windows.

Window films or UV protective coatings can be used on the windows for reduction of more heat into the house.

Double glazed windows are also efficient in limiting noise emissions into your house from the outside. The gas or air trapped between the window panes restricts the penetrance of high-to-medium-range noise frequencies.

The advantages of double glazed windows do not just stop here but they also include:

Security:

Double glazed windows also improve the safety of your house. Most burglaries occur by windows. These windows can only be removed from inside of the house, which makes it extremely hard to be pried open by thieves.

Many modern double-glazed windows provide multiple hardware locking points, which means that even a simple turn of the handle will easily and efficiently lock your window in multiple positions.

Energy Conversion: 

Increased insulation provided by double glazed windows reduces the need for  artificial cooling or heating through air conditioners or heaters. Which in conclusion will save you money on energy bills.

Things to know about Double glazed windows:

Many double glazed windows are made with PVC or aluminum frames, which are both strong and effective materials. These frames work perfectly but it needs to be made sure that there aren't any small gaps around the frames through which air can pass.

Although single glazed windows cost less than their double glazed equivalents, there are several disadvantages. First and primarily, single glazed windows contain a single window panel. This makes them much less effective in insulating from cold, heat and noise. This is equally relevant in both cold and hot environments, whereby thermal problems can cause discomfort in your residence. Double glazing windows use two glass panes and an air gap which causes a noteworthy increase in the insulation of the windows

The most effective double glazed windows are the ones which have gas in between the air gaps like argon which uses a low emissivity glass and has a reflective metal oxide coating that reflects sunlight into the house.

Although double-glazed windows have long been the traditional choice for keeping space warm and increasing energy efficiency. They now compete with triple glazing windows.