Benefits & Negatives of Glazing Options

Single Glazing Vs Double Glazing



What is Single glazing?

Single glazed windows are those which consist of a singular pane of glass within a frame. Traditionally the glass is held in place using glazing pins and putty, which is then overpainted to seal the glass into the frame.

Benefits of single glazing

Some of the benefits of single glazing include:

Retaining the Original Appearance. Original Timber Sash & Casement Windows were always fitted with Single Pane Glazing. Having a slender pane of glass within the window allows the moulding of the window to remain deep giving the window a slender/more attractive appearance. In some areas in the UK, known as Conservation Areas or Listed Buildings it is important to retain as much originality as possible and maintaining or replacing with a like for like Single Glazed Window is necessary. Many of the Original Timber Windows still have the Original Float Glass, this type of Glass has unique patterns and swirls which can have an attractive look, however the Glass itself offers little in terms of security and safety.

Negatives of single glazing

Lack of Heat Retention. The level of insulation provided by Single Glazing which is virtually non-existent. The U Value of Traditional Single Pane Glazing is approximately 5.8-5.9. In cold winter months the Single Pane Glazing will not work efficiently to retain the heat inside the property. 

Condensation. Condensation can occur when warm air collides with cold surfaces, or when there's too much humidity in your home and creates water. This water collects as droplets on a cold surface (such as Single Pane Glazing). This is especially common in winter, when your central heating system comes on or when washing is left to dry out inside the property. When warm, moist air comes into contact with either a surface or air that is colder than it is, the warm air is unable to retain the same amount of moisture as it did and the water is released either into the cold air or onto the colder surface, causing condensation to form, quickly followed by mould which can have adverse effects to health and may cause (in time) the window to rot. It is very difficult to predict the occurrence of Condensation, and some properties are more prone than others.

Little Acoustic Benefit. Since it consists of only a single pane of glass, any noise created outside will travel through it more easily. This can be more of a nuisance in areas close to the road, by busy streets or on flight paths.

Security. Single Glazed Windows (primarily original Sash & Casement Windows with the Original 3-4mm Float Glass) are far less robust against intruders. They also offer no-protection against accidental trips and falls. When broken this type of glass forms sharp shards, rather than the small cubes formed when toughened glass breaks.

In conclusion , some areas of the UK will only allow Single Glazed windows to ensure the original appearance and features are upheld, and in some cases they can look more attractive. However these windows have little to offer in terms of heat retention, security and safety. 

What are double glazed windows?

Double glazed windows consist of 2 glass panes which are joined together by a spacer bar. The space in between the 2 glass panes is either filled with air or an inert gas such as Argon/Krypton or a mixture of the two. This size of the cavity between the glass can range between 4mm (slimline) at the smallest all the way up to 20mm. The size of the Cavity is depicted by the depth of your original windows or by the specific window fabricators model window. At Midhurst Windows & Doors our standard model window (with New Frame) features a 4/16/4 Softcoat Low Iron Unit with Argon Gas Filling. This type of Unit achieves a centre pane U Value of 1, this is far more efficient at retaining heat that a single pane system.

Benefits of Double Glazing.

Heat Retention & Energy Efficiency . One of the main reasons that customers decide to change their windows is to be increase the efficiency of the windows, to make their homes warmer and also reduce the cost of energy bills. The Double Glazing features a Softcoat Energy efficient pane on the inside which can assist as it has a microscopically thin transparent coating made from tin, silver or zinc, which is applied during the manufacturing process. It is designed to prevent radiant heat loss through the glass by reflecting heat back into the building. This combined with modern cavities that use Argon gas and warm edge spacer bars for improved thermal performance, help to maintain a stable temperature inside the building by limiting heat loss back out through the glass.

Reduced or No condensation. The insulation layer between the 2 glass panes in double glazed windows also helps to prevent condensation. As a result, you can maintain the temperature that is required within in the home.

Reduction of Noise. If you live on a street close to traffic noise, double glazed windows are almost a necessity for you. Double glazed windows help in cutting out the noise present outside. In particularly noisy areas the use of Acoustic Glass can further increase the deadening of external noise. This can help the home to remains much quieter and calm.

Higher margin of safety. By law all New Windows fitted within critical locations should be installed with Toughened Safety Glass. All doors and windows that are within 800mm from the finished floor level should be Toughened. At Midhurst Windows all the glass we provide in Doors and Lower Sash Windows in Toughened as standard for security and piece of mind. The Toughened Glass has been through a heat cycle which changes the properties of the glass itself. The glass will become harder to break and also if it did break it would form small cubes of glass rather than dangerous shards.

Guarantees With a brand new Double Glazed window complete with frame, everything will be guaranteed for total peace of mind.

Aesthetically Appealing. Sympathetically created double glazed windows can look very much like the single glazed ones. This ensures that if you just want to replace a few windows with double glazing, you can easily do so.

Summary

To improve the comfort of your home by reducing heat loss, security and safety then Double Glazing is definitely the way to go. The added peace of mind that comes with full guarantees does make the Double Glazing an attractive option.