Up to 20% of heat is
lost through poorly insulated window frames and single glazed windows,
so why not consider
double glazing or secondary glazing in your home. It’s definitely worth thinking
about it.This type of home improvement is affordable and you don’t
necessarily have to replace all your windows at the same time although
if you were in a position to do so, it would save you money if you were
to have
them installed at the same time, but there are other options.
If you can’t afford to replace all your
windows then why not choose to replace the windows in the rooms that
cost you most to heat, for example
like
your living room. By considering this as option you could still reduce heat
loss through windows by half.
How double glazing works, is that air is trapped between two panes of glass,
special inert gas is also an option, this creates an insulating barrier that
reduces heat loss, noise and condensation, plus the benefit of cutting your
heating bills by £80-£100 a year.
Don’t be concerned that by replacing your windows that this will effect
the look of your house. There are wide range of window styles and colours
to actually enhance the look of your home, but it is worth checking to ensure
there are no restrictions due to age or location of your property, for example
if your home was a listed building.
Looking for the energy saving recommended logo when choosing your windows,
you can be sure they are the most energy efficient. Manufacturer’s
window products are assessed on a rating of A-G, the assessment is based
on the whole
window and not just the glass or seals. These grades are issued from the
British Fenestration Ratings Council.
If double glazing is not an option for you then there is always secondary
double glazing, although not as good as double glazing it will still save money
by cutting heat loss and draughts.
Energy Saving Recommended Scheme
Currently manufacturers/organisations voluntarily submit their windows for
energy-efficiency accreditation. This is now very important to the organisations
as consumers are more aware of energy saving products and this is continuously
increasing with many people so much more conscious of the financial and environmental
benefits.The Energy Saving Trust supports the British Fenestration Rating
Council’s
(BFRC) domestic window energy rating scheme (WER) by accrediting any window
rated ‘band-C’ or above, helping consumers to readily compare
the energy efficiency of competing products using a recognisable mark/grade
for
everyone to understand.
The BFRC’s WER scheme is based on the whole window. The higher the BFRC
rating indicates a more thermally efficient window. The window is given a rating
of A-G BFRC bands of the window energy label. It is this band that provides
the basis for energy saving recommended certification. So it’s very
important for organisations to ensure their products are assessed and manufactured
to
the highest grade.
It is likely that the BFRC’s A-G bands will be
incorporated into the revised Part L of the building regulations some time
in 2006.
Double Glazing and Secondary Glazing
