Sealed double glazed units - Double glazed windows & doors


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How do Double Glazed Units Work?

How double glazing works - an image showing how heat is kept inside and not lost through the glass

Glass is a good insulator but it would need to be very thick as a single pane in a window to have much effect.

So rather than have thick glass in your windows it is better to have two panes of glass with an air or gas space between them.

The bigger the air space, the less heat is lost, up to an optimum of 20mm.

All well designed and well fitted double glazed units significantly reduce the intrusion of unwanted noise. The greatest change in sound insulation occurs for cavity widths between 50-150mm.

By specifying glasses whose thickness differ by at least 30%, resonance effects are suppressed and the acoustic benefits are, therefore, maximized.

What are the benefits of having Double-Glazed Units?

	Heat loss through single glazing will be at least halved with double glazing
	Draughts through windows caused by sinking cooled air will be less
	Rooms will be warmer
	Outside noise can be reduced
	Condensation can be reduced
	Increases the saleability of the property
	Savings on fuel bills

Glazing Options

	Ordinary glass – called Annealed or Float glass
	Safety Glass – This can be either Toughened, Laminated, Safety Wired Glass or Annealed glass with safety film applied to it. Safety glazing is mandatory for new installations within 800mm of the floor in windows and partitions, and within 1500mm of the floor in doors and side panels. Glazing is marked in the corner with BS6206.
	Security Glass- Laminated glass or Annealed glass with film applied to it. When security glass is installed you must ensure there is an emergency escape route in case of fire.
	Low Emissivity glass or Low E glass- The glass must be used in a double glazed window so that the special reflective coating, which is always placed inside the cavity, is protected from any damage
	Decorative glass - This can be Opaque, patterned, Stained, Sandblasted or Etched.

In addition to the above standard glazing options there are a number of further choices to be considered,
An advanced, high performance Low E Glass that allows a clearer view through the glass can be used, traditional Low E glass has a yellow tint.
Self-cleaning glass, Not 100% maintenance free but it will not need to be cleaned as frequently or thoroughly as conventional glass.

Argon Gas filled units are used to improve the thermal and in some cases the acoustic properties of the double glazed unit.
Georgian bars or leaded designs may be required.

Low-E Energy Saving Glass can only be used for glazing as part of a Double Glazed Unit.

Low E Energy Saving Glass is designed to help insulate your home by keeping as much heat inside as possible. The glass has a transparent metallic coating on one side that reflects heat back into the room rather than allowing it to escape through the window. It also allows optimum amounts of sunlight to pass through the window.

There are two choices of Low E Energy Saving Glass, these are called Hard Coat and Soft Coat.

They both perform the same job but the soft coat has better thermal insulation, therefore reducing heat loss even further.

The inner surface of the glass stays warmer thereby reducing the likelihood of condensation. And there is less of a yellowish tint or dusty appearance to the glass.

Kite mark

As manufacturers of double glazed sealed units, we are working hard to keep up with all the new European legislation that applies to the glazing trade, by installing new machinery to manufacture double glazed sealed units to the highest standards.

We have been awarded the BSI Kitemark for our double glazed sealed units. The Kitemark is the symbol of trust, integrity and quality. Manufacturers having this award associated with their product will reassure customers that they have satisfied the most rigorous of quality processes. In addition to testing, the British Standards Institution will inspect us at least twice a year to ensure that we maintain the high standards that the glazing industry must achieve.

The introduction of gas into the cavity of a double glazed unit reduces the heat conductance between the panes, helping to keep more heat in during the winter and out in the summer. As a result living and working conditions become more comfortable the whole year round. The thermal insulation is further improved by using a Low e energy saving glass on one side of the sealed unit.

This combination of Argon Gas and Low e energy saving glass can achieve an improvement in thermal performance in the region of 50% over and above that of a standard sealed unit. The standard gas used for thermal insulation is Argon. Apart from its heat insulation properties, Argon is non-toxic, sunlight stable, non corrosive, colourless and odourless.

Self cleaning glass can be glass that has the transparent coating applied during manufacture or we can apply a ClearShield Ritec Coating to the glass prior to glazing.

For more information on sealed double glazed units, don't hesitate to call us now on:

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	PVCu roofline and cladding
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We also supply & install

Secondary Glazing

Sealed double glazed units

Regulations of double glazed units

Critical locations

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