How Double Glazing Reduces Heat Transfer

The amount of heat that escapes through the windows of a home can be greatly reduced by installing double glazing.

Invariably the weakest points for heat loss in all buildings are the windows.

 element of window -double glazing  glass

Two sheets of glass are placed parallel to each other with a space in between that is filled with ordinary air or argon gas. Air is a poor heat conductor making it difficult for heat energy to pass through the glass. Heat transfer through convection currents can be reduced even more by making the space between the glass panes as narrow as possible.

How Does It Work?

The ordinary air, vacuum or gas trapped between two sheets of glass in double glazing creates an insulated barrier that prevents heat loss through the solid material of the window. Heat gain or loss is prevented because the room is insulated from different air temperatures on either side of the window.

Molecules in a solid object like a pane of glass or the handle of a frying pan are closely packed together and as a result vibrations are transferred quickly and more easily to adjacent molecules, causing heat to spread quickly throughout the material. In contrast to solid objects, gas molecules are spaced father apart making them less likely to bump into each other which slows down the transfer of heat. To make double glazing even more efficient the air is sucked out from between two sheets of glass, leaving a vacuum which is a very good insulator. Modern methods of double glazing uses argon gas to fill the cavity because it is even more effective than air or a vacuum at insulation.

The Effectiveness Of Double Glazing

The question most asked by home owners who are considering investing in double glazing for their homes are ‘how much heat can be saved through double glazing?’ The quality of windows is rated on a scale from A+ – G and the amount of energy that can be saved is directly related to the quality of the windows. According to the Energy Saving Trust an annual saving of between £80 to £110 can be expected for a semi-detached home that was entirely single-glazed before. For best savings contact Double Glazing Southshields.

Double glazing will have a positive impact on the resale value of a property provided that it doesn’t impact negatively on the exterior appearance of the house or undermine the look of a traditional style property.