Whether to opt for single glazing or double glazed windows may seem like an obvious choice but there are reasons for single panes being a better option and situations where double glazed windows are not viable or acceptable. Almost all new homes built in the UK are fitted with UPVC double glazed windows as they are now a lot cheaper than they used to be due to them being mass produced and they also offer the best heat insulation, saving money on energy bills. Thousands of older homes also change their windows from single pane to double glazed version every year for the very same reason but a lot has changed over the years and glass technology is now light years ahead of where it was 40 or 50 years ago so the gap between double and single glazing is getting smaller.
The main reason for choosing single pane windows is ultimately cost. Single pane windows are a lot higher quality and better than they were 50 years ago. The materials involved and manufacturing process costs a lot less than that of double glazed windows making single pane windows much cheaper.
Single pane windows are also the only choice when it comes to certain conservation areas or listed buildings where double glazed windows are not allowed and also windows that are an awkward shape, stained glass or sash windows tend to be easier to replace with single pane glass. That said, the obvious choice for the average domestic property is always going to be double glazing. The long term money saving benefits from reducing energy wastage far outweigh the initial extra cost, as well as being the greener option if you like to keep a check on your carbon footprint, but if cost is a major problem or double glazed windows are not viable then single pane windows are not such a bad option any more.
[...] are mostly double or single glazed as we looked at in the post Single Pain or Double Glazed Windows but there are also triple glazed windows and various forms of glass coatings available to make [...]
Pingback by Save Money with Energy Efficient Windows | localtraders.com — May 18, 2010 @ 10:33 am