Double Glazing on the Cheap: An excellent way to reduce heat loss and gainDouble glazing of windows is an excellent way to reduce heat loss and gain in your home. There is more than one way to reduce heat loss from paper thin windows, and it does not have to cost the earth. Our previous home had paper thin windows and on cold winter nights we could feel a draft towards these large thin windows. No matter how we tried the house would not stay warm. We were also concerned that our then five year old daughter would run into one of these windows and do herself a serious injury. More as a matter of child protection we decided to make the large, thin windows in the entrance hall kiddie friendly. I found that the local hardware store had large sheets of perspex, a strong and transparent plastic that could be cut either with a hand saw or an electric jigsaw. We measured up the windows, bought appropriate sized sheets, cut them to fit and screwed them onto the window frame from the inside, covering the thin glass. The effects were immediately obvious. Not only was our daughter now safe, but the ridiculous heat loss from the entrance hall windows was slashed almost completely. Inspired by this, we added this home-brand double glazing to all child-level windows in the house. Perspex can be scratchedIt was a time of learning. We learned that we could cut my heating bill with a bit of DIY, but we also learned that the new perspex window covers could also be easily scratched by, say, a five year old with a nail. While this was a good low-cost solution, it is not as tidy as having a professional job done.Double Glazing: getting a good deal.If you're looking at reducing your home energy bill in a serious way that adds value to your home, this extra glazing of your windows is definitely worth a look. All the standard advice holds here; get quotes, check the companies on offer and shop around for the best deal. The internal side of windows should also be glazed with safety glass or laminated with material to prevent the window shattering if it is broken. Even if you don't have kids now, there may come a time when you do. Also, you may want to sell your home and this feature will add resale value to it. |
