Why is double glazing so expensive

When buying new double glazing look at the thermal efficiency, the solar gain and the air leakage values. Furniture and finish - door handles, locks, number of opening windows, colour and any grain effects all need to be factored into the double glazing cost. Cheap windows might not include extras and you will need to pay more for upgrades to get the handle or locks that you want.

Don't underestimate how much the finishing touches can add to a basic price. When budgeting the double glazing cost for a 3-bed house you will need a price for how many windows there are. Just when you got used to buying double glazed windows, along came triple glazed to throw another option into the equation. The Energy Saving Trust endorses triple glazing but is it worth it?

As we answered above, is double glazing worth it, how much better can upgrading to triple glazing be? The predominant reason to consider triple glazing over double glazing would be if you live in a noisy area. If you are situated next to a loud road this can significantly affect the quality of your sleep. Otherwise, unless you want to enhance your energy efficiency, double glazing is still the most efficient choice of window.

As an alternative to double glazing, secondary glazing might be a more economical option to consider. Instead of replacing the full window, secondary glazing fits internally over your window recess to give a second layer of insulation over the window. Replacing a full house of double glazed windows is an investment that will cost several thousand pounds and is a big decision for most people. We would never recommend for you to replace windows that are in perfectly good condition without any issues.

However, it does get to a point when your windows are letting the property down and you would be far better to take the investment rather than making do. Draughts - the main reason to change windows is that your old ones are letting in considerable draughts and cold which can seriously push up your energy bills. Double glazing seals can fail so if you can feel cold blowing around the edge of the window it might be time to change them. Or, your original windows may have been badly fitted with lots of expanding foam around the edges to make up for a poor fit.

If this is the case, we would recommend replacing. Warped frames - older cheap uPVC can warp and discolour leaving windows that look tired and shabby. Warped windows can also cause issues with gaps around the edges letting in cold air. Condensation - if you have condensation inside the double glazing it indicates the seals on the windows have failed. If you have this problem the only real way to solve it is to replace the windows.

Desiccant - this is where you have bits inside the glass caused by the seals failing. As with condensation, the only way to solve this permanently is to replace the units with failed seals. Again, check your warranty and guarantee.

Double glazing lasts for around 20 years but does vary depending on the quality of the window units and the quality of the installation. Of course, windows can last far longer than their predicted lifetime and many houses have windows that are over thirty years old - if they've been well-maintained. Looking at a single cm x cm window installation, the prices would be:. Of course, all these prices are estimated and different companies can provide different quotes for their installation services.

So these figures should be taken with a pinch of salt. On top of these costs are other variables such as colour, handle type, the type of finish on the windows, all these added extras push up the cost.

If you were to go with the specially treated glass which — if shattered — breaks into harmless crystals. Whereas normal glass breaks into shards which is more dangerous. The special glass, although offering more safety, is more expensive as a result. We advise to buy windows for the whole house rather than individual windows. The reason for this is because it saves costs as you may pay more for a window if you buy it individually. It makes sense for companies to lower the cost of double glazing a house as you will be buying more products from that company, rather than buying individual windows.

Get quotes from both local and national double glazing installers and compare which quotes fit within your budget. Whilst double glazing cost is important, so is the support you receive throughout the project from start to finish. You might prefer a local company so that you can have more of a personal service, although you might prefer a national company who can simply get the job done and treat is as any other job.

However, national companies may run promotions and discounts from time to time, financing options are more available from national companies. These could save you costs overall, whereas, you might be paying more top level prices for a smaller company but the level of personal service you receive could be greater than that of a national company. The same variables apply, you may get charged extra for style, design, finish and other accessories.

Customisation can also be quite costly and bump up the price. But as long as you have budgeted for these options with a realistic figure, then you should be fine. As with new double glazed windows, replacement windows can also be quite expensive and is a competitive market.

Researching has never been more important than it has in the home improvement market. Do you live near a busy road, a pub, or somewhere else where people congregate regularly making a lot of noise? The technology in double glazing that keeps heat in your home also greatly reduces the noise coming into your home from the outside.

The better the quality of your windows, the warmer and quieter your home will be. Many families also appreciate the additional security brought to them with the installation of double glazing. Double glazing costs as much as it does because of the quality of the materials manufactured for your installation and because of the costs of installation.

Fitting double glazing is difficult and it requires skilled and experienced tradesmen to get it right. Every home is different too. Each double-glazed window fitted on to your property is bespoke to your property. And each property at which double glazing is installed has its own flaws and characteristics which often require extra attention from an installer to put right before a particular window is fitted.

Experts recommend that you replace your double glazing when one or more of the following appears in your home:. There are a number of rights that homeowners enjoy to protect them when purchasing double glazing. Your installer must tell you in advance the anticipated cost of the work you intend to have done prior to your signing any contract. However, please always check before committing to anything.

You may wish to part pay for your installation on a credit card because, if something goes wrong later on, your credit card company will be equally liable for any breach of contract, even if the amount you paid on a credit card was minimal in comparison to the overall cost.

The gap between these walls is the cavity and one way to keep more heat in your home is to purchase cavity wall insulation.

The material used in cavity wall insulation makes it much harder for the heat in your home to escape to the outside. Double glazing uses the same principle with argon gas between the two panes contained within your frames.

When heat reaches the window it will seek a conductor and the condensed air between the two windowpanes is a vacuum. As a result, the heat will stay in your home for longer. This extra barrier will also protect your home from exterior noise. Instead of just a solitary pane of glass, any sound will need to infiltrate the outer pane, negotiate its way through the vacuum of condensed air, and then pierce the interior window. However, on rare occasions, grants are issued under this scheme, particularly for aged properties in a state of disrepair.

It may be worthwhile making enquiries to find out if the scheme applies to you. As we mentioned earlier, in the way that insulation inside a cavity wall stops heating from escaping, so does the Argon Gas contained inside the windowpane. Argon differs from cavity wall insulation in that, while it is superbly effective at stopping heat from escaping, it lets in a lot of the ambient heat from the outside into your home further reducing your need to use your central heating to warm your home.

Alternatives to Argon include Krypton and Xenon. These gases are even more effective at retaining heat, but come at a higher cost, and are thus usually reserved for Triple Glazing projects.

Krypton and Xenon also require increased width between windowpanes to be effective. You can get free double glazing installation quotes from window installers in your area by taking a couple of minutes to complete our simple online form.

Then I found Windows Guide on the web - and bingo I now have three quotes from local people. Excellent, it took all the leg work from me with fantastic results. However, to…. If your windows are single glazed, mouldy, damaged, letting in cold air or allowing your heating to escape, new double…. Complete our simple form Approved installers will contact you You choose the best quote. Need new windows or doors? Get FREE no-obligation quotes now!

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