Single Glazing remains a common window design all over the UK. There are good reasons for this; many houses are older and so when being built they weren’t equipped with double glazing, or many houses were built on a budget and the cheap single glazing option was appealing. Despite this, there’s increasing awareness of the issues around Single Glazing. In this article we’ll go over the various issues that face homes equipped with Single Glazing.
What is Single Glazing?
A Single Glazed Window is pretty much what it says on the lid. It consists of a Window with a single frame of glass (though in some cases it can contain multiple, these aren’t spaced between one another). Single Glazing tends to be found in older properties, or cheaper housing (since it’s very low cost for the initial installation). This contrasts with Double or Triple Glazing, where there’s multiple panes of glass separated by pockets of inert gas.
The Problems
So, what are the problems of Single Glazed Windows? Here we’ll detail some of the major issues Single Glazed Windows.
Poor Energy Efficiency
Single Pane Windows are notoriously bad when it comes to energy efficiency. Many people know Single Glazed Windows can suffer from a draft (sometimes even rattling), but the issues go further than that. The insulation value of windows, roofs, doors, and other parts of the home is usually measured by something called a U-Value. The U-Value of a wall, for example, is 0.3. It’s very good at preventing the passage of heat. A Single Glazed Window has a U-Value of 5.6. This is incredibly poor. Heat can effectively effortlessly pass through the pane of glass and will naturally do so. Glass is a good ‘conductor’ for heat and unlike Double or Triple Glazing, there’s no insulating gas to slow the movement of the heat out of the home. As a result, a large amount of heat will escape your home if it is equipped with
Money Loses
Losing heat can cause a lot of issues in the long term. There’s the general discomfort and annoying fact of having to constantly must put the boiler on, but the biggest issue with poor energy efficiency in Single Pane Windows are the long-term costs they end up bringing. Because your home will constantly be cold because of the thin windows, you’ll be needing to spend a large amount on paying for heating and keeping it warm. Heating bills are ever on the rise, and in many cases increased heating bills will result directly from the poor quality of the windows. Replacing them is the best way to resolve this.
Limited Design Options
There’s a relatively limited number of design options for Single Glazing. The simple frame and narrow glass often offer a limited range of styles, and many of these are dated or unappealing – especially for those who want to provide their home with a modern look.
Aesthetically Unappealing
Not only are there a limited range of design options for Single Glazed Windows but they tend to be aesthetically unappealing as well.
Poor Security
Single Pane Windows are well known for offering very poor security. The thinness of the glass means they are easy to break and shatter. In some cases, this is not even intentional; the thinness of the glass means they can be broken easily even by accident. Furthermore, their frames tend to be old and have often been damaged overtime, having become withered or rotted because of general wear and tear. Older window frames as a result tend to be loose and possess gaps, which also makes them far less secure than more modern windows which often possess heavy uPVC frames. Single Pane Windows frames often lack modern locks and bolts, which further undermines the security they can provide.
Bad for Market and Property Value
One of the biggest problems with Single Pane Windows is that they’re incredibly poor for your home’s property value and will often damage your homes kerb appeal and turn off potential buyers. Experienced property owners will be aware of the various issues that come with them, and they’ll certainly factor in if they’re going to have to pay for them to be replaced in the future. Replacing Single Glazing can increase your properties value by as much as 10% (if not more), and will go a great deal to improve your homes kerb appeal.
Poor Sound Proofing
Single Pane Windows are not only poor at insulating heat but they’re also poor at insulating sound. The loose frames and lack of insulating gas means that sound passes straight through the windows. If you live in a particularly noisy area, Single Pane Windows can really exacerbate the problem.
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