What are Double Glazing Windows? | Benefits of Double Paned Glass

Double glazing windows, also known as double paned windows, are the most popular choice for new windows. As a homeowner or entrepreneur looking to purchase new windows, you probably want to purchase windows that will give you the best bang for your buck. With that in mind, double glazed windows are one of the best investments you can make when it comes to buying new windows.

6 Benefits of Double Glazing Windows

Energy Efficiency
Lower Energy Bills
Noise Reduction
No Condensation
Increased Comfort
Durable and Versatile

Purchasing quality windows is an investment. And as with any investment, you’ll want to know as much as you can about what you’re buying and the long-term benefits. With double glazed windows, you’ll receive a wide range of perks that will last for many years.

However, it’s important to understand why double glazed windows offer these benefits when compared to single pane windows.

What are Double Glazed Windows?

The term glazing is often misunderstood, as most people refer to glazing as the putting used to seal the window into the frame—or they think it is a special coating added to the glass pane. Neither of these are what glazing means when it comes to the parts of a window.

Window glaze refers to the glass portion of a window. Window glass is often described as the window pane, so glaze refers to the glass portion of the window pane. In this way, a double glazed window, or double glazing, describes a window with two glass panes. A single glazed window, or single glazing, is a window with only one glass pane, and a triple glaze window has three glass panes.

How are Double Glazed Windows Made?

The purpose of double glazing is to increase a window's insulation and energy efficiency. Windows with two or more glass panes are described as an insulated glass unit (IGU).

The glass panes are separated by a spacer, which is filled with a still layer of gas or air. The air space between the glass panes is fully sealed, and the use of gas in the area increases the window’s insulation performance. Argon, xenon, or krypton are the most common types of gases used for double glazed windows. These gases are nontoxic and clear, so you cannot see them between the window panes.

Double glazing can come with air between the panes, but the absence of gas dramatically decreases the window’s insulating abilities, thus reducing the window's overall energy efficiency.

The amount of space between the glazing is customizable, but typically ranges between 6mm to 20mm. The recommended amount of space between the panes for double window glazing is 12mm, as this amount offers optimal thermal performance. Anything wider than 20mm will result in decreased insulation performance due to convection.

The spacer used to separate the glazing is a metal or polymer strip. This spacer serves more than one purpose—it typically contains a desiccant, which is a a drying agent used to remove moisture between the glass panes to avoid condensation.

6 Benefits of Double Paned Glass Windows

Double glazed windows are the top choice among window buyers today, and for good reason—they come with a multitude of benefits that will last for several years to come. A few of these benefits include:

1. Energy Efficiency

The primary benefit of double glazing glass is its notable insulating performance. The double panes separated by a sealed air space and gas insert create a barrier between the outside temperatures and the internal temperature of your home or business. In other words, it provides substantial thermal resistance—the hot or cold air outside cannot penetrate the barrier created by the insulated glass unit, and the internal temperature cannot fully escape through the double glazing.

Shockingly, it’s estimated that about 90 percent of a home’s heat loss occurs through the window glass. Because of this, the heater in one’s home is constantly kicking on, especially in winter, to maintain the home's internal temperature.

By upgrading your new or replacement windows with double glazing, you significantly increase your home’s energy efficiency. Because the insulated glass unit reduces heat transfer, a home’s HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) unit won’t have to turn on as frequently.

And what’s more, when you increase your homes energy efficiency, you reduce your carbon footprint. Fossil fuels provide electricity to your HVAC system, and it’s estimated that the energy and fuel it takes to power homes and businesses contribute up to 40% of carbon emissions. About 28 percent of carbon emissions come from the energy it takes to power HVAC systems alone. By simply investing in high-quality, energy efficient windows, you contribute to lessening the impact of carbon emissions.

2. Lower Energy Bills

The ripple effect of insulated glazing is that you will save on energy bills every month. With this in mind, the cost of double glazing pays for itself over time, making it a worthy and sound investment in your home’s energy efficiency.

Beyond that, double pane windows can also increase the lifespan of your HVAC unit. When your HVAC system has to constantly kick on to heat or cool the house, the regular wear and tear will eventually cause it to break down. When this happens, you’ll have to spend a good chunk of money to restore heating and cooling in the home.

By using energy efficient, insulated glass windows, you reduce the likelihood of your HVAC system breaking down. In this way, double glazing windows indirectly save you money in the long run by reducing utility bills and increasing the lifespan of your HVAC system.

In comparison, single glaze windows greatly contribute to heat loss, and have little to no insulating performance. While a single glass window may be cheaper upfront, it will end up costing you more in the long run through higher energy bills.

3. Noise Reduction

Another key benefit of double glazed windows is noise reduction. Double glazing significantly reduces outside noise because it has to pass through the two layers of glass and the air space between them. It’s estimated that double glazing reduces noise by up to 60 percent when compared to single glazing.

Noise reduction has a profound impact on the comfort and ease one feels at home. This is especially the case for those who live in the city, or near an airport, highway, or train track. Constant noise can affect one’s sleep and increase stress, as it inhibits one’s ability to fully wind down and relax.

Thankfully, double glazing reduces medium to high-frequency noises, including human voices, vehicles, planes, trains, animals, and more. You can opt for thicker glass panes to increase your double pane windows' noise reduction performance even further.

4. No Condensation

If your current windows have a problem with condensation, you’ll be happy to hear that when you upgrade to high-quality double glazed windows, you won’t have to deal with condensation anymore. The main reason you want to prevent internal condensation is because moisture can damage the window frame over time and lead to mold issues.

Double glazing prevents condensation in two different ways. But, to understand those ways, it’s important to address what condensation is and how it occurs. Condensation is the occurrence of moisture or fog on the glass surface of a window. Condensation occurs inside your home when the cold air outside meets the warm, humid air inside, which creates the formation of water on the glass.

Insulated glazing prevents condensation by reducing heat transfer. In other words, the glass pane on the inside of your home should be the same temperature (or close to it) as the home. Condensation occurs when internal humidity touches the cold surface of the glass. With double glazing, the internal window pane isn’t cold; thus, condensation shouldn’t occur.

The second way double window glazing prevents condensation is through the space between the glass panes. As mentioned, this spacer contains a desiccant—the drying agent that removes moisture in the space between the glass panes.

However, if you currently have double pane windows and you notice condensation or fog between the glass panes, this means the double glazing sealed unit is damaged and is allowing excess moisture inside. When this occurs, it’s time for a window replacement.

5. Increased Comfort

When considering the problems that double glazing addresses, such as heat loss, noise pollution, and condensation, you can see how double glazed windows result in a more comfortable living space. This is more important than we realize because our homes are a place of safety, rest, and nourishment. These issues can affect our ability to fully wind down and relax.

For example, you’re less likely to enjoy your favorite chair next to the window because the window causes the area to be too cold or too hot due to heat transfer. With an insulated window, you won’t have to deal with temperature fluctuations near the window, which increases the overall comfort of your home.

While increased comfort may not be the most noticeable benefit at first, you’ll realize over time how beneficial double glazed windows are due to the increased peace of mind they provide.

6. Durable and Versatile

Lastly, double glazing windows are extremely durable and versatile. The common saying, “there’s strength in numbers” also applies to windows, as the two glass panes increase the window’s overall strength and longevity. To expand on this point, it’s a lot harder to break two glass panes than one glass pane. When considering this, double glazing is ultimately safer and stronger than single glazing.

In the context of versatility, there are many different types of windows, and double glazing can be used for any of them! Examples of window types include double hung windows, casement windows, picture windows, and more.

Plus, if you’re designing custom windows, you can choose double glazing and other customizations to increase your window’s insulating performance, such as a low e glass coating. Furthermore, any glass type can be used in double glazing, including tempered glass and laminated glass.

The customization options are endless with double glazed windows, making them a truly versatile and durable window option for your home or business.

Ready to Upgrade to Double Glazed Windows?

Double glazing offers your home or business a well-needed upgrade. With the use of insulated glass windows, you can reap the benefits of lower energy costs, increased energy efficiency, zero condensation, noise reduction, increased comfort, and durable windows you can trust for years to come. With how versatile they are, you can choose double glazed windows for any type or window style you desire!

If you’re ready to upgrade your home or business windows, get in touch with Rustica’s design team to order double paned glass windows today. We can’t wait to help you bring your vision to life!