Every home will experience some degree of heat loss. The key to saving with energy and heat efficiency is to minimise this loss as much as possible.

More than half of the heat loss experienced is through walls and lofts – in the average home. There is the potential, however, for energy loss as heat can escape through windowpanes.

Losing Heat Through Windows

Unlike the insulation in your walls, your windows create a narrow barrier between your home and the outside temperatures. The glass of the window will respond to how hot or cold it is outside and will transfer that temperature into your home.

As a result, if it is colder outside than in, the air closest to your windows will take much more energy to heat.

Glazing Prevents Heat Loss

The most popular type of glazing – double-glazing – reduces heat loss by trapping air between two panes of glass. By creating an insulation barrier, the exchange of heat between your home and the outside air will become reduced.

For those looking to spend less, there is the option of secondary-glazing. It is slightly less expensive, however, secondary-glazing is also slightly less effective. Secondary-glazing involves the installation of another window frame and glass on the room side of the existing window.

Installation

Here are some tips to help guide you through the installation process:

• Take the time to find a company that you trust – make sure your glazing is completed by a professional insulation installer
• Ensure that the windows all carry an "Energy Savings Recommended" logo. Having this logo on your window implies that the whole window – including both the frame and glass – have been assessed and approved by the regulatory British Fenestration Ratings Council.

Savings

Double-glazing dramatically reduces the heat that is lost by conventional windows. A typical home will cut their heat loss in half, saving between £80-£100 each year.

Environmental Impact

The average home can potentially save £80-£100 each year on their heating costs. This means that they can reduce there "carbon footprint’ by approximately 680 kg.

There Are Many Other Benefits of Double Glazing

Not only can double glazing help cut your heating costs, it can also reduce the intrusion of outside noise and the build-up of condensation.

Reducing condensation is particularly important as window condensation can create damage to your home in several ways. First, as a potential health threat, window condensation can lead to the growing of black mould in the areas around your window. Secondly, dripping condensation can damage painted finishes, leading to peeling or flaking paint.

And lastly, a high humidity level in your home may be created by high levels of condensation inside your windows, which can allow these problems to create further difficulties in your home.

Tip:

Glazing is a relatively inexpensive renovation for your home. Consider glazing a few select windows in your home if you do not believe that glazing will work within your budget. You will still experience dramatic improvement in your home’s energy efficiency with even a few windows glazed – and you can always do the others in the future.

Start taking the steps today to reduce heat loss in your home. By reducing heat loss in your windows, you are taking the right steps forward to ensuring that your home is as energy efficient as possible. This means a more comfortable home to live in and less wasted money on heat loss.