When you live in our part of the world it’s not unusual to experience four seasons in one day! So when it comes to building your new home, you’ll want a home that is consistently comfortable and safe no matter what the conditions are outside.
One of Hamlan’s latest inclusions to be made standard with every home* is double-glazed windows and doors from our local supplier Southern Star Group.
What makes double-glazing so special is that it’s an easy way to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home — ultimately saving you money and adding value to your home.
What is double glazing?
Double-glazed windows and doors are made from two panes of glass that are separated by a layer of air or gas and then sealed.
They are designed to provide an even better barrier against outside temperatures. The two layers of glass separated by a gap act as insulation by reducing conduction.
The use of a gas, most often argon, between the layers of glass is considered to be a better insulator than those with just a sealed pocket of air. Gases like argon allow less heat to escape and less cold to enter because they have a higher density. All double-glazed products from the Southern Star Group use the argon gas buffer.
What are the benefits of double glazing?
There are a number of benefits to using double-glazed windows and doors in your home. The most significant is the improved thermal performance of your home which reduces energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Double-glazing reduces the loss of heat from the home in the winter and the innermost panel of the glass is closer to room temperature.
In summer, double glazing helps to reduce the amount of radiated heat gain, therefore decreasing the amount of heat entering the home. Generally, the insulation properties of double glazing are so great that you may save significant amounts of money on your heating or cooling bills while also significantly reducing the carbon footprint of your home.
Double-glazed windows are also great for reducing the amount of ambient noise that enters your home. This is really beneficial if you live on a busy street, under a flight path, or generally just want more peace and quiet in your home.
Double-glazed windows can also reduce or even eliminate the need for window coverings, depending on whether privacy is an issue. With double-glazed windows you’ll only need light-weight or less expensive curtains or blinds if needed for privacy.
Another benefit of double glazing is it can reduce the condensation within your home. Many existing homes have problems with condensation on the inside of their windows during winter. This condensation is usually the result of warm humid air condensing on the relatively cold surface of single pane glass. Double glazing will help to eliminate this condensation — even in bathrooms. A common cause of deterioration of timber windows is due to internal condensation. Double glazing will eliminate this condensation problem and prolong the life of your windows.
Also, the use of thicker glass and safety glass in double-glazed products will improve the security of your home. And if you want an even more secure home, you can opt for a special laminated glass in your double-glazed units to further improve security.
In summary
Hamlan has added double-glazed windows and doors to our standard inclusions, meaning every home we build will be more comfortable and more energy-efficient all year round.
Double-glazing can:
- Improve the energy efficiency and comfort of your home.
- Improve the energy rating of your home and can reduce the cost of heating and cooling, and contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gases;
- Reduce the level of noise entering your home;
- Reduce or even eliminate the need for window coverings depending on where privacy is required;
- Reduce condensation;
- And, increase security.
In addition to greater comfort, safety and security in your home, double-glazed windows increases the value of your property.
*Double glazed windows and doors are standard for deposits received from 1 July 2020 on homes in our Aspect range.
