The Ultimate Window Insulation Guide [How to Keep the Heat in Or Out]
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The Ultimate Window Insulation Guide [How to Keep the Heat In or Out] www.thermawood.co.nz Whether you are dealing with cold drafts, the sun’s overheating or both, your windows are where the most heat transfer takes place, making them your home’s major thermal vulnerability. Instead of letting the heat seep out in the • A comfortable environment; cold weather or allowing it to turn your • Energy bills that are a fraction of what home into an oven in warm weather, they once were; and installing the right double glazing will effectively keep the warmth in when you • The satisfaction that you are getting want it and out when you don’t. the best from your windows, rather than losing money and comfort Today, builders are constructing buildings because they aren’t equipped to fulfil with double glazed windows and property 21st century expectations. owners are upgrading to double glazing because more people understand just How does double glazing work to how profound the energy efficiency manage both warm and cold climates? advantages are, as well as the benefits of enjoying a living or working space that What options do property owners offers superior, almost effortless comfort. have for insulating their windows? The historical practice of installing Are there any DIY alternative solutions windows with a single glass pane no that will help to insulate a home? longer makes sense. It wastes energy and turns the cost of heating and cooling into When it comes to thermal insulation, an unnecessary burden, whilst increasing there are many approaches. But only the your carbon footprint. It also leaves you most advanced technology will give you susceptible to other problems like chronic the results you are looking for. Efficient noise pollution and makes keeping the and consumer-driven, the best method interior environment the pleasant space it for insulating your windows isn’t always should be, a never ending challenge. the most expensive. But it is the one that makes the most sense. Modern double glazing technology has completely transformed what our windows Find out the facts on window insulation can do for us. When you have double – why double glazing is so effective, glazed windows tailored for your property’s the science behind low-e glass and a unique needs, they insulate from the cold comprehensive look at your options for and the heat, leaving you to enjoy: getting the best value out of your windows. CONTENTS: • DIY Window Insulation Considerations 3 • Why Double Glazing Makes a Major Difference 5 • Why the Best Solution Isn’t the Most Expensive 6 • The Science Behind Low-E Glass 7 • Where Is the Low-E Coating in an Insulated Glass Unit? 8 • Why Doesn’t Low-E Glass Impact Visible Light? 8 • Does the Low-E Coating Impact the Colour of the Glass? 9 • How Much Does Low-E Glass Cost? 11 • Argon Gas for Even Better Results 12 • What You Need to Know about Draft Seals 13 • Insulating Windows for Heritage Buildings 14 DIY WINDOW INSULATION CONSIDERATIONS There are different ways to insulate your windows. With each option, you’ll get a varying degree of thermal insulation from both heat and cold. One of the easiest do-it-yourself methods is to put up window dressings that offer greater insulation than standard curtains and blinds, such as thermal drapes or cellular shades. Cellular shades, also known as honeycomb shades, contain cell pockets that trap in the air around your windows. You can opt for double or triple cell shades for added insulation. Another tactic is to use layered window dressings, for example combining thermal curtains with cellular shades. Of course, window dressings can’t do anything about drafts, which means you’ll still get a lot of the chilled air permeating your home, along with heat loss. In warmer climates, the shading effect of window dressings helps, but there won’t be a significant benefit. You’ll also risk trapping in too much heat, making your overheating problems worse if you aren’t careful. And, you’ll have to keep your curtains, blinds or shades closed to get even the minor insulation they provide, which means you’ll sacrifice that beautiful natural lighting that makes having windows worthwhile. Another method is to seal your windows with caulking around the window casings and weather stripping around the sash. This helps to close off air leaks, preventing heat loss. Page 3 A third DIY method is to apply an insulating window film. In this case, you attach a film directly to the inside of your window. It does create an air gap, which helps to reduce heat transfer. Low-emissivity, or low-e film can be used, essentially turning your existing window into a sort of single glaze, low-e product. This will reflect heat back into the interior, reducing heat loss. However, as with thermal window dressings, the impact will never come close to double glazing. First, you’ll still have draft issues, which can almost negate the effect of the air gap and reduce heat transfer. Second, an insulating film won’t change the quality of your single glaze. When your window glass gets too hot or cold, it still has to radiate the energy, meaning you will still get unwanted warmth or chill entering your property. Another negative of film is that it is extremely vulnerable to scratching. Something as simple as marking the film with your jewellery when you are cleaning your windows will yield some unsightly marks, in addition to the loss of clarity you’ll get when you stick on the film in the first place. Whilst everything you do helps, keep in mind that you’re not going to get a big difference with do-it-yourself methods, even if you combine every one of them. You’re likely better off investing the time and money spent in DIY methods into a professional job so you can address your window’s thermal vulnerabilities once and for all. Page 4 WHY DOUBLE GLAZING MAKES A MAJOR DIFFERENCE For thermal insulation benefits, you can feel the difference – and see it on your energy bills – when you use double glazed windows. There are several reasons why double glazing is so powerful. • Double glazing creates a customisable air gap, which reduces thermal transfer. • The added insulation of two panes of glass helps to block out cold air, hot temperatures, as well as noise, whilst keeping warm air in during the winter. • With double glazing, a professional installs an insulated glass unit (IGU) in place of your single pane. This means you are not trying to amend an already poor insulating piece of glass, but rather can use a better glass, such as thermal glass, that has the correct properties for managing your interior temperature. An IGU is two panes of glass plus an air gap. Each glaze, as well as the air gap, can be tailored to suit your specific insulation needs – for each window in your home. This means you can opt for thermal glass for those overheated north and west-facing windows that get drenched in sun, a tailored IGU for your south-facing side, which usually is the coldest side of the house in the winter, and have any other issues addressed that are specific to your property. It is this ability to not just throw up more material or create a makeshift air gap, but to create a dynamic thermal insulating system, that makes double glazing so powerful. But – your options don’t stop at double glazing. The way in which an IGU is installed impacts its performance, and its price. Double glazed windows can be new or retrofitted. Whilst you can get the same customised IGU with either solution, you can get vastly different results. Page 5 WHY THE BEST SOLUTION ISN’T THE MOST EXPENSIVE With new double glazed windows, your current window – pane of glass, frame and all – is removed. Then a new frame and the new IGU are installed. With the Thermawood patented retrofit double glazing system, the existing window is retrofitted rather than replaced. As long as your current windows have timber frames, you can have your windows retrofitted. The existing wooden window remains in place and is converted. Then the single pane is replaced with an IGU. This more streamlined process costs a third of the price of new double glazed windows. That can translate to thousands of dollars in savings, depending on how large your project is. Thermawood franchisees use a unique patented dry retrofit double glazing system, which is designed to allow for the greatest possible amount of evaporation. This prevents rot in your windows by reducing condensation from forming on the glass – an essential for your windows’ longevity. If condensation has the chance to form, the moisture can build up on and around the bottom of the window, leading to problems with mould growth and rot. Whether you use new double glazed windows or retrofit double glazing to insulate your windows, you can get even more out of them by using a special thermal glass called low-e glass. Low-e is useful for both holding heat in when you want to keep your interior warm, and for stopping excess warmth from coming in when you want to keep your interior cool when it’s hot outside. Page 6 THE SCIENCE BEHIND LOW-E GLASS Low-e refers to the low emissivity of the glass. Emissivity has to do with how well a material’s surface radiates energy. When you are trying to achieve greater insulation, you want less emissivity.