Does Secondary Glazing Work?

Are you fed up watching your hard-earned money escape from the windows in your home? You’re not alone. The UK has declared a cost-of-living crisis, and more than ever households across the UK are feeling the pinch. Everybody is looking for ways to save money and reduce household expenses.

We definitely don’t have all the answers to reduce every household bill, but when it comes to your energy bill, we do have one great cost saver, Secondary Glazing.

Secondary glazing can save you up to 10% on your energy bills, depending on your current windows, putting money back in your pocket and helping to make your money stretch further. Modern DIY Secondary glazing can be installed easily at a low cost so it is a no-brainer DIY project for homeowners.

5 Advantages of Installing Secondary Glazing

1. Reduces Heat Loss
2. Prevent Draughts
3. Saves Money on Replacement Windows
4. Reduces Outdoor Noise Pollution
5. Condensation Reduction

Skip to the conclusion - is secondary glazing worth installing?

Reduces Heat Loss

It is a known fact that all properties experience the loss of heat through their windows and doors. So, what can we do to prevent this and reduce heat loss and save energy? The best option is to introduce secondary glazing into your home. Secondary Glazing’s main purpose is to reduce heat loss. Heat loss equals money on your heating bill, so any reduction is very beneficial.

With Electricity prices in the UK rising by 66.7% and gas prices by 129.4% in the 12 months to March 2023 and continuing to rise, every saving you can make will count.

Secondary glazing works by adding a layer of glazing to your existing windows and works by creating a gap an air gap, which acts as an insulation barrier, preventing heat and sound from passing through, while preventing cold air from entering your home, allowing your home to become more energy efficient.

Prevent Draughts

With our energy bills due to increase by another 20% in 2023, more households are looking for ways to save on their energy bills, which is why eliminating draughts can save you money on your heating bill.

It can be a shock to find out how much heat can be escaping from your home every day, through draughts in your windows and doors, especially in the winter months this is going to have a huge impact on your energy bills. 

By having older windows or heritage windows you may have noticed air leaking through the window seams or joints. Unfortunately, heritage windows are prone to draughts due to them sliding up and down and over time the gaps that exist between the sashes and window parts have expanded over time. Using secondary glazing on older and heritage windows will create another layer to reduce draughts without having to replace your windows.

Gaps in your windows and doors around your home won’t just mean cold air is coming into your home, it also means hot air is leaking out, which means you’re paying your energy bills for some of your heat to go outside. It also means you’re not feeling the full benefits of a heated home and will be having your heating on for longer than if you had secondary glazing kit installed.

Once you have identified where these draughts are coming in, it’s time to do something about them, and acting fast is key to saving energy and money.

Saves Money on Replacement Windows

If you are debating whether to add secondary glazing or install new windows, you may be wondering how the costs compare. Firstly, secondary glazing can be an easy do-it-yourself job that even amateur DIYers can complete, especially with installation guides online to help you along the way. However, having new windows installed is more complex, and not something even the most experienced DIYer should consider, so it’s important to factor in the cost of hiring a professional window installer.

Basic white UPVC windows are on average £240 to £1,800 per window depending on your window size and style, such as casement sash, tilt, and turn or bay. This also does not include the cost of hiring a window installer either which can range from £100 to £300 per frame, depending on the amount of work required. On top of this, there may also be hidden costs such as the removal and disposal of your old windows.

It comes as no surprise that secondary glazing is a lot less money than replacing your windows. It’s astonishingly a quarter of the cost of the most basic PVC window. Secondary glazing is a clear choice if your aim is to save energy and money. After all, we are in a living crisis, so it’s no wonder households cannot afford to pay thousands for new windows. Especially when secondary glazing has the benefits of a quarter of the cost! 

Listed buildings will more than likely come with old single-glazed windows and owners can find struggle to find the best option when it comes to replacing their heritage windows. It is often the case that if your building is a listed building with heritage windows you aren’t allowed to simply replace it with PVC windows in any case, and with the beauty of an old building it would take away the charm and character adding in PVC windows.

How Much is Secondary Glazing?

Already we have discussed some of the great benefits of secondary glazing, especially over replacing windows, so now you’re wondering, what is the cost of secondary glazing? Well, when thinking of how much secondary glazing is going to cost, it’s important to think about how many windows you have on your property and the size of the windows, as it is clear the more windows/bigger windows you have the more expensive it will be.

Secondary glazing is very cost-effective, starting at £40 for a square metre. This does depend on the thickness of the secondary glazing sheet you have chosen.

If you choose the thicker the 3mm solid polycarbonate sheets it will be more expensive but even with 3mm and all the frames secondary glazing is always less than ¼ the cost of replacing a window.

Reduces Outdoor Noise Pollution

As we have established, secondary glazing is well known for its heat insulation qualities which will save us energy and money, but what about noise reduction, how effective is secondary glazing for protecting exterior noise from our homes?

By adding an extra layer onto your existing windows, secondary glazing naturally adds a level of noise insulation. Protecting your home from dreading exterior noise such as traffic, neighbours, and industrial works. It can reduce all these types of noise pollution by up to 80%.

A single plane of glass in your home does nothing to prevent exterior sounds from entering your home. It can become stressful and can have a huge impact on your day-to-day living. If you have single-glazed windows you are going to benefit the most from secondary glazing.

Does Secondary Glazing Stop Condensation?

Condensation occurs when warm air meets cold surfaces, for example, glass windows and doors in the home. Signs you have condensation in your home include running water on windows, damp walls, and black mould.

It can be hard to believe that over a fifth of homes in the UK experience condensation and suffer from mould and dampness. We have established that secondary glazing does save us energy and money, but what about condensation, can this be the answer to reduce these issues faced by condensation?

The answer isn’t as straightforward as yes, or no. Secondary glazing will not stop airborne moisture from occurring however it will reduce condensation forming significantly as it allows for balanced ventilation. You are going to notice a huge difference in condensation from occurring and this is going to make your living space more comfortable and stop you from worrying about condensation and problems such as mould occurring.

Secondary glazing is the ultimate solution for dealing with condensation as it creates a gap between cold outside air and warmer inside air. Having that extra layer of glazing helps retain the internal pant of glass nearer room temperature and stops condensation from forming.        

Conclusion – is secondary glazing worth installing?

In the past, ways to save energy were not always seen as a priority however as most countries are experiencing significant rises in the cost of living, it means it has turned into an essential way of living.

If you are looking for a way to reduce heat loss, save energy and prevent draughts without having to replace all your windows then Secondary Glazing, is absolutely worth it. Our energy bills are rising and there’s no sign this is going to stop. Secondary glazing is becoming more of an essential option than a choice. It is a proven way to save money and energy.

With the benefits of saving energy through retaining heat inside the home instead of letting it escape, we cannot forget the benefit of noise reduction. Secondary glazing reduces this by up to 80% and if you have single-glazed in your home it’s going to have the biggest impact on you, where you can peacefully enjoy your home without noise pollution.

The final benefit of secondary glazing is installation. As discussed, there is no need to go through the stress of finding a trusted tradesman as secondary glazing is easy to install. Secondary glazing is seen as a do-it-yourself job. Any individual with the right tools can easily complete this.

Need Help with your Secondary Glazing Project?

If you are needing help building a quote for our Secondary Glazing please get in touch. Our Team will be happy to assist on our Live Chat or you can email shop@clearamber.com where our we will provide you with all the advice and support you require for your project.

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