What is Double Glazing?
Double glazing consists of two pieces of glass with a spacer sealing the space in between. This is commonly referred to as a Double-Glazed Unit (DGU), or Insulating Glass Unit (IGU). The term insulating glass refers to the superior insulating performance of double glazing compared with single glass.
This seal is the important part - it ensures that nothing can get in or out. The sealed space contains either air or argon gas which provides the insulation improvement.
While glass is a good conductor of heat, air is a poor conductor (and argon gas is even poorer).
The trapped column of air or gas is what forms the insulation barrier from outside to inside.
The glass used in a double glazing unit can be of a variety of types, such as tinted, laminated, opaque and low emissivity.
In looking to install double glazing into existing window frames, all glass options can be considered. This means that a wide variety of requirements can be considered, such as:
- Thermal insulation (year-round)
- Noise insulation
- Condensation control
- Fading reduction
- Privacy & security
- Home aesthetics
