Is there any need to make any special preparations for my windows during winter? This is the patent question you would’ve asked if we had come to our point directly. The answer to your question is yes and it is so because your effort will pay off in slowing down the rate of heat loss from the indoors.
According to experts, who repair broken double glazing windows, nothing less than 10% heat is lost from your home through the windows during the winter months. To compensate for this loss, your energy consumption bills keep escalating.
Preserving heat in your home is not rocket science. You can pretty easily prevent this heat loss by some simple means.
- Make sure the windows are in sound working condition: Double or triple glazed windows, which have lost the vacuum in between the glass panes, are not much effective in retaining the heat indoors. You’ll know if this problem exists by the condensation appearing in between the glass panes.
- Ensure the windows are properly closed: Windows are designed in such ways that there are very tiny vents usually at their edges to prevent condensation inside the room. These vents are helpful for the summer months. However, in the chilly season, they are bound to drain away some heat from your home. Make sure, the flaps that come with these vents are properly closed to prevent heat loss.
- Using a Low-E film: Low-E film or low emissivity films are very thin and are meant for placing over the window panes to prevent heat radiation from your home. This film is installed by the manufacturer on some versions of windows. It can also be purchased in the market and installed separately. Make sure this item is there on your windows to minimise radiation of heat from your home.
- Glasses with high BFRC-rating: BFRC is the shortened form of British Fenestration Rating Council. It offers ratings for glasses, ranging from A to G, based on a window’s overall performance, including its heat retaining capacity. There is also a legal binding in the UK that any newly manufactured window must fare a minimum BFRC rating of C. It needs to be mentioned here, G is the lowest rating grade while A is the highest. While buying new windows, you must always aim for something much higher than the C. Ideally, it should be as close as possible to A.
- Choose a double glazing variety: There are many homes that still use single glazing windows. Double and triple glazing varieties are more efficient in retaining heat inside homes. These varieties of windows have a vacuum layer between each glass pane. As a result, heat travels much slower through the windows, keeping the indoors warm. However, heat retaining capacity of double and triple glazed windows are almost the same. Thus our experts suggest you not to blow money on triple glazed windows; rather the double glazed variety is sufficient enough to cater to your domestic needs.
If you have any queries, or would like to get more information related to preventing heat loss through the windows during winter, please get in touch with our expert glaziers by logging on to www.kentglaziers.co.uk .
24 September-2018
