Thousands of households all over the UK currently find themselves struggling with the rising cost of energy. A perfect storm of a global pandemic, geopolitical conflict and strained international relations have conspired to push the wholesale cost of gas to astronomical highs. So, even if your household has a 100% renewable electricity tariff, the rising cost of gas still affects your energy prices_, as even the cost of renewables is linked to gas prices. The turn of the decade has seen the energy market transform in a very short space of time, with many suppliers going bust and the energy watchdog, Ofgem, raising its energy price cap, from £1,042 per year at the end of 2020 to £2,800 per year for the winter of 2022/2023. While there is government support available for households, many are still feeling the pinch when their energy bills arrive. The good news is that your double glazing could be your fiercest ally in the battle against sky-high energy bills. Let’s take a look at how double glazing can help households to deal with the energy price increase.

Prevent Warm Air From Escaping

Did you know that around 18% of your home’s heat loss occurs through its windows? When windows lose an excess of heat, we have no choice but to crank up the thermostat, thereby increasing our energy costs even more. More thermally efficient double-glazed windows and doors prevent warm air from escaping out of your home. As well as boasting two panes of glass, double-glazed windows contain a layer of insulating gas. This keeps the cold air outside where it belongs, while also ensuring that the warm air you are paying for remains in your home.

Absorbs And Traps Heat Energy From The Sun

In the wake of the pandemic, more and more of us are working remotely from home on a part-time or full-time basis. This may require a greater reliance on your home’s heating to keep you warm and comfortable while you work. Which, in turn, may cause your energy bills to rise. The great thing about thermally-efficient double-glazed windows is that they trap the free heat energy that floods into your home from the sun. The short-wave radiation from the sun is absorbed by the glass from the outside and re-radiated from the inside as long-wave infrared, which cannot escape back out through the glass. This greenhouse effect prevents households from relying on their central gas heating, electric wall heaters, or storage heaters throughout the day.

Keeps Your Home Cool in Summer

With winter on the way, many households are thinking about how they can stay warm. However, double glazing doesn’t just help to save energy during cold weather. They can also be a saving grace during the warm summer months. During the warm months, double glazing can actually prevent an excess of heat transference from the outside of the glass to the inside. So, you can keep your home relatively cool when the sun is bright and shining. This means that you spend far less on cooling your home artificially with electric fans or air conditioning units. The unfortunate truth is that the current energy price hike is likely to extend far beyond the coming winter. Therefore, thermally-efficient double-glazed windows can help you to make your energy bills more manageable all year round.

May Even Increase Your Property’s Value

As we can see, double-glazed windows benefit your home all year round. Given that most double-glazed window units last for anything between 20 and 35 years, households can enjoy those cost-saving benefits in the long term. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why double glazing can even help if you decide to move by potentially adding to the resale value of your property. It’s estimated that installing double glazing in your home could add up to 10% to its resale value. Furthermore, it makes your property more desirable in a competitive market. Every home that has been put on the market requires an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that helps prospective buyers to understand how energy-efficient the property is. Properties are rated from A to G for both their energy efficiency and carbon impact rating. The higher the letter grade, the more eco-friendly a property is. Properties with higher EPCs are naturally more appealing to prospective buyers, whether they’re looking for a home or an investment property.

I Already Have Double Glazed Windows. Should I Consider Replacing Them?

If you already have double-glazed windows, there’s a chance that they may not be working as hard on your behalf as they could be. Especially if they are getting on in years. With time and wear, the seal that keeps the insulating gas between the layers of glass in your windows can deteriorate. When this happens, the gas may leak out of your window units. Don’t worry, the gas is perfectly breathable and harmless. However, without the gas present in your windows, heat may be allowed to transfer more readily inside and outside. While you will still notice a marginal improvement when compared to single-glazed windows, an upgrade now could save you more on your energy bills in the long term. In these economically tumultuous times, we understand that many householders may be nervous about a significant investment like new double-glazed windows. Fortunately, there are options that can help them to ameliorate the costs. For instance, did you know that you can replace the glass in your windows without having to replace the whole unit? This can bring the cost down significantly from around £150 and over £600+ per window to around £55-£150 per window. Still not sure if improving your double glazing will help you to navigate the energy price increase? Why not have a chat with our team? We’ll help you to find the most efficient and cost-effective options for your home.