Sealed Unit Double Glazing: Kind To Your Wallet, Kind To Your Planet Content Supplied by Zenith

Since 2005 UK domestic energy bills have risen by a crippling 75% according to City A.M.  And with government’ statistics showing domestic fuel accounts for up to 18% of climate-changing emissions, its clear that for the sake of our wallets and our planet that we need to act.

Happily saving money and the planet needn’t be difficult; in fact it’s as easy as making a call to Zenith double-glazing.  Over 20% of the domestic energy we buy goes straight out of the window, and as the average family spends over £1250 per year on energy that’s £250 of your hard earned cash that’s literally going up in smoke.  The environmental impact of such waste is also severe  - particularly as the planet’s resources start to dwindle – and by fitting new double-glazed units you can save up to 680kg of carbon emissions, the same as a charter flight to Spain!

Fitting high quality double-glazing slashes this waste at a stroke.  Indeed replacement double-glazing windows have usually paid for themselves in 5 years and with Zenith’s 10 year guarantee you’ll actually end up making money – good for you, good for the planet.  And let’s not forget that double-glazing has other benefits too.  Double-glazed units can significantly improve soundproofing, security and, if you chose uPVC, be virtually maintenance-free, another environmental bonus.

Replacing all your windows with sealed double-glazed units can seem like a big job.  Happily you can still reap benefits by doing it room-by-room.  Begin with the rooms that cost you the most to heat - typically the living room, bathroom and bedrooms – and you can cut lost energy by up to 50%.   Take this small step and you’ll really notice a difference.  So much so in fact that when you come to replace your boiler you may find a smaller, cheaper unit will suffice so saving you even more.

Do choose your double-glazed units carefully though as double-glazing efficiency levels vary widely.  To help you make the right choice here are a few things to look out for:

• Glass:   The most energy-efficient glass for double-glazing is low emissivity (Low-E) glass.  With its unnoticeable coating of metal oxide, it lets in light and heat but cuts the amount of heat that can get out.
• Pane spacers: These are set around the inside edges to keep the two panes of glass apart. For maximum efficiency, look for pane spacers containing little or no metal – often known as ‘warm edge’ spacers.
• Frames: uPVC frames last a long time and can be recycled.  Wooden frames can have a lower environmental impact, but require maintenance.
• Energy ratings:  Some window manufacturers show the energy efficiency of their products using an energy-rating scheme from A to G - like the one used for appliances such as fridges. 

Sadly energy prices show no sign of falling.  The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee predicted in August that combined domestic energy bills would rise by around 12.5% - making us all another £156 poorer! 

Increasingly then the case for fitting high quality sealed unit double-glazing units is becoming hard to ignore.  So you if you want to save money – and help save the planet – then now’s the time to act.