Energy efficient uPVC windows offer a wide range of benefits. As well as offering a stylish look for your home, they also reduce your carbon footprint and help to lower your heating costs. But what makes uPVC windows so effective at reducing your heating costs?
How it Works
Double glazed windows are constructed of two panes of glass with a layer of air, usually around 16mm thick, in between. Glass is a conductor of heat, meaning that the warm air in your home will conduct through the glass to meet the cooler air outside. The layer of air between the panes of glass acts as insulation, preventing the heat from transferring through to the outside. In some windows, the cavity can be filled with a denser gas, such as Argon, which enhances the insulating properties of the gap.
In addition, triple glazing adds a third pane of glass and a second air cavity, leading to even less warmth escaping from your home.
Some windows also feature an invisible coating of metal oxide on one of the internal panes next to the cavity which reflects the heat back into the home.
How that affects your heating bills
Each home loses around 10% of its warmth through its windows. This means that your heating is working harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. With energy efficient windows, the heat transfers more slowly to the outside, meaning your home stays warmer for longer. This reduces the time your heating needs to be on, in turn, reducing the cost of heating your home.
What to look for
When buying new windows, it’s important that you know which ones will provide the most energy efficiency for your home. As well as the features mentioned previously, each window has a rating, provided by the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) to help you identify which windows are the most efficient. The rating system runs from A+ to G in a similar way to household appliances, with A+ offering the highest energy efficiency and G the lowest. There are two other rating systems provided by CERTASS and BSI, with the most energy-efficient windows carrying the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo.
At Progress Windows, we supply and fit a wide range of energy efficient double glazed windows. Design your new windows online and get an instant quote with our online window quote tool.