Cross section of double glazed window, showing the gap that prevents the cold or hot external air from hitting the internal glass. If filled with agon gas, this increases thermal insulation, even further! Triple glazing is even more effective in cold climates like Ballarat! My double glazing was completed just in time for the BREAZE Sustainable Living Open Day, recently, with glaziers from Robson's glass, working hard to meet the September 14th deadline!
I chose to retrofit double glazing to improve my home's energy efficiency and windows' thermal properties.
Whilst I initially thought the quote was rather expensive, I neglected to factor in that two glaziers would be at work for well over a week, removing the old glass, preparing the frames and fitting the new argon gas filled double glazed windows to my home. Given labour costs and that even more labour was needed to make my new flyscreens, as well as cut and prepare the windows at Robson's I now count the cost as being very reasonable!
I did not have the skills to "do it myself" and wanted to maintain the heritage integrity and appearance of my 1960s brick veneer home, with huge areas of windows to the east and north. Sadly, many such houses are being demolished, with all the bricks, glass and wood creating landfill, whilst more resources are used creating materials for a new build adding massively to climate change via manufacturing processes!
Thankfully, my house was originally designed to minimize south facing windows. These face the coldest of Ballarat's prevailing south westerly winds during winter and south facing windows that maxise heat loss.
I knew that I could maximise the insular factors of all my windows via double glazing, further enhanced by filling the cavity between the glass with argon gas. In homes old and new, single glass windows are problematic, due to being a major source of heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. As a result, I wanted to lesson my carbon footprint, thus contribution to climate change, via addressing this concern via double-glazing my windows.
Within two days of installation I noticed, despite exceptionally cold, frosty, near freezing nights, my central heating, always on by 6.45 AM, I was now able to warm the house by 8.30 and turned the heating off at that point, rather than the usual 10.00 AM, given temperatures of 11-12 degrees celsuis.
Simarly, in the evening, I begin to heat my home at dusk, rather than an hour or more before, as evening chill sets in.
Glass that was removed from my home is being recycled into my planned greenhouse/studio and cold frames to support and protect early seed raising of vegetables immediately!
Excellent information and support for those considering doube glazing or fitting windows with perspex alternatives is available from Ballarat's Smart Living Centre.
Robson Glass come highly recommended by me and they too have good information on their website, or brochures from their Howitt St, Wendouree or Main Road premises!
I chose to retrofit double glazing to improve my home's energy efficiency and windows' thermal properties.
Whilst I initially thought the quote was rather expensive, I neglected to factor in that two glaziers would be at work for well over a week, removing the old glass, preparing the frames and fitting the new argon gas filled double glazed windows to my home. Given labour costs and that even more labour was needed to make my new flyscreens, as well as cut and prepare the windows at Robson's I now count the cost as being very reasonable!
I did not have the skills to "do it myself" and wanted to maintain the heritage integrity and appearance of my 1960s brick veneer home, with huge areas of windows to the east and north. Sadly, many such houses are being demolished, with all the bricks, glass and wood creating landfill, whilst more resources are used creating materials for a new build adding massively to climate change via manufacturing processes!
Thankfully, my house was originally designed to minimize south facing windows. These face the coldest of Ballarat's prevailing south westerly winds during winter and south facing windows that maxise heat loss.
I knew that I could maximise the insular factors of all my windows via double glazing, further enhanced by filling the cavity between the glass with argon gas. In homes old and new, single glass windows are problematic, due to being a major source of heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. As a result, I wanted to lesson my carbon footprint, thus contribution to climate change, via addressing this concern via double-glazing my windows.
Within two days of installation I noticed, despite exceptionally cold, frosty, near freezing nights, my central heating, always on by 6.45 AM, I was now able to warm the house by 8.30 and turned the heating off at that point, rather than the usual 10.00 AM, given temperatures of 11-12 degrees celsuis.
Simarly, in the evening, I begin to heat my home at dusk, rather than an hour or more before, as evening chill sets in.
Glass that was removed from my home is being recycled into my planned greenhouse/studio and cold frames to support and protect early seed raising of vegetables immediately!
Excellent information and support for those considering doube glazing or fitting windows with perspex alternatives is available from Ballarat's Smart Living Centre.
Robson Glass come highly recommended by me and they too have good information on their website, or brochures from their Howitt St, Wendouree or Main Road premises!
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