These days, with the rising cost of energy bills and living in general, many have started discussing the concept of energy efficiency and how it can improve a home and even reduce energy costs. But what is energy efficiency, and what are the best ways to start saving?
At Glass House, we’ve created this comprehensive guide to help you learn how modern double glazed windows and doors can improve a property’s energy efficiency and help you save in the long run. Get a fast-track quote for any of our high-thermal-performance products now via our free quoting tool, or read below to learn more about energy efficiency.
Put simply, energy efficiency refers to how much energy it takes to achieve the same result. Highly energy efficient homes can stay warm or cool, light or dark, without needing to use much energy.
The efficiency of your home is essential in helping you to reduce your energy consumption and enhance the capabilities of your home’s heating, cooling, and lighting systems. Not only can doing so improve your carbon footprint, leading to less personal pollution, but it can even have a big effect on your energy bills.
Did you know that according to the UK government, homeowners lose around 18% of their heat via their windows? By upgrading your old double glazing or single glazed windows to new double glazed windows and doors, you can see a massive improvement in energy efficiency. Your home can stay warm and cosy even in the colder times of the year without needing to crank up the gas or electricity.
Beyond just installing fresh double glazed windows, other forms of insulation, such as fibreglass, can help to increase the loft or wall heat retention within your home. Additionally, many older plastic conservatories can not only leak when it rains, but they can also allow tons of heat to escape in the winter. By upgrading to a new double glazed conservatory or roof lantern, you can experience fewer leaks, fewer cold draughts, tighter security features, and powerful energy saving capabilities.
The material your windows are made from can also affect their energy efficiency. Many old traditional timber windows are single-glazed, and their wooden frames are less efficient, allowing heat to leak and moisture to creep in. With Glass House, you can get traditional-looking timber windows that maintain your home’s heritage appearance while enjoying the benefits of modern efficiency.
One of the key ways that homeowners can discover and understand a window, door, or other glazed items energy efficiency capabilities is by checking its energy rating. Window Energy Rating, or WER, was developed by the British Fenestration Ratings Council. Modern building regulations require new windows to meet or exceed certain standards, and at Glass House, we’re proud to provide homeowners throughout Cardiff and the surrounding areas with double glazed windows that exceed these standards.
The WER system can scale all the way from E (the lowest rating) to A++ (the highest rating). If you’re looking to improve your homes energy efficiency, then consider the energy rating of your current windows, and look to replace them with a higher energy efficiency rating.
Use our free quoting engine to get a fast quote for any of our windows, doors, roof lanterns, and other high-quality home improvement products. Each is double-glazed to offer excellent thermal performance and gorgeous aesthetics. For more information, speak to a member of staff on 029 20 233133, or via our online contact form.