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Double glazed units fitted into existing windows
This is something I am asked about frequently. It depends on the style of window you have and the thickness of the openers or sashes. Unless I am taking out double glazed units and replacing them, the rebates will need to be altered to accommodate the extra thicknesses of the double glazed units. The thinnest units available are 11mm, which have 3mm glass, a 5 mm spacer, and 3mm glass. These are known as a 3-5-3. The next size up, which incidentally is cheaper, is a 4-6-4: 4mm glass, a 6mm spacer, and 4mm glass, giving a total thickness of 14mm.
This extra thickness needs to be accommodated in the rebate which has been manufactured to accommodate 4mm glass or on older box sash windows 3mm glass. This alteration to the rebate can come with problems, to begin with it may weaken the actual frame that the glass sits in i.e.: the opener or sash. Timber beading as opposed to putty has to be used to keep them secure, extra width may be required to cover up the edging around the double glazed unit. This can throw your eye towards this and can take away the originality of your period windows, also if you have original glass it may well be drawn glass as opposed to float which has a regular flat appearance this again can throw your eye towards this change of glass, and to be frank it doesn’t look right. Another consideration is the extra weight particularly with box sash windows this has to be counteracted with new sash weights which can be costly particularly if the pocket that the weights go into are too small to take the extra length of a bigger steel/iron weight and a lead weight has to be used instead.
You may have gathered at this point that I am no fan of double glazed units, single pieces of glass have an approximate life span of 800 years, double glazed units 15 perhaps 20 years before they ‘blow’ and condensation then becomes a problem in the space between the glass. Replacement really does mean replacement every 15/20 yrs! Indeed with modern plastic windows the guarantee more often than not does not cover the glass units, only the plastic and window furniture.
So what’s the solution? There are ways to overcome the inherent issues that you may be experiencing with draughts and maybe sound from outside, the first one is to perhaps consider investing in some thick curtains, they really do make a difference, or perhaps the fitting of acoustic and thermal seals, rubber strips that are fitted after a suitable groove has been machined on the edges of your openers or if you have box sash windows, brush seals fitted to parting and sash beads. Another viable option is secondary glazing, either fixed to the inside of the window frame, or sliding or the manufacture and fitting of a second window within the revel that opens inwards this option is common in many parts of Europe and was also employed in this country in the late 1800s in the centre of towns and cities.
