What is Double Glazing and what are the installation advantages?

Double glazing for casing consist of two glasses placed in parallel and are kept apart using a aluminum or polyamide lathing. The resulting cavity is filled with atmospheric air or the noble gas Argo. It should be noted that all lathing in a double glazing system should be fully filled with pyritic salts to avoid humidity phenomena formation on the interior throughout their life span. Then, the first Butyl sealing is applied and last but most importantly they are sealed perimetrically using two ingredients cold sulphuric glue. This type of sealing achieves:

• Zero possibility of detachment
• Zero possibility of Argon gas leak
• Zer opossibility of damping/blurring on the Double Glazing interior

Installing a certified modern Energy Efficient Double/Triple Glazing system on your existing casing will upgrade the building energy class and save you money from the heating/cooling costs during the whole year.

Let’s take a look now at the advantages of double glazing Economy – Safety – Sound proofing – UV radiation protection.

Does energy efficient double glazing offer energy and money saving?

Energy Saving – Economy.

Energy double glazing keep your home warm or cool, depending on the time of the year.

They have insulating behavior like every other insulation material in a building and help reduce electricity, gas, oil or any other form of energy consumption, used to heat the house.

This reduction can be calculated using the appropriate software, reaching, in some cases (replacing common glass windows with energy efficient triple glazing) 40%.

At the same time, they continue to offer transparency and sun permeability, like no other insulation material.

Which other material insulates and allow visibility from the inside at the same time?

Only Energy Efficient Glazing.

Does Double Glazing offer Sound Proofing?

Sound Proofing.

Annoying street, barking, airplane, train noise etcarekept outside using Double Glazing. The chamber between the two glasses reduces sounds much more than older conventional single glazing, that have almost no sound proofing capability. So, double glazing not only offers insulation, but also sound proofing.

Good masonry and double glazing is the best combination for home soundproofing.

Double glazing can reduce noise up to 80%, compared to outdated single glazing.

The best soundproofing possible using double glazing can be achieved through a series of performance improvements:

• Installing acoustic glazing. This is special glazing with one or more internal sound-absorbent membranes.
• Making the cavity between the two glasses.
• Using thicker glasses.
• Using glasses with different thickness.

What problems may occur installing double glazing?

Is there an effective solution for every problem?

As in every intervention on a building, double glazing require attention. The most common problems are: Damping.

In the cavity between the glasses: Normally, there should not be any damping at all in the interior of your double glazing system or the casing, since they are manufactured to be airtight.

If damping is formed between the two glasses, this means that humidity has penetrated the casing.

Call us for a member of our Glass Expert staff to guide you through the right procedure to reassure you avoid this problem in the future.

There is a solution to this common problem.

These phenomena have been tormenting customers for years, but now there are plausible and economic solutions available..

For damping in the interior of a double glazing system to occur, the most common problem, one or more of the following “errors” must apply:

1. Perimetric final sealing using warm glue
2. Lack of perimetric glue filling
3. No use of Butyl sealing
4. One, more than one, or even all cavity lathing are not filled with pyritic salts
5. Lack of drainage holes at the bottom side of the casing
6. Inappropriate installation

In Detail:

1. Perimetric final sealing using warm glue

Problem:

Most double glazing systems sold in the market are perimetricelly sealed using warm glue, without mixing it with a catalyst.

This glue gets liquefied when heated, as during the manufacturing process. As a consequence, the same happens when already installed double glazing on the casing gets heated by environmental temperature and sun radiation.

One very hot day may be sufficient enough for the sealing to instantly liquefy and a small hole will allow humidity pass towards the inside of our house double glazing insulating chamber.

Result: Double glazing malfunctions, damping occurs making replacing it necessary, just in 1-3 years from purchase.

Solution:

The solution to this problem is the following:

Two ingredients COLD SULPHUR GLUE Sealing. Cold sulphur glue consists of sulphur glue plus a catalyst (1:10), it is applied perimetrically as a sealant on the Double Glazing in cold liquid form.

"Photo"

The reason why few manufacturers use this technique is that material and machinery cost. We are, officially, the only company in Achaia that uses Cold Sealing in Double Glazing.

This is our great advantage and the reason our Double Glazing Systems have passed all necessary tests and are already exported to the USA and the Netherlands.

2. Lack of perimetric glue filling

Problem:

Poor craftsmanship in applying perimetric sealing. The problem is even greater if warm glue has been used during the sealing process. It can be easily noticed as a “channel” formed between the two glasses. This means that sealing thickness is uneven, being too thin in the middle, causing all consequent effects.

Solution:

Before purchasing, visit us so that we can demonstrate how all GaroufalisGlass™ Double Glazing are sealed during the manufacturing process, not a perfected exhibit piece anyone may have, not responding to the actual product.

3. No use of Butyl sealing

Problem:

Not using Butyl sealing, or sole use of “double sided tape”, will result to lack of double insulation according to the specifications, making it more possible for damping to appear inside the Double Glazing system.

Solution:

The solution is choosing Cold Sealing Double Glazing because this specific procedure cannot be achieved without the first Butyl Sealing.

4. One, more than one, or even all cavity lathing are not filled with pyritic salts

Problem:

Unfortunately this is not a visible problem, unless we destroy the double glazing in order to examine the lathing for presence of pyritic salt filling, necessary to keep the chamber dry and absorb humidity during the double glazing life span.

If you choose to replace a “damp” Double Glazing system with humidity trapped between the glasses, before removing the old, ask our technician to help you examine the 4 piece lathing to confirm the quality of the one you had bought and whether all the appropriate materials were used!

Solution:

Before purchasing, visit us so that we can demonstrate how all GaroufalisGlass™ Double Glazing are filled with GRACE™ pyritic salts during the manufacturing process, not a perfected exhibit piece anyone may have, not responding to the actual product.

5. Lack of drainage holes at the bottom side of the casing.

Problem:

There is always a slight chance of poor craftsmanship during casing installation.

The most common problem is lack of special draining holes in the aluminum casing where the double glazing must be placed. These drainage holes remove rain water – if any – that might pass under the double glazing, allowing humidity to start destroying the sealing glue. More specifically, in the case of warm glue having been used, this specific procedure is necessary to avoid damping appearance inside the double glazing.

Solution:

To avoid such problems, it is indicated to:

• Choose the appropriate casing installation technicians. At Garoufalis Glass we can recommend specialized aluminum technicians or network partners.
• Choose Cold Sealing Double Glazing, where there is no possibility of detachment (as we have already explained in technical terms)

6. Inappropriate installation.

Problem:

There is always a slight chance of poor craftsmanship during Double Glazing installation.

The most common problem that double glazing is not installed using the appropriate pads. Given time and since warm glue is used, it gets partially detached, because the two glass sheets are unevenly placed, with the known results: damping occurance inside the double glazing.

Solution:

To avoid this problems you should choose:

• Cold Sealing Double Glazingwhere there is no possibility of detachment (as we have already explained in technical terms)
• Appropriate double glazing installation services.

Either our specialized Garoufalis Glass technicians, or a specialized partner of our network (aluminum technician).

We responsibly declare that, in compliance with CE specifications, we ALLWAYS apply:

• Double sealing with Butyl and Kömmerling™ COLD SULPHUR GLUE during double glazing manufacturing.
• Filling in full of ALL lathing with Grace™ Pyritic Salts
• Flawless, Full and Perimetric filling with Cold Sulphur Glue to 12mm

How much does energy efficient double glazing cost?

Prices for modern latest generation soft overlay double glazing vary from 50€-150€/sq.m. This price includes double glazing only, not the casing. Cost recuperation is calculated between 1-2 years.

It is worth mentioning that the total cost for all the double glazing systems in an average house, is not above 1000 € and given you choose the certified manufacturer correctly, double glazing will be saving you money for more than 15 years without any problem.

Μπαίνουν διπλά τζάμια σε παλιά ξύλινα κουφώματα;

Γίνεται να τοποθετηθούν διπλά τζάμια σε παλιά ξύλινα κουφώματα. Σημαντικό όμως είναι να ελέγξουμε προηγουμένως, την κατάσταση του ξύλου των παλαιών κουφωμάτων μας. Αν είναι ακόμα σε καλή κατάσταση το ξύλο και αν έχει την απαραίτητη διατομή (πατούρα) για να δεχτεί διπλά τζάμια.

Of course, you have to calculate whether this procedure is cost effective, or you should consider replacing your old wood casing with new energy efficient casing, suitable for fitting the respective glazing, due to its larger available cavity.

Is there a funding plan available, that covers the cost of replacing older glazing with new, energy efficient glazing?

The “HOME SAVE ENERGY” plan funds the replacement of older glazing, from a total of 75€ to 135€ per square meter, without having to replace the casing as well. You can even replace double glazing, given the current casing is suitable, or replace that as well, upgrading to a more heat isolating model.