These days an increasing number of homeowners aim to make their homes as energy-efficient as possible. This is partly due to the continually rising cost of electricity and partly due to the growing awareness of how excessive energy consumption negatively impacts the environment. Adding new glazing to old windows can address this issue in an older property.

Energy consumption is essentially reduced by minimizing the amount of heat transfer between the inside of a structure and the air outside. Old glazing is one of the worst culprits for this, allowing a great deal of heat to enter the home during hot weather and to escape when it’s cold. You can mitigate this weak point by adding glazing that is more energy-efficient.

This may include double glazing, which creates a thin pocket of air between the panes of glass. This acts as a highly effective layer of insulation that can be increased by having an inert gas, such as argon, injected into the cavity.

Opting for low-emissivity glass, known as low-e glass, is another way to make your glazing more energy-efficient. Low-e glass has a coating that’s applied to one side of the glazing, which reduces the amount of heat able to transfer through the glass. It works even more efficiently when coupled with double glazing.

Another benefit to adding new glazing to old windows is the increased safety it provides. Around 35% of burglaries around the country occurred when the criminal broke a window to enter the property. New glazing is designed to be much more difficult to break compared to old glass, which means your windows will no longer be a vulnerable entry point.

Modern glass is also a better option for the safety of the occupants of your household. Grade A safety glass is either laminated or toughened. Both have their advantages.

Toughened glass breaks into harmless cubes, whereas laminated—though not as strong from an impact point of view—will hold its integrity when it does break. This type of glazing is required by law in modern construction but is not usually a feature in older homes.

When it comes to remodelling projects, the concept of ROI, which stands for return on investment, is crucial to consider. Essentially, it’s a way to establish how much value the money you invest in a remodelling project adds to your property. Some projects have a much higher ROI than others, and adding new glazing is one of these.

New glazing is a sound financial investment because it will add value to your home and it will also make it more appealing to potential buyers. You’ll also recoup some of the cost of the installation through savings on energy consumption.

If new glazing sounds like an excellent remodelling project for your older home, contact the team at South Melbourne Glass. We specialise in all aspects of residential glazing and can help you make the right glazing choices for your home.