DIY Double Glazing UK

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The UK has had a longstanding love affair with DIY. If people aren’t actually doing it, they are certainly talking about it (judging by the proliferation of TV ‘makeover’ shows) and there can be few greater DIY challenges than double glazing your own home. Gone are the days when double glazing was the preserve of the silver-tongued salesman and now everyone can have a go. But be warned: you could get yourself in a lot of trouble.

At the simplest level DIY double-glazing involves stretching a sheet of plastic film over the window and fixing it with self-adhesive tape. Despite sounding slightly Heath Robinson it’s surprisingly effective at reducing condensation, but provides little in the way of insulation or soundproofing. Aesthetically it’s strictly for the bed-sit brigade and those looking forward to the bailiffs turning up to re-possess their black and white telly.

At the other extreme DIY double-glazing involves ripping out your old window frames and fitting factory-sealed units in their place. Replacing entire windows isn’t something that’s to be undertaken lightly and should really be left to the professionals.

The most realistic option for the competent DIY enthusiast is to have a go at fitting secondary glazing. This involves installing an additional layer of glass (either externally or internally) to the existing window. Most people tend to opt for internal secondary glazing, which can be relatively simple to fit if you don’t need to open the window.

If you want to open and close the window there are a variety of methods to choose between. Most involve a sliding panel of glass (either horizontal or vertical) which allows access to the external window pane. Calculating the amount of space to be left between the panes is something of an art: to reduce heat loss anything over 8 mm will be effective, but if you want sound insulation then you should have a gap of at least 20 mm. Special glass is also available that cuts down on glare.

Secondary glazing will not be as ‘effective’ as double glazing, but it may be the only option for anyone living in a conservation area or a listed building.

 

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