If you are shopping for windows, you might have heard the term double glazing.  But what is double glazing, and what are its benefits?

Double glazing is basically a fancy way of saying double paned.  This is where two panes of glass are put into the frame, as if the two pieces of bread in a sandwich.  The “meat” of the sandwich is air or gas.

The goal of double glazing is to provide a bit better insulation.  Normal single paned windows, especially big windows such as picture windows and bay windows, allow a lot of heat to escape out of them, making it hard — and expensive! — to heat the home.  Single paned windows, or double glazed windows, keep more of that heat inside, keeping your home warmer — and your heating bill cooler.

If you are looking for new, more energy efficient windows for your home, or if you are concerned with how to reduce your heating bills in the winter and your cooling bills in the summer, it is important to understand what these terms mean.  Although “double glazing” sounds like a coating that is applied to the glass, that is simply not the case.  Double glazing is nothing more than a fancy, industry-specific term for double paned windows!

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