Welcome to my blog. When I was a teen, I started dabbling with coloured glass and stained glass art. Later, I helped work on a number of houses, and my partner and I often changed the windows in those houses. Through that experience, I learned a lot about maintaining, protecting and repairing glass. Currently, I am not working on any projects, so I decided to create a blog full of the information I have learned about glass over the years. Whether you are an artist, a glass installer, a homeowner thinking about new windows or anyone else with a question or concern about glass, this blog is designed for you.
While broken panes are an obvious sign that you need to replace the glass in your home's windows, many other clues can suggest the same thing. You just need to decipher these more subtle indications. T following may indicate that you might require glass replacement.
Excessive Heating and Cooling Costs
If you're paying excessive bills to heat and cool your home, the problem may stem from the type of window glass you have installed. Regular panes allow heat to flow through easily. Thus, the windows can function as an oven in summer, emitting heat into the rooms. Your air conditioner will then work overtime to neutralise the warmth, wasting energy in the process. Similarly, indoors' warmth quickly flows out of single panes in winter, forcing you to turn up the heater.
If you replace the glass with energy-efficient options, you'll lower energy costs. Two possibilities are double glazed units and low-E glass. Double glazed units consist of two panes with a gap of air or gas in the middle that hinders heat transfer. Low-e glass is covered with a film that reflects heat, inside or outside, depending on how you set it up.
Broken Window Panes
Of course, you'll also at times have an obvious sign that you need to replace the glass when it shatters and breaks due to impact such as a ball hitting the window. Not only is the outside temperature able to get inside, but trespassers also have an enticing access point. You'll thus need a glass replacement as soon as possible.
Cold or Hot Spots in Rooms
Another clue that you may need to replace the windows with a more efficient glass is if you feel cold or hot spots near the windows in winter and summer respectively. If the outdoor temperature is particularly chilly or else scorching hot, then the air conditioning and heaters may not cope. As quickly as they pump out the air, the windows allow the outdoors temperature inside. By installing efficient glass, your home will be more comfortable and enjoyable.
You don't need to replace all the window glass around your home. Instead, focus on the problem areas. In summer, that's often westerly-facing windows that bake in the afternoon sun. You may also benefit from replacing easterly-facing windows that catch morning sunshine. Consider which windows cause the most problems and replace those.
Thus, while broken glass typically prompts a window replacement, other signs suggest that you could benefit from a change. Consider both your heating and cooling costs and what areas in the home allow the most unpleasant temperatures indoors.
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