Compare Glazing

Compare the differences and similarities of glazing

So you know you want to improve the insulation and energy efficiency of your windows and home, but maybe you’re still undecided between ecoGlaze and double glazing – or some other insulation product, like window shading?

Detailed Comparison

Single Glazing

  • COST: Single glazed windows are by far the most popular windows in Australian homes – because they are the cheapest.
  • HOW IT WORKS: It is just as it says a single glazed pane fitted into a frame.  It opens and closes just like ecoGlaze double glazing. It is light weight. Some different types of single glazing are available but have little insulative value.
  • EFFECTIVENESS: Single glazed windows when closed will keep out the wind and rain. Most single glazing has a U-value of 5.9 to 5.8 *. To save on your energy costs and be more comfortable you definitely need to have some window insulation. Some single glazing can be made to improve acoustics in your home. Thicker glass improves the acoustic performance but has almost no bearing on the thermal performance. Even 12mm thick glass has a U-value of 5.7.
  • HOW IT LOOKS: Single glazing looks just like nearly all the windows we are used to seeing. It is mostly how we dress our single glazed windows that leads to their attractiveness or not.
  • FUNCTIONALITY: All lites in well built and maintained window frames will function as they were intended. Single glazing are the lightest weight lites available.  Sometimes there are some variation in the type of glazing which may make a difference to the weight or your windows.
  • INSTALLATION: Single glazed windows are usually installed when the house is built. If the windows are damaged or have deteriorated with age, or if you are renovating, consider double glazing as a priority. That can be achieved either by replacement double glazing or ecoGlaze.
  • REMOVABILITY: Single glazed windows are usually easy to clean on both sides, providing they’re in reach.
  • + POSSIBILITY OF CONDENSATION ON THE INSIDE SURFACE: Yes.  Almost always.
  • POSSIBILITY OF CONDENSATION BETWEEN THE TWO SURFACES: Not relevant for single glazing.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: Single glazing is not environmentally friendly. You need to use a lot more heating and cooling to try and keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Single glazing is also much easier to break. Broken glass is dangerous and is unsuitable for recycling.
  • DURABILITY & SAFETY: Most single glazed windows come with at least a 7 year warranty. Even good quality glass is breakable, and broken glass is a safety hazard, particularly around children and pets.

ecoGlaze

  • COST: ecoGlaze is amazingly affordable, costing about one-third of the cost of replacement double glazing. The ecoGlaze system is priced at around $400-$450 per square metre for professional installation, depending on the location, type and size of your windows.
  • HOW IT WORKS: ecoGlaze works by trapping a layer of still air between your existing window and the ecoGlaze acrylic panel. The panel is secured in place by beautifully made mouldings held firmly to the window frame with hidden magnets.
  • EFFECTIVENESS: ecoGlaze is extremely energy efficient, reducing winter heat loss by up to 50%. ecoGlaze also reduces conducted summer heat making your home easier to cool and using less energy to do so. This means that your home will maintain a comfortable temperature all year round and your energy bills will be significantly lower because you’ll need to use your heating and cooling less. ecoGlaze has been tested by the WERS Testing Laboratory (Windows Energy Rating Scheme). Adding ecoGlaze to a typical single glazed timber window has been proved to reduce the U-value from 5.9 down to 2.7. An improvement of almost 50%. ecoGlaze provides some acoustic benefits but it has not been tested specifically for that.
  • HOW IT LOOKS: ecoGlaze is designed to fit seamlessly with and complement your existing windows. ecoGlaze mouldings can be painted or stained and varnished to match your existing frames. ecoGlaze visually integrates with your window and does not look like an add-on.
  • FUNCTIONALITY: Your windows will function as normal with ecoGlaze. ecoGlaze acrylic panels are transparent like glass but much lighter, so they won’t weigh down your windows or make them difficult to open.
  • INSTALLATION: ecoGlaze can be installed professionally as well as being specifically designed for do-it-yourself installation. This means that you can do the installation work in your own timeframe and, of course, you save on cost. ecoGlaze fits easily on your existing windows and remains in place. There’s none of the mess and disruption that comes with replacing windows, and no additional tasks like replastering or repainting required. It is much easier to retrofit a window with ecoGlaze than replace your window with double glazing.
  • REMOVABILITY: ecoGlaze is removable. Each ecoGlaze acrylic panel is locked firmly in place by a moulding fitted with hidden magnets. Dust cannot enter the space between the acrylic and the window pane, so there’s no need for cleaning inside, but the panel is easy to remove if, for example, you want to repaint your window frames in the future.
  • POSSIBILITY OF CONDENSATION ON THE INSIDE SURFACE: Yes. During cold weather, if the room is not heated then the inside surface may be cold enough to cause condensation to form. Fitting highly energy efficient window coverings can have the same effect by preventing room heat from warming the inside surface of the glazing.
  • POSSIBILITY OF CONDENSATION BETWEEN THE TWO SURFACES: On rare occasions there can be a slight misting between the ecoGlaze panel and the glass. If this is experienced, the panel is easily removed, cleaned and reinstated.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: Your energy use is lower with ecoGlaze, because you don’t need to use your heating and cooling as often. As you are NOT replacing your windows, there’s no landfill. ecoGlaze is a great environmentally sustainable choice.
  • DURABILITY & SAFETY: When professionally installed, the ecoGlaze system has a 7 year warranty and in a DIY installation the components have a 7 year warranty.  Acrylic sheet panels used in the system are flexible and almost impossible to break, making your windows safer than glass.  Professionally installed acrylic panels generally come with a 30 year warranty.  For a DIY installation, please check with your acrylic supplier for their warranty period.

Double Glazing

  • COST: Approximately three times the cost of ecoGlaze, at around $800-$1500 per square metre for a timber window, excluding installation.
  • HOW IT WORKS: A double glazed window has two panes of glass, with a layer of still air between them. This still air space may be filled with an inert gas like argon.
  • EFFECTIVENESS: Double glazed windows are fitted with Insulated Glass Units which is the actual double glazing. These most often have a U-value of from 2.7 to 1.6. The actual U-value depends on many things and can be improved by increasing the space between the two panes of glass, adding a Low-e coating to one of the panes and replacing air with an inert gas such as argon. Acoustic benefits can be improved by having using a different thickness of glass for the inside and outside pane.
  • HOW IT LOOKS: Double glazing means exactly that: a window with two panes of glass, so your double glazed window will look like the new window that it is.
  • FUNCTIONALITY: New double glazed windows are designed to take the weight of two panes of glass. If you choose to retrofit double glazing onto an existing window frame the added weight may make it more difficult to open the window and keep it open. If you live in an old weatherboard type house on stumps, the weight of double glazed windows or doors may damage the structure of your house if the stumps are not strong enough to hold the weight.
  • INSTALLATION: Double glazing is generally installed by a professional. As well as scheduling the work, the disruption of having windows removed and replaced – replastering, repainting, and disposing of the old windows – needs to be factored in.
  • REMOVABILITY: Double glazed windows are fixed in place and are not removable.
  • POSSIBILITY OF CONDENSATION ON THE INSIDE SURFACE: Yes.  During cold weather, if the room is not heated then the inside surface may be cold enough to cause condensation to form. Fitting highly energy efficient window coverings can have the same effect by preventing room heat from warming the inside surface of the glazing.
  • POSSIBILITY OF CONDENSATION BETWEEN THE TWO SURFACES: Occasionally, the double glazed unit can fail and this is characterised by condensation appearing between the two layers of glass.   Replacement of the failed unit is the only course of action.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: Like ecoGlaze, your energy use is lower with double glazing because you use your heating and cooling less often. However, replacing your windows means disposing of the old ones, which contributes to landfill.
  • DURABILITY & SAFETY: Most double glazed windows come with a 7 to 10 year warranty. Even good quality glass is breakable, and broken glass is a safety hazard, particularly around children and pets.

*About U-value

The Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS)  measures heat conduction with a number called U-value.  The lower the U-value, the better the performance of the glazing.  The u-Value is just one of the measures that tells us how well glass performs. The performance properties can vary depending on the manufacturing process used by the many different suppliers.

Single glazing with 3mm, 4mm or 5mm has a U value of 5.9 according to Viridian Performance Tables.

The U-value can be applied to the glass (lite) unit and / or it can apply to the entire window unit including the framing. The type and condition of your window or door frame also needs to be taken into consideration.  To get the best performance from some windows you may need to seal any gaps or cracks around the window frame to prevent draughts (air flow) before ecoGlazing.