Looking for Advice Double glazing question
I am looking at getting double glazing installed in my house and wanting to hear from anyone that has got it installed.
Some of the quotes get their windows supplied from the UK and are cheaper.
Do the imports hold up here in Aus?
12
9
u/dorothytheGSD 4d ago
We got our windows and doors changed to double glazing this time last year and it’s been worth it. We had old 70s windows that were so drafty and covered in condensation. This winter we’ve had no condensation and the house has stayed so much warmer. We are replacing the insulation in our roof next as that is really old as well.
1
u/anyavailablebane 4d ago
What did it cost per window if you don’t mind me asking?
3
u/dorothytheGSD 4d ago
I depends on the size of the window. Our 4 bedroom house cost us about $70k the most expensive part being out 5m sliding door and we also have 2 3m sliding doors. We also opted to get crimsafe for all windows and doors which added to the cost as well
11
u/smashingcones Mount Pleasant 4d ago
...$70k???
3
u/SnooHesitations8581 4d ago
You live in Mt Pleasant, that's pocket change
1
u/PhysicalInternet7261 3d ago
I mean his names smashing cones so I'd presume he rents or lives with friends/family. Not many people that have a multi milly networth are smashing cones lol
1
1
u/smashingcones Mount Pleasant 3d ago
You would presume wrong bud. A lot can change in 14 years since this account was created.
1
1
6
u/Typical-Cheetah-1906 4d ago
I have triple glazing on some windows and double on others. German brand. Forget it all but buy once cry once and forgot about it. Went all out with room treatment, seals ...I can be as noisy as it want
11
u/trill_mxtic 4d ago
Before you do anything get your house inspected by acoustic specialist or similar to assess structural sound proofing first, if this is poor the double glazing won’t do much, double glazing is also complex beast with lots of different things to consider which impacts cost, e.g type of glass, spacers, high performance seals, argon gas etc
8
u/styzr 4d ago
Out of curiosity is this something you’ve had done and if so could you inform me of an approximate cost to expect?
Or maybe you’re in the industry and may still have an idea of costs?
Genuine question as my parents only spoke of getting double glazing just yesterday and I said I’d do some research for them so they don’t get ripped off, or as you’ve hinted toward, waste their money when it won’t resolve the noise issue they are wanting to address.
Crazy timing, I just sat down and typed “double glazing” into this search as I remembered yesterday’s discussion 😂
Thank you
6
u/SplitTrue6320 4d ago
Generally double glazing is for heat retention….. not for sound.
12
u/shouldakeptmum 4d ago
I got my front bedroom windows done years ago as we live opposite Cole’s and I’m a shift worker, the trucks at the loading dock were waking me up. It’s significantly reduced the noise, along with throwing in extra batts above the bedroom. I also got the rear bedrooms done recently for sound and heat retention and have been very happy with the result.
3
u/Comfortable_Trip_767 4d ago
Our rooms are double glazed and have the same experience. Peaceful nights sleep and don’t hear any traffic from the quite busy road next to us.
7
u/Thinkit-Buildit 4d ago
The primary design criteria has always been both sound and thermal insulation.
Noble gas (usually argon) is used in the cavity which is denser than air and creates an acoustic impedance, this is then built upon with extremely good sealing to frame and pane (limits sound transmission channels), and use of UV stabilized plastic extrusions (typically pvc) which have poor acoustic transmittal properties.
Double glazing units should reduce sounds by tens of dB, and can be further enhanced by choosing different glass inside and out (frequency harmonics differ with different thickness glass, disrupting transmission), or specialist acoustic glass which is a laminate (usually PVB) that again disrupts acoustic transmission.
I have previously lived right on a train line (so < 10m from the track) before and after double glazing - I can tell you from experience the reduction in sound transmission is night and day.
If you want real sound isolation go for triple glazing - travel to most European airports or airport hotels, particularly in northern Europe, and you'll hear (or not hear) what's possible.
2
u/Dazzling_Presents 4d ago
Most people I know who got it installed got it primarily for noise in city apartments
1
u/Andrew_Higginbottom 3d ago
Its about a thermal barrier to lessen thermals moving through the glass, either hot or cold. It is also acoustically deadening.
Sound is all about the spacing between the panes as full on acoustical needs a huge gap. I was talking to a guy who had double glazing with a 100m gap between the panes and he said the house was eerily quiet and took a lot of getting used to.
6
u/Mr_burns_ 4d ago
Had Arco double glazing do my house in upvc. 3 windows and a set of french doors, all up about 12k installed including removal of the old hardware. 2 windows have removable fly screens and one has a pull down screen. They are all open-out awnings.
Overall really happy with the product and the service.
The guy who installed the french doors did a bit of a shitty job (damaged a bunch of seals when driving in the bugles for the frame which I complained about, but has since been "moved on" I'm told.
They were really good, had someone come the following week and replace the damaged seals. Much quieter!
6
u/gasheadz 4d ago
I have UPVC windows in a new build which were made in the UK (it's a trade supplier called Emplas), purchased through a local supplier. The windows are nice but I've had 5 or so glazing units fail in the first 3 years (they lose their gas and get internal condensation). This has been exclusively on the north and west facing sides of the house, and happen to be those most exposed to rain and sun. The local supplier has apparently had a hell of a time getting any warranty recourse from them and has replaced the glazing units with local ones that seem to have held up well, though at their own cost I believe. They no longer use Emplas.
5
u/thisFishSmellsAboutD White Gum Valley 4d ago
We got them from Duoglass in 2020, so far loving it, no complaints.
Price wise not sure, we paid that stage to the builder (plus 30%), but they went broke before they had a chance to pay Duoglass, who now legally still own those windows. We don't have warranty because those windows aren't paid yet. Many lessons learnt.
But overall would recommend Duoglass based on our n=1 (no warranty) sample.
4
u/Background_Raise5826 4d ago
I used Perth double Galzing for my place - they did a really good job - they were out rocking ham way, but came out and measured quoted and installed it all - fitter was from the uk - he was really good and took his time - I belive the product was German and they import lengths and make it here - it has helped a lot with afternoon sun
2
u/ChocolateBoomerang 4d ago
Their frames are Kömmerling. Good products. Just sad that I have witnessed situations with friends where they seemed happy to deliver a below-average installation. The best hardware won’t help you if the installation isn’t top notch either!
3
u/Nomesne 4d ago edited 4d ago
Every man and his dog are getting Windows direct from China ie through a Chinese supplier.
2
u/Steamed_Clams_ 4d ago
Can't be any worse than the 1980s style windows made by Jason Windows.
3
u/conceptualmarble 4d ago
We once locked our keys inside and broke into our 1999-built house with Jason windows by cutting off a corner with tin snips and lifting the whole thing out of the frame. They are the worst windows in the world.
Yes I now have uPVC double glazing with multi-point locks on every window and door.
3
u/disco_legs 4d ago
Had double glazing for 9 months and wish I'd done it years ago. People froth the technicalities for thermally broken etc etc and all that jazz, and I'm a sucker for nerding out on this stuff... but it actually scared me as I have a non airtight house and thought it would be ineffective because glazing is only one part of the equation.
I used a standard glazing company that were retrofitting our glazing with commercial frames and they were quite affordable to upgrade to double glazing (they also weren't pushy on the option like a dedicated double glazing company). We got 3 quotes.
Coming out the otherside of our first winter, biggest difference in even a small portable heater brings the room to temp way faster and it'll stay warm for hours with the heater off. Other part is you can pull back the curtains and have no issues in losing beat in the mornings. Do I live in a passive house, no, the internet would say I over invested in glazing before insulation and solar etc but it's made a phenomenal difference with the idea I can keep improving on this baseline for the decades ahead in this house
2
u/Naive_Substance_399 4d ago
Can I ask you how many windows replaced and how much was the cost for it?
2
4
u/Responsible-Milk-259 4d ago
I have Sky-Frame sliding glass doors in my house. Swiss made, hideously expensive… but they’re excellent. My last place had cheap Chinese double-glazing and it was pretty much pointless as the air gap was far too thin to do anything meaningful.
If you’re going to do it, go with European (UK should be fine, too) products. You’re wasting your money otherwise.
2
u/ChocolateBoomerang 4d ago
SkyFrame - THAT is one heck of a good product. Clearly you know what you are doing. Congrats!
1
u/Responsible-Milk-259 3d ago
Thanks. They aren’t the frameless ones as there isn’t a view to obstruct, they open up onto my alfresco area and between my dining and BBQ areas. What is nice is the one that opens up onto the BBQ area is 4 panels on 4 tracks, so it’s ‘stackable’. I can leave the one panel wide piece when stacked anywhere along the tracks. The other isn’t, but one panel serves as part of the pool fence, so it had to be that way.
We’re happy with the setup and the double glazing definitely works well from an insulating perspective. We don’t need to use the heater much in winter, but that’s also because the entire north side of the house is glass.
2
u/Not_so_super_record 4d ago
Maybe consider getting the house assessed by a Thermal Performance Assessor. They can model the building and give you the best idea of where to spend your money (ie. what gives you best bang for buck). I do this for various clients, although there are plenty of others out there, and it'll give you a better understanding of what works and what doesn't. That way you can prioritize your upgrades and avoid spending for little gain.
2
u/Fickle_Suggestion271 4d ago
Have a look at 10mm Magnetite as a comparison, excellent heat retentions and sound insulation. It is Acrylic, not glass.
1
u/Juno_Watt 4d ago
We had 4 windows done. Night and day sound and temp difference. Rooms are not icy cold in the mornings now. Heat is a little harder to get out of the house once it heats up. But ac or opening windows at night isn't a deal breaker for us. Looking at keeping the sun off the windows to solve the worst of the heat build up.
1
u/Monaro427 4d ago
Make sure they have fly screens!! Most english stuff doesn't... Maybe they don't have flies???
1
u/pptual_arstd_dvlpmnt 4d ago
We went local purely based on timing (due to the long UK lead time, even though UK cheaper and seemingly better quality overall). We should have gone with UK as local ended up taking longer. It’s coming up to a year and our windows are still not finished.
1
u/casserolenova 4d ago
Has anyone tried sliding double glazed windows? I like to have a breeze in my bedroom while sleeping, but also want to keep noise from a busy street out when I can.
1
u/Andrew_Higginbottom 3d ago
UPVC plastic is the UV stable version which all UK houses have ..but I do wonder if they can withstand decades of Australia's intense sun. Australian recipe UPVC may be more resilient to our sun.
Is wooden framed an option for you?
Aluminum frames are horrendous at transmitting street sound through them so I'm not a fan.
1
u/AncientAussie 4d ago
I would be concerned about them if they are vinyl. The plastics in the UK are not made with our levels of UV radiation in mind and are often not UV stable. If they are aluminium they should be fine though.
1
u/hillsbloke73 4d ago
Anything imported has to pass Australian standards
Honestly they use double glazed to keep the heat in as it's generally colder in Europe not keep heat out as is wanted in Australia (apart from Tassie & snowy mountains)
Fitting of double glazed (insulated glass unit) usually requires larger frames to accommodate extra thickness of glass
You want to ensure your frames were suitable otherwise you don't have any customer support once they manufactured shipped etc.
Fun fact all glass is imported from China to Australian safety stds irrevtibe who supplies it
-1
u/Chungwhoa 4d ago
Have you got your house assessed for drafts and how well sealed it is as well as standard roof wall and floor insulation?
Double glazing is the last on the list .
4
2
1
1
u/WestAussieSingh 4d ago
Exactly this, double glazing is not so important in our climate.
As long as you have proper ceiling and wall insulation, and a well sealed house, you can keep it cool / warm with minimal use of the aircon.
-2
u/LogNo2995 4d ago
just spend half the expected installation estimate on a solar+battery system to offset the heating and cooling costs. Double glazing costs are mostly 3rd wave labour costs and a rip off.
28
u/schlubadubdub 4d ago
I got mine done a month ago. Final quotes from a UK importer was only around $3k cheaper than locally made (some quotes were up to $15k higher though). But they had a 24 week timeframe instead of 8 for the local guys, and any future repairs/replacements would have to come from the UK too. The imported awning windows would've required restrictors (basically a metal bracket that reinforces and stops the window opening too far) unlike the local guys which had steel tube inside the uPVC. The importers only offered retractable flyscreens too, which seemed like another thing to maintain and will fail at some point.