energlaze vs triple glazing

RobAMerc

Anyone here any experience with Energlaze glass ?

My folks are thinking of redoing the house with it, their other option is triple glazing.

is there a standard test thats carried out to "Rate" glass or do I have to go from peoples experience ?

thanks
Rob

sydthebeat

from my understanding of energlaze, they simply replace the glazing.

which means the success or otherwise depends on the type of frame thats there.
For example if its a aluminium frame with no thermal break it would be practically useless

triple glazed would be a good solution, but put everything into perspective...
how well insulated and air tight is the house?
what are the current windows?
whats the current construction method in the walls and floors?
whats the heating?

get quotes for both.... and also get quotes for double glazed.

energlaz will probably tell you their glazing has a u value of 0.8 or whatever... but that cannot take the frame into account.
when a triple glaze company says their "whole window u value" is 0.8, its the whole thing.

RobAMerc

thanks syd

my understanding is they are offering either replacing the glass or the whole lot.
MY Dad was of the impression the glazing was gas filled which caused less heat transfer ?

they quoted 20% more than the others for full replacement with double rather than triple glazing.

BryanF

Mental changing the glass and not frames unless there in a conservation building

sydthebeat

RobAMerc wrote: »

thanks syd

my understanding is they are offering either replacing the glass or the whole lot.
MY Dad was of the impression the glazing was gas filled which caused less heat transfer ?

they quoted 20% more than the others for full replacement with double rather than triple glazing.

what did "the others" quote for? double or triple glazed?
what kind of frame are you looking for, PVC?

Calahonda52

OP, I think you need to make sure you are comparing like with like here across the full spectrum of what you are looking at.

I have recently used them for both reglazing and for a new window and I must say we are very happy from start to finish. DG in both cases
The DG reglazing was for big panes [ 7 feet by 5 feet] that the seals had gone in due to basketball impacts and massive permanent condensation on the inside of the unit.

The existing Alu frames are thermally broken and the colour in PVC was impossible to match so we were looking at 4 additional windows so we went with reglaze. Two windows done in a hour.
The price was half of what new DG framed windows would have cost.

They have an interesting way of replacing full windows which does not involve any cutting back of the inner reveals.

I was happy for that technique in the back bedroom but would not have been so in the front down stairs.

RobAMerc

sydthebeat wrote: »

what did "the others" quote for? double or triple glazed?
what kind of frame are you looking for, PVC?

The other crowd ( sorry cannot remember name ) quoted for PVC with triple glazing.

RobAMerc

Calahonda52 wrote: »

OP, I think you need to make sure you are comparing like with like here across the full spectrum of what you are looking at.

I have recently used them for both reglazing and for a new window and I must say we are very happy from start to finish. DG in both cases
The DG reglazing was for big panes [ 7 feet by 5 feet] that the seals had gone in due to basketball impacts and massive permanent condensation on the inside of the unit.

The existing Alu frames are thermally broken and the colour in PVC was impossible to match so we were looking at 4 additional windows so we went with reglaze. Two windows done in a hour.
The price was half of what new DG framed windows would have cost.

They have an interesting way of replacing full windows which does not involve any cutting back of the inner reveals.

I was happy for that technique in the back bedroom but would not have been so in the front down stairs.

Energlaze are offering to reglaze the current windows or full new windows for 20% more - both double glazed with their "special glass".

The competitor is quoting 20% less than Energlaze for full new windows with triple glazing.

I am really looking for a comparison of like with like.
Is energlaze double full new windows worth 20% more than triple glazed full new windows from competitor (both uPVC )?

sydthebeat

RobAMerc wrote: »

Is energlaze double full new windows worth 20% more than triple glazed full new windows from competitor (both uPVC )?

highly highly unlikely.

what u value is the other competitor quoting for? and will they provide a datasheet and verification?

2 stroke

RobAMerc wrote: »

I am really looking for a comparison of like with like.
Is energlaze double full new windows worth 20% more than triple glazed full new windows from competitor (both uPVC )?

But you are not comparing like with like and you are not providing enough info.

What I will say is that good double glazing will outperform cheap triple glazing, but good triple glazing will outperform good double glazing.

RobAMerc

sydthebeat wrote: »

highly highly unlikely.

what u value is the other competitor quoting for? and will they provide a datasheet and verification?

OK, thanks, so are the windows independently rated ? And will they have proof of this rating ?

2 stroke wrote: »

But you are not comparing like with like and you are not providing enough info.

What I will say is that good double glazing will outperform cheap triple glazing, but good triple glazing will outperform good double glazing.

So what do you need to know ?

strandsman

I have white pvc double glaze windows, they are about 13yrs old, and manufactured by a well know munster based window manufacturer, I am thinking of replacing them with either a triple glaze or energlaze double glaze, I am only interested in replacing the glass and not the frame, The house is timber frame and fully insulated etc, Any feedback would be appreciated, Are all double and triple glaze now filled with a gas to improve insulation?

Galego

strandsman wrote: »

I have white pvc double glaze windows, they are about 13yrs old, and manufactured by a well know munster based window manufacturer, I am thinking of replacing them with either a triple glaze or energlaze double glaze, I am only interested in replacing the glass and not the frame, The house is timber frame and fully insulated etc, Any feedback would be appreciated, Are all double and triple glaze now filled with a gas to improve insulation?

In similar situation myself. Interested to hear some advice.

BryanF

strandsman wrote: »

I have white pvc double glaze windows, they are about 13yrs old, and manufactured by a well know munster based window manufacturer, I am thinking of replacing them with either a triple glaze or energlaze double glaze, I am only interested in replacing the glass and not the frame, The house is timber frame and fully insulated etc, Any feedback would be appreciated, Are all double and triple glaze now filled with a gas to improve insulation?

Galego wrote: »

In similar situation myself. Interested to hear some advice.

Why would you contemplate keeping the frames? They will be the weekest link.

Galego

BryanF wrote: »

Why would you contemplate keeping the frames? They will be the weekest link.

I don’t know if I can afford new windows but then again I have not priced new windows.

I got the sales rep from Energlaze at home and he was pricing me roughly €300 per window (to retrofit double glaze).

So my doubts now are:

How much are new frames + double glaze?

Are new frames easily replaced without causing much hassle in the house?

BryanF

Galego wrote: »

I don’t know if I can afford new windows but then again I have not priced new windows.

I got the sales rep from Energlaze at home and he was pricing me roughly €300 per window (to retrofit double glaze).

So my doubts now are:

1. How much are new frames + double glaze?

2. Are new frames easily replaced without causing much hassle in the house?

1. get three quotes
2. a good installer will fix plaster work and tidy up after themselves

strandsman

BryanF wrote: »

Why would you contemplate keeping the frames? They will be the weekest link.

ya that's what I want to do, just replace the glass

893bet

strandsman wrote: »

ya that's what I want to do, just replace the glass

I think as Bryan has explained it is probably a waste of time and money and it will not make your home any warmer or more energy efficient.

strandsman

893bet wrote: »

I think as Bryan has explained it is probably a waste of time and money and it will not make your home any warmer or more energy efficient.

i have pvc frames so they should be fine

Rabbo

I can't see the benefit of replacing existing double glazing with slightly better double glazing and keeping the frames. There may be a small improvement on efficiency but not justifiable.

893bet

strandsman wrote: »

i have pvc frames so they should be fine

That be the key word! I think frames have some on alot in the last few years.

Why is the glass not fine so if you think the frames are fine? As the last poster had says the cost of replacing just the glass doesnt make financial sense.

Of course if you are changing the glass as you want to change the design in some way (adding a Georgian border or something) then financial sense is not as important as if you are changing in attempted to make your house warmer.

beertons

Price the whole job, frames and all. Doesn't make sense to only do half the job. What you think you're saving on one hand, you're losing it on the other. I'm in the middle of pricing doors and windows, doing frames and all. Guy said to me today, there's only 300 in the difference between double and triple glazing.

chicorytip

Would replacing existing double glazing with Energlaze or similar offer better soundproofing from traffic noise etc. ?

MicktheMan

chicorytip wrote: »

Would replacing existing double glazing with Energlaze or similar offer better soundproofing from traffic noise etc. ?

No.

Noise coming through the window is a sign that there is air leakage. The most common air leakage path is between the window frame and wall / window board (even the smallest gap / crack at this junction will allow a lot of air through).

For anyone getting windows replaced insist that the frames are air sealed with proper materials (and I don't mean expanding foam).

strandsman

the thought of replacing the frames would make me puke..... All the plastering,painting,tiling etc no chance. The way I see it, the windows I have are mostly large,So the area of glass is per window is far more than the area of the frame, If the triple glaze or other is more efficient there has to be a saving, fair enough the new type frames may be more efficient but the cost of the remedial work fitting them + extra cost of purchase may not justify the saving. At the moment I am looking at replacing glazing in the living space rooms which is about half the windows, If I see an improvement then it'll be something to chew on.

Whelan1916

We changed our glass and kept our original pvc frames. We did the front of the house first and were so pleased with the result we got [snip] back to do the rest of the house.As far as we are concerned it really does work.

893bet

Whelan1916 wrote: »

We changed our glass and kept our original pvc frames. We did the front of the house first and were so pleased with the result we got [snip] back to do the rest of the house.As far as we are concerned it really does work.

Lol

smokey20

Whelan1916 wrote: »

We changed our glass and kept our original pvc frames. We did the front of the house first and were so pleased with the result we got [snip] back to do the rest of the house.As far as we are concerned it really does work.

Subtle

strandsman

Whelan1916 wrote: »

We changed our glass and kept our original pvc frames. We did the front of the house first and were so pleased with the result we got [snip] back to do the rest of the house.As far as we are concerned it really does work.

why did you only do the front of the house first?

Rabbo

strandsman wrote: »

why did you only do the front of the house first?

I think the poster may be connected with the company in question so the story is likely to be fabricated

JonathonS

strandsman wrote: »

why did you only do the front of the house first?

First post, so I think the suggestion is that Whelan1916 is a not entirely disinterested party.....

Joe Public

I was thinking of a similar thing i.e. getting teak timber frames, that I like, converted from single to double glaze thus keeping the frames. The existing glass is held in and sealed by putty and 26 years old. All is in good order with no sign of deterioration but just need to keep the window cold out.

I asked a friend I know who is in the business and he said the frames will have to be routed to take the deeper double glazing units which should be A rated ( gas filled ). They will be sealed in with sealing bonding and finished off with timber slips to the front.

All sounded fine to me but then he said it will only last about 5 years as the frames will have been compromised by the routing and any small leakage or condensation will eventually weaken the new double glazed units and likely to corrode underneath and the gas will then leak leaving you with poor double glazing.

gusman1859

Hi

We are considering energlaze to replace single pane teak windows with double glazing. I asked the sales man if we could see the work on another house and he said the company don't do that for privacy reasons. Most company's will show you examples of their work so this made me a little nervous.

Does anyone know where you can see completed windows and did you get the opportunity to see windows before you made your decision?

Any advice appreciated.

Regards
Gus

Joe Public

gusman1859 wrote: »

Hi

We are considering energlaze to replace single pane teak windows with double glazing. I asked the sales man if we could see the work on another house and he said the company don't do that for privacy reasons. Most company's will show you examples of their work so this made me a little nervous.

Does anyone know where you can see completed windows and did you get the opportunity to see windows before you made your decision?

Any advice appreciated.

Regards
Gus

The more stories I heard about the retro fit of timber frames with double glazing the more I went off the idea. The lifespan of the solution is a lot shorter than getting all new PVC windows. The timber frames will be weakened by the routing job. The run off of condensation will not be as efficient as with new modern windows and will eventually cause internal problems. It will not be easy to do a good seal between the new double glazed units as it was with the single glaze. If the double glaze unit is fitted too tightly it can crack with expansion.

I too had an Energlaze rep. out and asked him for references and also got the customer privacy story.

I got him to price for a retrofit and all new and both were a little expensive. I ended up getting all new windows and doors of same quality, off someone else, as they were pricing for 3 or 4K less.

A neighbour of mine got a double glaze retrofit on teak frames a few years ago but they don't consider it the solution they really want and would prefer new windows. They don't seem to be having any problems so far. The look is not as tidy as new windows.

Hope this helps.

sydthebeat

picture it... if youve a bucket full of holes with water seeping out.. and you block up some of the holes (lest assume half) then while you might have less holes, the water will seep out faster from the remaining ones as they are under greater pressure.

the same happens in this case.
while the windows retain more heat, the heat loss through the frames increases.

so im my opinion, if your frame is not thermally broken or is of a high conductvity material, switching the glazing may not be teh best use of resources... and it would certainly be much better to change the whole window if possible.

Joe Public

The retrofit job would entail something like in the video expect the finish to be with timber beading rather than putty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9zQvjaG4k

fatty pang

Joe Public wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9zQvjaG4k

That’s amateur hour stuff with a yearly life-expectancy in single figures for the insulated glazing unit.
Firstly the timber exposed by the routing should have had a suitable timber preservative brushed into it. Secondly, the flat bottom rail is going to be a trap for water. Lastly applying sealant all the way around the unit is going to limit ventilation of the zone between glass and frame and promote capillary attraction of water towards the IGU sealant resulting in an increased potential for ICU seal failure (internal condensation)

Joe Public

fatty pang wrote: »

That’s amateur hour stuff with a yearly life-expectancy in single figures for the insulated glazing unit.
Firstly the timber exposed by the routing should have had a suitable timber preservative brushed into it. Secondly, the flat bottom rail is going to be a trap for water. Lastly applying sealant all the way around the unit is going to limit ventilation of the zone between glass and frame and promote capillary attraction of water towards the IGU sealant resulting in an increased potential for ICU seal failure (internal condensation)

Good points!

zulutango

For us, we have old timber sash windows (dating from early 1800's). The timber is all dry and in good nick. There was zero chance we were going to replace these with uPVC but we were toying with either getting new timber sash windows or just replacing the glazing.

In the end we opted to go with Energlaze and the job was done a few weeks ago. Pretty happy with what they've done. The guy took the full windows out, stripped them, draft proofed and put them back in. They look very good, and you wouldn't notice (visually) that anything has been done.

We realise that this is not the best way to limit heat loss, but it was the best solution for us given that we wanted to retain the frames for heritage reasons. We haven't had a cold snap yet, but there does seem to be a noticeable difference in comfort levels.

Joe Public

zulutango wrote: »

For us, we have old timber sash windows (dating from early 1800's). The timber is all dry and in good nick. There was zero chance we were going to replace these with uPVC but we were toying with either getting new timber sash windows or just replacing the glazing.

In the end we opted to go with Energlaze and the job was done a few weeks ago. Pretty happy with what they've done. The guy took the full windows out, stripped them, draft proofed and put them back in. They look very good, and you wouldn't notice (visually) that anything has been done.

We realise that this is not the best way to limit heat loss, but it was the best solution for us given that we wanted to retain the frames for heritage reasons. We haven't had a cold snap yet, but there does seem to be a noticeable difference in comfort levels.

Did they do a putty finish?

Riyamkari

I had pvc double glazing put in 4 yrs.ago.I feel there is a lot of cold coming from the glass in the living room which is east facing.Thinking of changing the glass to energlaze but not sure if it will make a huge difference....?

BryanF

it's typically the frame that's the week point? Are your sure the problem is the glass ?

zulutango

BryanF wrote:

it's typically the frame that's the week point? Are your sure the problem is the glass ?

That's not really true though. If the pane or combination of panes and gap have a high u-value then a hell of a lot of heat is being conducted through the glass, irrespective of the frames.

A lot of PVC installed in Ireland has a high u-value and therefore is not really great. Unfortunately most people just think that double glazing is double glazing and don't go for low u-value windows, and suffer the consequences as a result.

BryanF

zulutango wrote: »

That's not really true though. If the pane or combination of panes and gap have a high u-value then a hell of a lot of heat is being conducted through the glass, irrespective of the frames.

A lot of PVC installed in Ireland has a high u-value and therefore is not really great. Unfortunately most people just think that double glazing is double glazing and don't go for low u-value windows, and suffer the consequences as a result.

I agree but that's Not my point, please direct me to a window company that's frames have a better u-value than the glass they use?

elstevio99

zulutango wrote: »

For us, we have old timber sash windows (dating from early 1800's). The timber is all dry and in good nick. There was zero chance we were going to replace these with uPVC but we were toying with either getting new timber sash windows or just replacing the glazing.

In the end we opted to go with Energlaze and the job was done a few weeks ago. Pretty happy with what they've done. The guy took the full windows out, stripped them, draft proofed and put them back in. They look very good, and you wouldn't notice (visually) that anything has been done.

We realise that this is not the best way to limit heat loss, but it was the best solution for us given that we wanted to retain the frames for heritage reasons. We haven't had a cold snap yet, but there does seem to be a noticeable difference in comfort levels.

We're in a cold snap now! Do you see the benefits of the energlaze windows now?
I'm also in a house with window frames from c. 1840, so looking for options to retain some heat, particularly in the north facing rooms which get very cold. PVC double glazing is a total non-runner as the house is a protected structure

zulutango

elstevio99 wrote: »

We're in a cold snap now! Do you see the benefits of the energlaze windows now?
I'm also in a house with window frames from c. 1840, so looking for options to retain some heat, particularly in the north facing rooms which get very cold. PVC double glazing is a total non-runner as the house is a protected structure

Yep, absolutely. We have them about 18 months now including two winters. The downstairs is very noticeably more comfortable than it ever was before and the boiler isn't cycling on/off as much, and it's also set to a lower temp. Very happy with the windows. The only issue is the cost, but we were able to get a grant.

elstevio99

Fantastic, thanks for the response!

fatty pang

Caveat emptor.
From the Glass & Glazing Federation -
[HTML][/HTML]http://www.ggf.org.uk/news/insulating_glass_units_standard_and_ce_labelling[HTML][/HTML]

webmanie

EnerGlaze

Hi All, just wondering do anyone have an up date on EnerGlaze replacement glsss, im not changing the frames just the glass, any good or bad storys about it, not so much the company but the product it self,