
Many British houses are equipped with double glazing and uPVC windows. You can walk through almost any street in the United Kingdom and see a line of double-glazed windows lining the building. Double glazing was only popular in Britain during the 1970s and 1980s, even though the concept has been around for years. The modern condition of double glazing was thought to have been invented in America in the 1930s by C.D Haven. However, the Romans invented similar methods of retaining heat over 2000 years ago.
People used fires to keep their houses warm, but larger homes had a problem keeping the heat in. Heating the place with just insulation wasn’t enough during the cold winters because the heat was leaking out the windows. To solve this problem, C.D Haven invented the “thermopane” double glazed window; these windows provided fantastic insulation and transformed many houses. In the 1950s, American thermopanes got popular and were perceived as sophisticated, luxurious, and superior.
When did double glazing come in UK?
Double glazing became popular in the US in the 1970s and 80s, and it was soon more prevalent in the UK. Before this point in time, there were window manufacturers in the UK, but they only manufactured single-glazed windows. The earliest examples of the ‘second window’ system date from the mid-1960s, involving removing rotting timbers and replacing the original window with an additional layer of glass.
The big breakthrough in the late 70s was aluminium double glazing, even though this was a popular product back then. Double glazing became the norm for new homes in the 1980s. Although the concept of double glazing was relatively new in the 70s, it quickly caught on, and now 93% of UK homes have double glazed windows.
These days, you can get uPVC profiles in several colors and textured finishes. With precision manufacturing, uPVC windows now look like timber windows, with neater corners and mechanical joints. And, wood-alternative windows were born! Replacement uPVC windows with these high-quality windows let homeowners keep their style.
There’s been a resurgence of replacement windows over the last 10 years. People now replace windows for design reasons. Window types can be flush casements, storm casements, or traditional sliding sash windows. Colors range from soft whites to greens and greys and the installation styles, such as cottages, Victorian terraced houses, or contemporary new builds. Homeowners can replicate their home’s look and feel using sympathetic designs and manufacturing. Double glazing’s popularity isn’t going away anytime soon with better designs and performance standards. We already make triple-glazed windows at First Alert Windows, so who knows what’s coming next?
Read More: Can you double glaze existing windows?