How to Choose the Right Secondary Glazing Product…

Whether you’re looking to reduce external noise, combat heat loss, safeguard your home against intruders or add genuine value to your home, secondary glazing boasts an extensive array of benefits.

Without the hassle and mess of a traditional window replacement, our entire suite of secondary glazing products is easy to fit and the process is managed from start to finish by one of our trusted installers.

Ideally suited for listed buildings, heritage homes, conservation areas and properties with noise concerns, each secondary glazed window is made to measure and can be customised to match the style, function, colour and décor of your existing windows. Made using the most high-spec, durable aluminium frames, our entire secondary glazing collection is powder coated in-house, providing our customers with over 200 different RAL colouring options.

Now, with that said, choosing the right style of secondary glazing for your home can sometimes prove difficult. You’ll often find yourself spoilt for choice when browsing our all-encompassing product suite. Certain types of secondary glazing are better suited to certain homes and situations. We’ve compiled a handy guide below to help you choose the correct solution for your home:

Horizontal Sliding Secondary Glazing

Perhaps the most popular selection in our entire range, horizontal sliding secondary glazing comes in two, three, four or five panel configurations depending on the size and scale of your existing windows. Offering incredibly versatile aesthetics, our horizontal sliding products can be paired with a variety of primary window configurations, such as casement, hinged or essentially any window with vertical bars. Removeable sashes also ensures ample cleaning access is available, making dirty windows a thing of the past.

Advantages:

The versatility of our horizontal sliding units is what make them such a popular choice. That, paired with easy cleaning access, makes them the perfect choice for virtually all property types. Brass rollers also ensure a seamless opening motion.

Disadvantages:

If you’re covering a particularly large glass expanse with heavy duty glazing, it’s worth noting that it would likely take two people to remove the panels for cleaning in line with standard manual handling practice. This will not be an issue for 99% of properties, though.

View our Horizontal Sliding Secondary Glazing

Vertical Sliding Secondary Glazing

Perfect for heritage properties and modern buildings alike, our vertical sliding units are best paired with sash windows. In fact, in many cases, this would be the only primary window type that should be combined with our vertical sliding secondary glazing. Traditional units slide vertically (as the name would suggest), though there is the option to add a tilt-in function which allows both panels to pivot inwards for additional cleaning access and room ventilation. New to our range, a Slide Past variation of our vertical sliding units is now available, which enables both panels to contra slide completely past one another for superior cleaning access.

Advantages:

This secondary glazing type is particularly unobtrusive when paired with sash windows. The way the frames flow makes them virtually invisible when looking at the window head on. For this reason alone, they are hugely popular in listed buildings where the charm of the primary window must be retained.

Disadvantages:

The only disadvantage of choosing vertical sliding units is that they’re only suited to sash windows. If you happen to have sash windows in your home, though, this is the secondary glazing for you.

View our Vertical Sliding Secondary Glazing

Hinged Unit Secondary Glazing

Our hinged units are similar to our horizontal sliders, in that, they can be paired with essentially any style of primary window. Opening into the room in a door-like fashion, with hinges positioned on whichever side you prefer, hinged units offer a truly unobtrusive aesthetic, with no transoms or mullions to spoil the view. It’s also the only product type in our range that can offer double glazing, which is perfect for homes where noise is a particular concern. For wider glass expanses, double hinged units can be installed, all brought together by a multi-point licking system that ensures the panels lock securely in place.

Advantages:

The double-glazing option is a huge plus point here, especially if you’re trying to combat excessive external noise. The lack of any central transom or mullion is also a huge advantage from an aesthetic standpoint, the frames can often go completely unnoticed. The multi-point locking also offers an additional layer of security that certain other product types do not.

Disadvantages:

The opening mechanism of our hinged units means they’re only really suited to rooms that have the space to allow for their internal opening. If you’ve got that then you’re good to go.

View our Hinged Unit Secondary Glazing

Lift Out Secondary Glazing

Featuring a lightweight, removable panel, our lift out units are ideal for rooms where the primary window requires only occasional access. Much like our hinged products, lift out units feature ultra-slim aluminium frames and no central transom or mullions, ensuring truly unobtrusive aesthetics. An integral finger lift bar at the base of the panel is used to lift out the unit, though the quality of the aluminium we use ensures neat and tidy sightlines throughout.

Advantages:

Lift out units are very much a no fuss option, with minimal cleaning and maintenance work required. Customers will often have this option sit proudly in their homes for weeks on end before carrying out some basic cleaning work. The lack of transom or mullions is also a key selling point from an aesthetic perspective.

Disadvantages:

Much like with horizontal units, larger glass expanses will obviously come with heavier panels. Two people may be required to remove the panel and standard manual handling practice should always apply.

View our Lift Out Secondary Glazing

Fixed Secondary Glazing

Going a step beyond our lift out products, fixed units do exactly what they say on the tin and remain fixed in place indefinitely. If no access to the primary window is required, then this is certainly a viable option. Likewise, if space is particularly limited within the room, fixed units can prove incredibly useful. Generally a more popular choice for commercial projects, fixed unit secondary glazing has begun to grow in popularity within the domestic market in recent years.

Advantages:

Once a fixed unit is fitted, you don’t have to worry about it at all. It’ll sit there for as long as you need to it keeping your home quiet, warm and secure.

Disadvantages:

The lack of access to the primary window is the main downside to a fixed unit. That said, if you chose this product type then you’d be doing so because you don’t require access to the primary window.

View our Fixed Secondary Glazing

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Each product type within our range comes with its own unique set of advantages, and some secondary glazing types may be better suited to your property than others. As ever, we are on hand to offer support and guidance throughout every stage of your research. If you’d like to learn more about any product within our range, simple send us a message or call 01909 499899.