Losing heat through your windows is pretty much inevitable. With the exception of a couple of extremely expensive and questionable solutions, double glazing is probably the best course of action you can take. Compared to their regular counterparts, double glazed (or even triple glazed) windows will be able to keep the heat in (or out during summertime) much more efficiently.
According to various studies done by the British Fenestration Rating Council, these windows alone (!) can reduce your energy usage by as many as 18%. Combine them with other insulation techniques and you are likely looking at an every higher percentage. As a result, government grants for windows are sought after, but are there any quality available programs right now, and if there are, are they easy to apply for?
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Most frequently asked questions about double glazing grants
Q: Are there available ECO grants at the moment?
A: Unfortunately government grants for double glazing are currently not covered by any programs ran by the Energy Companies Obligation. They offer wall and roof insulation grants, but rants for replacement windows are not on the list as of early February, 2016. This could change in the near future but right now there are no council grants for double glazing.
Q: So that’s it then? Do I have to create the funds if I want double glazed windows?
A: Not necessarily. While it is true that there are no nationwide programs available that would cover double glazing in its entirety, the Green Deal has put a financial mechanism in place that – theoretically – can help those who want to replace their windows using a more efficient, double glazed variant.
Q: What about an assessment, is it necessary?
A: Yes, in order to be eligible for the government grants for double glazing, a Green Deal provider first must assess the property. If and when they find it eligible for the grant, only then can the process continue.
Q: What are the questions that the assessor can ask?
A: They will probably ask if you own or rent your property, as well as it is a listed building or in a conservation area. Some houses are built in a non-traditional way which could also be quite important in order for them to evaluate if you are eligible for any government grants for windows.
Q: Anything else that could be important?
A: The number of residents, the type of heating you use (along with the appliances), how frequently you use your heating system or what kind of energy saving solutions are already used, these points can all come up during the assessing process. Or anything else that can be important regarding your heating system. Best course of action is to get prepared for any questions that could come up regarding insulation and heating in general.
There is a catch
So Green Deal has a policy in place which states that they offer certain funds and grants for windows. There is a catch, however. The measures they put in place has to save more money than their installation would cost.
The problem with double glazing is that on its own, it likely cannot achieve this “Golden Rule” (that is what they call it). If, however, you combine it with different insulation projects, their added effectiveness could actually mean that the cost of installation would end up being lower than the amount these measures could save. In fact that has to be the goal.
The process
The first step is to talk to a Green Deal assessor or provider. They will help you figure out if the possible energy saving improvements in your home could make sense. Costs are important here because of the “Golden Rule” (the above mentioned conditions about the cost).
Double glazing alone is questionable
Installing double glazing windows is usually more expensive than the amount of money they could end up saving within a year. However, combined with other energy saving solutions, the plan can certainly work.
The Green Deal provides help for the following works:
- Insulation (solid and cavity walls, loft insulation)
- Heating
- Draught proofing
- Double glazing
- Renewable energy solutions
With the right combination the costs could certainly stay lower than the savings they could generate within a relatively short period of time.
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