You lose up to 40 percent of your home’s heat through windows: how to choose the right glass | local

Of course, everything insulates better than individual glass. It’s best to stay away from that anyway. What’s more: in Flanders, double glazing is the standard and has been mandatory in every house since 2020. If a Flemish house has more than one window without double glazing, the building may be considered unsuitable. What’s more: Flanders considers double glazing to be a minimum, and encourages you to choose high-efficiency glass. But this leads us directly to the first crucial question.

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Double glazing consists – not surprisingly – of two panes of glass tightly connected to each other at a certain distance from each other. This creates an insulating layer between the panels. You will find different types on the market that may or may not be better insulation.

High-efficiency glass (abbreviated as HR glass) not only has one or more cavities, depending on the number of glass panels, but it also has an additional protective layer inside one of those glass panels, which reflects heat. “HR+” glass consists of two glass panels with one cavity containing dry air. “HR++” glass also has one cavity, but it is filled with a noble gas that is a better insulator, such as argon. HR+++ glass, also called triplex glass, consists of three sheets of glass, separated by cavities filled with argon or krypton gas.

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As we said: You should choose double glazing today, especially in Flanders. So the question is rather: is high-efficiency glass worthwhile? The answer is simple: yes. You will save a lot on your energy bill. For every square meter of single glazing you replace with high-efficiency glass, you can save approximately 25 liters of heating oil or 23 cubic meters of natural gas every year. Ordinary high-performance glazing insulates two to three times better than ordinary double glazing, and triple glazing is approximately five times better.

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It is definitely recommended to use high-efficiency glazing in those rooms where you often stay and which you heat. On average, high-performance glass costs around €80/m². Adding the installation costs, you quickly reach a cost of around €130/m². You may also need to replace window profiles if the glass does not fit.

Are you considering triple glazing? Then you have to know some things. Triplex glazing itself is somewhat more expensive than regular high-efficiency glass. But installation costs are also higher. Triple glazing weighs about 10 kg/m2 more than double glazing. So you also need wider and sturdier window frames. As a result, triple glazing is not always an option during the renovation process.

And there’s more. If you install new windows in an existing home, the air may not be renewed enough because the new windows have fewer cracks and cracks. So you may also need to install window grilles or a ventilation system. Also insulate the ceiling, walls and floors adequately. Otherwise, condensation is likely to form, which can lead to damp spots and mold.

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Would you like to install high-efficiency glazing in an existing (residential) building in the Flemish area? Then you can apply for My Renovation Premium for windows and doors. The building must be at least fifteen years old. As an owner-occupier, do you belong to the middle or lower income group? Then you can also apply for a premium to demolish and install windows and doors with high-efficiency glass.

You can also contact your network operator Fluvius for different premiums. To start, an outstanding EPC mark, if you completely renovate a poor energy performing home within five years of purchase, so that the EPC value improves significantly. But also rent and insulation premium: an additional high premium for glazing projects in rental properties, among others. And a total renewal bonus, for those who invest in three or more energy savings with their premiums.

You can also get premiums for high-efficiency glazing in the Brussels Capital Region and Wallonia. Like Prime G2 for exterior doors and windows in Brussels. Wallonia offers two options: on the one hand, installments after a visit by a recognized home auditor; On the other hand, loans with reduced interest or even no interest.

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