What Is Secondary Glazing?

Secondary glazing involves installing a pane of glass and frame to existing windows. Unlike double glazing, which would remove a single glazed window and replace it, secondary glazing is added to the existing window.

The purpose of installing secondary glazing is to offer energy insulation and soundproofing to your windows. It is a cheaper solution to double glazing and is a good option if you cannot replace existing windows due to living in period or listed properties.

Secondary glazing is fairly easy to install yourself.

Although you are technically adding a pane of glass to your existing windows, secondary glazing can be slim and discreet using a strong but lightweight aluminium frame to hold it in place. You can also open and close secondary glazing as you would a normal window.

Secondary glazing is fairly easy to install yourself and can be bought with DIY kits. This will again lower the cost and avoid installation fees as you would have with double glazing.

Easy to maintain

Unlike some fixtures, cleaning secondary glazing has no specialist requirements. On secondary glazing kits, all moving parts have already been factory sealed with lubricant. That means you simply need to wash down the glass panes and aluminium. To do so, mix non-alkaline detergent with warm water and use a cloth or sponge to carefully wipe down surfaces. secondary glazing panels are also fitted with opening mechanisms, allowing you to clean the back of each secondary glazing panel. Horizontal sliders can be removed from the frame, while balanced vertical sliders have a contra-slide feature. Other models come with a tilt feature, allowing you window sashes to tilt out of their frame for easy cleaning.

Cleaning tips

Need to remove a stubborn stain or mark from your windows? The best way to approach it is using a soft brush or nylon pad. Here are some other tips and tricks for cleaning your secondary glazing:

• Don’t use abrasive cleaning solutions such as strong acids or alkalis
• Avoid using steel wool or wired scourer pads
• Rinse surfaces with clean water and wipe dry with a clean, dry cloth after cleaning to avoid leaving marks
• Vacuum the bottom track of a horizontal sliding system to avoid dirt build up
• Make sure you wipe any dust off your windows before applying water, as this can cause smears

How often should you clean secondary glazing?

Secondary glazing is simple to clean when it’s done periodically. Like any windows, however, it can become more complicated when dirt is left to build up over long periods. Ideally, windows should be cleaned at least every few months, but the cleaning cycle may vary depending on local conditions. Pets and children are just two things that can make secondary glazing cleaning a more frequent requirement.

Touching up when cleaning

Cleaning your secondary glazing provides the ideal opportunity to give panels an overall refresh. Chips and scratches to the paint can be touched up using non-cellulose paint. When doing so, take particular care not to get any paint into draught seals or moving parts on your windows. Doing so could impair their function.

Occasionally, it can also benefit windows to spray silicone lubricant onto horizontal sliding tracks to keep them working perfectly.