Double Glazing, or not ?

[Tonyl]

Hello Everyone,

 

My wife and I are new to the forum and have spent an enjoyable few hours reading through some of the topics within the forum. We are at the moment planning various aspects of the fit of a new boat we have ordered for June 2008. We have various things to think about until the build commences, one of which is Window type. Should we go for Single or Double glazed units. The builder seemed hesitant to commit to double glazes units, but said he would do it if we insisted, but also pointed out one or two problems he had encountered over the years, such as faulty glazing units etc and still elements of condensation occuring. We had seen double glazing fitted to a second hand boat we had viewed and the seller seemed enthusiastic about it, but then again ,"he would say that would'nt he".

Does anyone have any advice or experience of double glazed versus single glazed units ?

 

Regards Tony & Sue Little

[Dylan]

Hello Everyone,

 

My wife and I are new to the forum and have spent an enjoyable few hours reading through some of the topics within the forum. We are at the moment planning various aspects of the fit of a new boat we have ordered for June 2008. We have various things to think about until the build commences, one of which is Window type. Should we go for Single or Double glazed units. The builder seemed hesitant to commit to double glazes units, but said he would do it if we insisted, but also pointed out one or two problems he had encountered over the years, such as faulty glazing units etc and still elements of condensation occuring. We had seen double glazing fitted to a second hand boat we had viewed and the seller seemed enthusiastic about it, but then again ,"he would say that would'nt he".

Does anyone have any advice or experience of double glazed versus single glazed units ?

 

Regards Tony & Sue Little

"No" is the honest answer form me, but I am wondering if one could have sufficient air gap in a boat window to make the double glazing effective? I know ofsome wide beam boats are fitted with house type PVC window frames and these have D/G.

[Chris J W]

Mine's double glazed and all seems fine to me. Very rarely have condensation on the insides.

[magnetman]

A friend of mine has a wide beam canal boat with double glazing in pvc 'egress' type windows. First point is if you leave a window open and enter a lock the window could be damaged and secondly one of the DG units has condensation in it. I'm wondering if its because boats, even steel canal boats, are slightly flexible resulting in a breach of the seal.

[blackrose]

That's correct. The difference between double glazing in a house & on a boat is that ordinary domestic double glazed units are not required to withstand the kind of knocks and stresses that you encounter on a boat. If you bang into a lock wall on a boat with cheap double glazing the seals will most likely rupture and will let air inside which will mean condensation & mildew between the glass.

 

In short I think proper marine double glazing is a great idea - just don't go for cheap units. I think Gary Peackock (Legard Bridge Boats) - a regular contributor to the forum, has some experience with this and may be able to offer you some advice on which brand to go for.

Edited January 4, 2008 by blackrose

[Pav]

Hello Everyone,

 

My wife and I are new to the forum and have spent an enjoyable few hours reading through some of the topics within the forum. We are at the moment planning various aspects of the fit of a new boat we have ordered for June 2008. We have various things to think about until the build commences, one of which is Window type. Should we go for Single or Double glazed units. The builder seemed hesitant to commit to double glazes units, but said he would do it if we insisted, but also pointed out one or two problems he had encountered over the years, such as faulty glazing units etc and still elements of condensation occuring. We had seen double glazing fitted to a second hand boat we had viewed and the seller seemed enthusiastic about it, but then again ,"he would say that would'nt he".

Does anyone have any advice or experience of double glazed versus single glazed units ?

 

Regards Tony & Sue Little

 

Welcome to the forum Tony & Sue,

 

I was in the same position as you last year, deliberating if I should go the double glazed route, on our new boat, or not.

 

After looking into it in some depth, we took the ''or not'' decision. It would appear that a problem can exist with seals in the units braking down due to the knocks and bangs which a narrowboat encounters.

 

One person who had d/g on their boat, became so fed up of having to replace one unit after another, that the decision was taken to replace all the windows with single glazed ones.

 

I was also told that some window companies who offered d/g units, eventually stopped due to the number of complaints they were receiving over 'misted' units.

 

In principal the idea of d/g sounds good, but in practice it may prove more trouble than it's worth.

 

Regards,

Pav.

[DHutch]

Should be a problem with the shaking really.

- Coaches have DG, opening windows and doors that get slamed around a lot (well ours do) and they last 20 years or so.

- Ours are all 20yo, and out of around 100 sealed units. Only one has broken down, last summer. And thats a fixed window.

 

I think the real problem is the windows sold for narrowboats are just very poor quality. Often infact, not sealed units at all.

- The other problem is that if you still have solid aluminum frames, you will still get condenstaion on there.

 

However in priciple, the idea is good!!!

 

 

Daniel

[Gary Peacock]

Don't consider the ones from the company that makes them for horse boxes!

 

I wouldn't recommend or use any of their products personally but that's enough said probably.

 

The ones from Channelglaze are what we use now they do offer good insulation (Both to keep heat in and out.) and soundproofing but you do still get condensation on the frame in some circumstances. (You will with any marine window that does not have a thermal break, and I have still to see one in the price range that would be considered for the inland waterways market.)

 

UPVC sealed units are usable but look awful and other than on true houseboats seem to have a detrimental effect on the boats future value.

[wotnot]

Like most topics on this forum people will give an opinion based on experience, evidence or supposition which is useful in helping the final decision that will involve spending your money.

 

Our new build will only have portholes and I have specified Channelglaze units.

 

I have read views about flexing and condensation but as coaches, trains, some cars, motorhomes etc. have double glazing, in my opinion it is down to design, quality and fitting.

 

Hopefully, I will be posting in 12 months time stating that they are no problems.

[Tonyl]

Hello again,

 

Thanks to you all who offered advice and opinions on the "Double Glazing" topic. Great info, and I tend to think the general concensis is "Yes, if it is of good quality". I will have another chat with my builder and try and thrash it out and take into account all of the advice offered.

Great web-site by the way.

 

Regards

 

Tony.

[blackrose]

Like most topics on this forum people will give an opinion based on experience, evidence or supposition which is useful in helping the final decision that will involve spending your money.

 

Our new build will only have portholes and I have specified Channelglaze units.

 

I have read views about flexing and condensation but as coaches, trains, some cars, motorhomes etc. have double glazing, in my opinion it is down to design, quality and fitting.

 

Hopefully, I will be posting in 12 months time stating that they are no problems.

 

I tend to think that with something like 12" or 15" dia portholes you'll be ok, because compared to big windows they won't flex as much. I'll be interested to hear your review in a year or so.

[Keeping Up]

Don't consider the ones from the company that makes them for horse boxes!

 

I wouldn't recommend or use any of their products personally but that's enough said probably.

 

The ones from Channelglaze are what we use now they do offer good insulation (Both to keep heat in and out.) and soundproofing but you do still get condensation on the frame in some circumstances. (You will with any marine window that does not have a thermal break, and I have still to see one in the price range that would be considered for the inland waterways market.)

 

UPVC sealed units are usable but look awful and other than on true houseboats seem to have a detrimental effect on the boats future value.

If it's the company I dealt with recently, I found them really friendly but a nightmare to actually get anything from. Twice I needed something (they were the only company I could find that still stock the rubbers for my 16-year old windows) and twice they took so long to supply them that in the end both times they sent them free as compensation!

[blackrose]

If it's the company I dealt with recently, I found them really friendly but a nightmare to actually get anything from. Twice I needed something (they were the only company I could find that still stock the rubbers for my 16-year old windows) and twice they took so long to supply them that in the end both times they sent them free as compensation!

 

A nightmare with a happy ending!

[bottle]

A bit late but one to bookmark, http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/

 

Not used them.

[Keeping Up]

A bit late but one to bookmark, <a href="http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/</a>

 

Not used them.

They couldn't help with mine.

 

I'm not sure if mine had been Channelglaze or Severn Yachts but today's companies of the same name could no longer supply them. The design, frames, rubbers, and all had been sold to another company with a foreign-sounding name who had since been taken over and still had all the rubbers in stock - but had a minimum order quantity of £100 which was more thah I was going to pay for a couple of bits of rubber!