Why InvisiTherm™ is Best for Historic Buildings | Glaze & Save

Historic buildings, and the glaze that comes with them, have often been seen as problematic properties requiring excessive utilities and invasive solutions to bring them up to speed with modern innovations in energy efficiency and thermal comfort. It’s a sad fact that this attitude has led to the degradation and destruction of much of our built heritage. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

For historic buildings, where the retention of original features and fabric is paramount, secondary glazing allows the original windows to be retained in their unaltered state; reducing air leakages and heat losses while retaining the historic fabric of the building. Heat loss by conduction and radiation through windows can be reduced by over 60% by using secondary glazing. The innovative polycarbonate material that makes InvisiTherm™ boasts reduction in heat loss of up to 63%.

But thermal efficiency without compromising the integrity of your original windows is not the only reason to choose a secondary glazing product like InvisiTherm™. Unlike double glazing, InvisiTherm™ can offer numerous other benefits to the historic building.

What is Secondary Glazing?

Secondary glazing is an entirely independent glazing system affixed to the interior of existing windows. The original window remains in its original position, and can be left untreated, or restored with draught-proofing treatments such as Glaze & Save InvisiSeal™.

Secondary glazing has suffered from something of a bad reputation in the past. Bulky aluminium frames, heavy glass panels, and ugly intrusive fixtures and fittings rendered secondary glazing the poor relation to double glazing. Glaze & Save InvisiTherm™ changes all of that. Our demountable polycarbonate panels are lightweight and easy to remove, and our innovative magnetic strip ensures that there are no bulky frames and unsightly fittings. Our bespoke systems are virtually invisible once affixed to your window, making them perfect for retaining the charm and beauty of your historic building.

So let’s get to those reasons as to why Invisitherm™ bespoke magnetic secondary glazing is the best choice for historic buildings.

1. Noise insulation

Due to their lightweight construction, windows are often the most vulnerable part of a building when it comes to noise transmission. The noise reduction of the typical single glazed window, depending on the openings and seals, may be as little as 18-25dBA.

Glaze & Save InvisiTherm™ can guarantee a noise reduction of at least 48%. These amazing noise reduction properties can make all of the difference in historic buildings.

2. Protection from ultra violet light

As well as first rate heat retention and noise cancelling properties, InvisiTherm™ can help protect against the damaging effects of ultra violet (UV) light. This is particularly important in historic buildings where precious paintings and artifacts, and delicate furnishings and fabrics may be found. InvisiTherm™ will absorb the UV light, protecting the contents of your historic building from fading.

3. Solar gain

Keeping you warm in the winter and cooler in the summer is another excellent advantage of Glaze & Save InvisiTherm™. Ordinary secondary glazing can assist in admitting large amounts of solar energy through the windows, leading to solar heating, i.e. the “greenhouse effect”. InvisiTherm™ reflects around 27% of the heat from the sun, keeping your historic building temperate for residents, staff and visitors.

Our fully demountable systems can even be removed in the warmer summer months for maximum flexibility.

4. Security

We all like the feeling of an extra layer of security. Secondary glazing provides an additional barrier to entry, keeping your historic property safe and secure. This is particularly useful when the use of a historic building is being changed and extra security is required. The secondary glazing can provide that additional security whilst retaining the existing windows.

The innovative polycarbonate of Glaze & Save InvisiTherm™ is thirty times stronger than the acetate or Perspex used by our competitors. It’s virtually unbreakable, leaving you and your property safe and secure.

5. Visual impact

Traditionally, secondary glazing could be visually intrusive and badly designed. InvisiTherm™ is different. Our bespoke panels are cut to size on site to fit your existing windows perfectly. We have a huge range of cover strips available in multiple colours and wood finishes to ensure the finish of your system matches the windows perfectly. We’ll even paint our wooden beading to match your window frames exactly: even if it takes ten coats of paint!

You’ll find the visual impact of InvisiTherm™ to be so minimal, you’ll think it’s virtually invisible. That’s why we’re approved for installations in listed buildings across Scotland, and have installed our systems in properties operated by the National Trust for Scotlandand Historic Environment Scotland.

6. Maintenance

In historic buildings, it is of vital importance that secondary glazing systems should not prevent access to the original windows for maintenance and cleaning. Traditional secondary glazing can be heavy and unwieldly, making access to the original window difficult.

Luckily, the innovative polycarbonate of Glaze & Save InvisiTherm™ is lightweight and easily removed, for cleaning, maintenance or storage.

It is safe, lightweight at 4.8kg per m2 (half the weight of glass of same thickness) and easy to handle, shatterproof and virtually unbreakable. It makes removal and cleaning a breeze.

We’ll also provide you with an aftercare pack in order to clean and care for your InvisiTherm™ system. Along with antistatic spray and microfiber cloths for hassle free cleaning, we’ll also provide suckers and/or pull tabs for easy removal of your systems.

If removing the systems yourself still seems daunting, then there’s no need to worry. We can arrange for our team to visit your property to remove the systems for you.

InvisiTherm™ is bespoke magnetic secondary glazing available exclusively from Glaze & Save. Installed in some of the most prestigious historic buildings in the UK, InvisiTherm™ is the perfect solution for your listed or conservation property. Contact us here to arrange a free no obligation survey.