When you are replacing windows and doors in your home or building, cost is certainly one factor to consider. Quality, durability, and savings in money and energy can also have a large influence on what you decide to install.  Doors and windows with double glazing cost more than standard single pane products, but the benefits of using double glazing can save you money over the long run and be worth the investment in other ways too.  The investment may even be of significant value in improving the overall look, quality and value of your home.

When assessing the overall cost of the windows you would like to install you will have to try to make comparisons between what you are paying in heating and energy costs, the proposed cost of the glazing and the ongoing savings you would experience. Talk to glazing manufacturers regarding the U-factor and the thermal capacity of various types of glazing and the increased thermal retention that can be anticipated in your home specifically by installing their brand of glazing.  This will help you in establishing some base line calculations to estimate the length of time to pay of your up front investment.

Secondary factors to consider in establishing the value of double glazing is that you are less likely to be a victim of crime with great windows keeping the outside world out.  In addition to this if noise pollution is really high there may be a lot of value in the windows from this viewpoint.  These are things you can’t put a price tag on but are very real in the form of value to you.  Consider these points in your calculation as well.

Double glazed windows are an investment and as such can be purchased in a systematic manner starting with windows in rooms that are the most expensive to heat in any given month or currently have the worst windows. Cheap is not always to go and the best deal will include not just cost but also quality. There is a certain limit of pricing considered reasonable underneath which you may be less then pleased with the end result.  Keep this in mind as you shop for the best value for your situation.  Price negotiation is ok, but take care not to take it too far and end up with a subpar product.

When examining exactly what double glazing is – it refers to two spaced panes of glass that are sealed together and are usually filled with argon gas or comparable substance.  They can also be covered with a microscopic film, virtually unseen, that affects the action of solar rays.  Through allowing the rays in or blocking them out you can increase the energy efficiency in your home. These windows and doors are highly durable, pleasing to look at, resist the accumulation up of condensation since they are sealed and can also increase the value of your home.

The unique manufacturing of these windows and doors can also help filter outside noise that can creep into your home from the outside world. The panes also resist cracking and breaking helping your home stay secure and keeping the temperature constant. There are countless styles to choose from, and you can also have custom made windows to your specifications if your current windows are not standard size.  Window companies can install double glazed doors, windows, bay windows, French windows, conservatory windows and more – the sky is really the limit.  This leaves endless possibilities for improving both the aesthetics and energy efficiency in your home.  Your heating cost could be reduced up to a dramatic 50 percent less with double glazing.

There are also many options for the frames for these windows including aluminum, wood or UVPC (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride).  Be aware that polyvinyl chloride is a plastic and will likely off gas initially when it is brand new.  This is a health consideration for some and for others a point of indifference.  All frames available are durable and can complement your existing home elements. UVPC is a very popular choice as it requires no maintenance, never needing to be painted and seems to always look good giving your home a very updated feeling.

The window and door market is competitive, and the cost of double glazing can fluctuate between suppliers, as does quality and installation expertise.  It’s easy to turn to one of the top names in windows windows and get a free online quote in no time.  The Internet is a very useful tool as it can provide you with endless choices of companies that can serve you as well as it can hold a wealth of information. It can also tell you what companies have performed well and those that have not.  Some seasons are slower then others for window installation therefore allowing you to get a better deal on materials and installation. Be thorough in your research and consider your options before making a choice about your new windows and doors will ensure you end up with your desired results.  Don’t jump too fast and then later regret it.  I went with the largest window company around since they were the most heavily advertised in my area only to later find out I could have gotten the same job done for ½ to 1/3 of the cost trough a smaller less promoted company later.

To guarantee a satisfactory outcome, obtain references of previous customers if you can’t find anything online. It is important to know if a company is reputable or not before contracting the job. Upon hiring double glazing companies establish start and finish times for the project. Have a clear understanding as to duration of completion and the potential pit falls along the way. It. ‘s critical to hire the right company so that you don’t waste time and money and more importantly so that you are happy with your expenditure in the end.

Have you ever heard someone say – Let them eat dirt!  It sounds derogatory but it is actually intended in a positive sense.  Through exposure to a small amount of germs and bacteria we build up stronger immune systems and tolerance to the environments around us.  This is why many Moms actually don’t mind when their kids are out digging in the gray, the mud and the clay knowing it’s actually good for them.

Food irradiation is like the removal of the ‘playing in the dirt equivalent’ to our food. It is basically a sanitization process for our food.  It is making sure that every last insect, fungi or bacteria die, die, die.  It also can slow the sprouting or ripening of certain fruits and veggies.  And it can increase storage life for the long import and export trips that many of our foods make.  These are all good things right?

It’s questionable and in my opinion they are not.

Theoretical Pro – Safer Food

Irradiation is used in an attempt to eliminate bacteria that have been present in our food for centuries.  They use of proper farming techniques and handling has effectively regulated this little guys for centuries and now here we are killing them.  Adding in irradiation is in theory considered safe by Health Canada, but what is not addressed is the long term effects on our health and well being.  I know more people today that have trouble with digestion and foods more so then at any other time in history.  Understanding if irradiation is safe or not, even though it’s presented as making food safer, is a big item to really consider.

Theoretical Pro – Longer Lasting Food

Irradiation that slows down the ripening of foods for shipping can be considered a luxury and it is.  It is one I’m custom to taking advantage of too, but where do we draw the line.  Question to ask would be:  Should I be eating all these foods shipped from 1000′s of miles away that are not in season where I live anyway?  What is the economic and environmental cost of the shipping and purchasing from other countries or areas? How does my body receive out of season foods?  Are there any nutrients left after that long shipping distance?  Does affecting the natural ripening process affect my food?

Irradiation is one of the reasons that I chose to eat organic foods.  Below are some of the negative possibilities linked to irradiation:

  • Irradiation will not necessary replace other additives in foods.  Which means a double whammy – irradiated food that is also loaded with preservatives.
  • Irradiation will not necessarily take the place of pesticides either, which is a way that it has been presented.  Since it occurs after the growing process it is unlikely that it is related.
  • Chemical by-products called “unique radiolytic products” are created when foods are irradiated from the irradiation combining with existing pesticide residue.  These Unique Radiolytic Products are linked to some serious health risks.  Some of the offspring from this interaction include benzene, formaldehyde, and lipid peroxides.  Not good.
  • Per the Organic Consumers Association (I know – they have a vested interest in this) irradiation damages molecules and digestive enzymes naturally occurring in foods as well as a large number of vitamins… up to 80% even.
  • There are even questions of the effectiveness of the irradiation.  Due to relaxed standards when irradiation is included in food processing there are potentially increased risks of more fatal food born illnesses such as botulism.   The reason being is due to the “normal” appearance of food that has actually gone bad, but is not displaying typical signs of deterioration.

I’ve seen it myself

This is an experience that I have personally had that was mildly disturbing.  Where I work at a small private college there was a pre Christmas celebration two weeks into December.  A veggie clam shell (the clear container with all the cut up veggies, where each one is separated out and there is dip in the middle) was purchased and ended up getting left behind in the fridge in favor of other foods.  Fast forward 5 weeks later (this was only yesterday it happened).  Finally the fridge at the school was getting cleaned out…long overdue from December.  The veggie platter…still fully intact.  The broccoli was brown and the celery had spots on it…but everything was intact and some of it even appeared edible.

It doesn’t take a genius to recognize that chopped up veggies shouldn’t be fine for up to six weeks in the fridge.  Yes, if properly stored you can conserve carrots for long periods of time as well as other fresh foods, but it was very clear that these vegetables lacked the normal “life like qualities” that would normally lead to their deterioration.

There is no question that we are in a time of environmental considerations. Every day you can find information on the TV, Internet or in the newspaper that relates to our environment.  A lot of the news is skewed to the negative, but there is also quite a bit that is focuses on what is happening out there in the big ol’ world too.  There are initiatives creeping up all over everyday.  They happen with individuals, non-profits, government groups and even companies.  In fact in a lot of ways companies lead the way.

Companies control a huge portion of all the industry that is out there.  They are a key point in the environmental picture and many of them are making changes like crazy.  Change to affect their bottom lines, changes to lessen negative impacts on the environment and changes to give their customers what they want.

If you are at all concerned about the environment you will likely be interested in green companies that are out there.  I know that I am.  Wikipedia’s definition of a green company is a company that acts, or claims to act, in a way, which minimizes damage to the environment.  Really they are the same as all other companies, which are generally mandated to make a profit, the only difference is that the environment is within the day-to-day considerations that they face as a business.  Although at this point it may seem like an extra on the long list of things to think about as a business, but in a short period of time it will just be the norm rather then an extra.

Personally I try to limit my consumerism in general.  Many things that are purchased every day are completely unnecessary and as time goes on I’m able to eliminate more and more of these things from my life.  That being said I still shop, I still buy things and I’m just like everyone else.  So in my decision to by what I need I also try to think of the big picture…like “Is this a green company, product, locally sourced product?”  As a starting point it is good to know which companies out there are green minded.  That is why I have started this list.  In my own search to become more familiar with the top green companies, I found a few handy dandy reviews of the biggest and best.

Now might I add that in principle I actually don’t shop at a lot of these companies for other reasons.  With that being said however I still think it’s a great thing that they are up to in regards to accounting for the environment in their business.

The two most useful lists I found for myself are linked below.  Newsweek.com built these list with a goal of assessing each company’s actual environmental footprint.  How they managed that footprint with policies and strategies and their reputation among environmental experts.  Using these three main areas of evaluation; environmental impact, green policies and a reputation survey they came up with the following results.  More then 700 metrics were figured into their overall score.

The Global 100 – the largest publicly traded companies based in developed and emerging markets.

The US 500 – the largest publicly traded U.S. companies.

Another useful list that I found was about companies that were predicted to change the world.  These companies are moving in leaps and bounds striving to make significant changes as small and big business in sync with the environment.  Many of the companies are outfits to keep your eyes on as time goes on.

20 Companies To Change the World – a very interesting list indeed, if your are into this stuff!

The last list is for our neighbors in the UK and although there are many names I’m not familiar with it is obvious that they have the same motives and agenda as the rest of the world.  Let us not perish or suffer do to our ignorance of our environment!  This is a PDF.

The 60 Best Green Companies UK

As I continue to find great list of green companies in easy to read format I will include them here.  It is nice to know what is going on in big business as far as the environment is concerned.  And I will make it a point to share what I find.