Rafter supported glazing bars are generally used on timber frameworks or rafters. These wooden rafters will fall from the higher to the lower part of the roof. Rafters create the structural strength of the roof and support the glazing you have chosen. Rafter glazing bars screw down into these wooden rafters along its length at regular centres.
The glazing bar has no inherent structural strength of its own and has two main purposes:
1. To securely fix the glazing material to the rafter
2. To provide a water tight seal to your roof
These glazing bars generally have a snap down PVC cap or a screw
At this time of year when it is cold and damp many properties suffer from condensation. This is particularly as problem for older single glazed properties. This is both unsightly and unhealthy with damage often extending past the windows themselves. Curtains, blinds and the surrounding walls can develop dampness and even mould.
The good news is that this is an easy problem to solve. Ecoease Secondary glazing works by creating a layer of static trapped air between your cold glass and the inherently warmer PET glazing unit. As warm air falls within your room and hits the PET panel it doesn’t condense into moisture as it would if it hit the cold glass.
Provided you have created this static air you will reduce any condensation and in the vast majority of cases you will eliminate it all together.
Ecoease secondary glazing can be bought fully assembled and ready to fix to your window frames with our ‘Made to Measure’ system. Alternatively save even more money by assembling it yourself choosing
Going into April the weather is typically wet and still chilly! We are trying not to rely on central heatring as much as possible. Trying to reduce your energy bills with secondary glazing has never been more of a good idea. Energy prices are higher now than they have ever been! Now is the time to start thinking of cost effective ways to keep your home warm without raising your bills further.
Many homes across the UK have cold and draughty single glazed windows which allow the heat to escape. Secondary Glazing creates a barrier against the cold air getting in and the warm getting out, which means using less energy to heat your home. A pocket of trapped air between your cold glass and the warmer PET glazing panel reduces heat loss and the presence of cold spots in your home.
The cost of secondary glazing is significantly less than double glazing. I t typically equates to around 10 to 15% of the cost. It also does not distract from the beauty of the original windows. You also make no mess
We are often asked if you need planning permission for secondary glazing, or if it is permitted on Listed buildings. If the system makes permanent changes to the structure of the windows then it would be needed. However, our magnetically attached system is not classed as a permanent feature as you can easily remove it. This means no planning consent or permissions are required.
This system is particularly suited to older properties where single glazing is commonplace. You can keep the beauty of your characterful windows but significantly improve their performance. In character and Listed buildings where planning restrictions are often in place, magnetic secondary glazing comes into its own.
Ecoease secondary glazing has been applied to 200 year old cottages to Scottish castles, from stately homes to large country estates.
It will improve the thermal and acoustic performance of the older windows. Also the drier warmer space between the panel and the existing window helps to reduce the
When designing your roof you need to be aware of the spanning capabilities of each thickness of sheet, in other words the maximum width of each sheet you should use. Lower thicknesses of polycarbonate sheet are not as strong or rigid when compared to thicker sheets, so the allowed unsupported spans are less.
To make things easier we have given the recommended maximum spans of each thickness of polycarbonate sheet below:
The maximum recommended spans by sheet thickness are:
If your roof uses self support roof bars you must also take into account the spanning capabilities of the glazing bars you are using and their recommended centres over a range of lengths. The table shows the recommended spans our self support
Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic polymer that is strong and tough and can be easily moulded and thermoformed, in other words shaped by heating. Polycarbonate sheet can be made clear or can be tinted to different shades and moulded into sheets with a variety of thicknesses.
What makes Multiwall Polycarbonate so distinctive is the variety of thicknesses and number of walls that can be formed during the manufacturing process. Multiwall Polycarbonate is produced by taking pellets of polycarbonate resin which are then heated until they melt. In this melted state they are then forced through a form or mould to create anything from a solid flat sheet to a multiwall sheet which can be up to 60mm thick. Strengthening walls can be added onto the mould which gives the sheet its distinctive design and robustness. The machine or extruder is normally 2.1 metres wide and sheets are generally extruded to this width with sealed edges. These are then cut down at a later date to suit.
Once you have chosen the rafter bars for your timber roof you need a number of trims to complete the project. These will finish off your roof and give it that “professional” look.
Sheet End Closures
PVC Sheet end closures protect the bottom open edge of the polycarbonate sheet and prevent moisture getting up into the chambers. The sheet must be taped first to keep dust and insects out and then the sheet closures push on top. They are pushed onto the sheet between the Glazing Bars. If your roof is free standing rather than a Lean To, the top end of the sheet will also be open and will need sheet closures too. These sheet closures are vital as if you get moisture into your sheets it can create mould and turn the flutes black. These are available in white or brown or anthracite grey.
Universal Edge Trim
This clever profile is used on the left and right hand edges of the roof to create an end bar. This will balance up the empty side of the bar and cloak it off neatly. This section was specifically
Glazing Bars are used when you want to glaze a roof with Polycarbonate Sheets or Glass. You can have Rafter Glazing Bars or Self Supporting Glazing Bars and which one you choose will be determined by what type of roof you are looking to build.
The term Rafter Bar means that the glazing Bar will be fixed down onto an existing timber or steel rafter. These are the beams that come from the wall to the front of your roof or eaves beam. Rafter bars are fixed down onto the rafter and the polycarbonate sheets or glass are held in place with either a PVC or Aluminium Cap. If you are creating, replacing or refurbishing a timber framed roof then you should use Rafter Bars.
PVC Capped Rafter Bars are a lightweight, effective and easy to install method of glazing a roof. They are suitable for polycarbonate roofs but not for glass.
This type of Rafter Glazing Bar has a PVC Cap that is available in White, Brown or Anthracite Grey. This cap snaps down into
Self Supporting Glazing Bars are so called because they are able to support both themselves and the weight of the glazing material used on a roof. This means that they only generally need to be fixed at the top and bottom ends and not along their length which is the case for Rafter Bars. Self Supporting bars are taller than rafter supported bars, the vertical walls giving strength to the bar. Self Supporting bars are often used in conservatories, canopies, carports, walkways and other glazing applications. When using self support glazing bars you must check the bar snow loading table which shows the spanning capabilities of the bars, to ensure you place them at a safe distance apart. There are different maximum centres based on the projection of your roof and the glazing material you are using.
What Types of Self Support Bars are there?
Most Self Support bars are made from aluminium as it is strong enough to hold the roof but lightweight so installation can be quick and easy. Self support
