With triple glazing, each window has three panes of glass, with a gas sandwiched in between the layers. The theory is that since double glazing is brilliant at cutting down noise and keeping in heat, triple glazing is going to be even better. But is that true?
Modern double glazing is more efficient
Modern double glazing is much more efficient than older double glazing, so triple glazing has to work even harder to be a worthwhile investment. There’s a way to measure the efficiency of windows, called a “U” measurement which measures the heat loss. For more information see the planning portal, https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/14/doors_and_windows/2.
Basically, the way the score works is that the lower the number, the better the window’s performance. Old single glazed glass windows score 5, and older double glazing comes in at around 3. Modern double glazing scores much better – 1.6.
The difference with triple glazing
So how much of an improvement can you make with triple glazing? It can bring the U-score down to 0.8 – so it is far more efficient than double glazing. However, it’s also more expensive. Scandinavian countries use it as standard, but double glazing in this country doesn’t have to cope with those kinds of extreme winter temperatures! The businesses will utilise specialist tools and Silicone sealant remover to remove your existing windows and glass before replacing this with triple glazed glass.
If you do decide to go for triple glazing, you need to take the window frames into account, and ensure that they’re well insulated, because these are one of the areas of major heat loss from windows.
The difference in U-score between a door or wall, and a double glazed window, can create cold spots in the house. Modern insulated walls keep the house warm, and the windows can appear very cold by contrast – triple glazing helps with this.
And for noise reduction, triple glazing is definitely more efficient, provided the window frames are also insulated.
If the window area in a room is large, the benefits of triple glazing will be greater; however, the extra cost will be more significant too. It’s a matter of weighing up the costs and benefits. If you have a study bedroom with a small window that overlooks a noisy street, triple glazing may be a worthwhile option. But for a normal sized window in say, a sitting room, the extra cost may not be worthwhile.
