Which Is better double or triple glazed windows?

If you’re noticing high energy bills or hearing lots of noise from the street, your windows may no longer be working as they should. This is almost certainly the case if you’re experiencing draughts or rickety window panes. Luckily, installing new double or triple glazed windows can solve your efficiency issues. 

Invest in highly insulative A-rated double or triple glazed windows and you’ll be waving goodbye to your chilly house and high energy bills! The question is — which is better? Double glazing or triple glazing? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each glazing type.

How important is double glazing?

First, is at least double glazing even important? The answer is a resounding yes. Double glazing is a fantastic investment that will help you heat your house more efficiently, reduce your heating bills, and act as a barrier to environmental noise.

Twice as much heat is lost through single glazing in comparison to double. If you’re feeling chilly whilst staring at your single glazing right now, it’s no wonder! If this is the case, it’s certainly time to upgrade.

Here are some key advantages of double glazing over single glazing:

Insulation

Double glazed windows are much more energy efficient than single glazed windows. As a single pane of glass easily facilitates the transfer of heat to the outside air, heat is rapidly lost from inside your home. A double glazed window contains an air gap filled with Argon, which acts as an insulator, keeping the warmth locked in your home for much longer.

Cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency

Double glazing has a brilliant extra capacity for insulation and heat retention. As you might expect, this makes it much more cost-effective than single glazing. Less energy is needed to keep your home warm, saving you money on those costly heating bills.

Safety 

Upgrading to double glazing is a simple yet effective way to improve the overall safety of your home. An extra layer of glass means your home will be tougher and harder to break into. Burglars don’t like spending too much time trying to break into windows and they won’t bother with yours.

Noise reduction

An extra layer of glass provides another barrier to excessive noise. If you can hear the noise on your street with single glazing, it doesn’t have to be this way. Double glazing can stop the sounds outside from disturbing your family at home.

Less condensation

This is a big issue with single glazing. A single pane of glass can’t effectively retain heat. This makes the moisture in the air condense on the cold glass surface. With double glazing, things are different.

There is less of a difference in temperature between the inner pane of glass in the window and the room temperature in your home. This means the chance of condensation occurring is greatly reduced.

Double glazing or triple glazing?

So, does triple glazing provide any extra benefits that double glazing doesn’t? Let’s take a look…

What is triple glazing?

Triple glazing uses an extra layer of glass again — hence the name triple glazing. There is another Argon-filled air gap in a triple glazed pane, providing another effective barrier. 

Comparing the two: double vs triple glazing

Technically speaking, triple glazing is more insulative, so it does have the potential to save you more on your heating bills and keep your home warmer. 

But you have to consider how much it will cost you to install triple glazed windows in the first place. Triple glazing is always more expensive than double glazing. If you don’t live in a particularly cold area or have an issue with keeping your home insulated, you might not notice much of a difference in the temperature of your home or the price of your bills with these windows. In fact, you might end up spending more money buying the triple glazing than you would save on heating bills. If this is your end goal, think carefully about this.

This being said, if your home is exposed to the elements or in a rural area prone to temperature plummets, then triple glazing could be a great option for your home.

Also, let’s not forget about the other benefits of triple glazing. With another pane of glass and Argon-filled gap, you’ll also benefit from even higher security from your panes and greater noise reduction. 

Again, these might not be particular issues for your home. But if you’re after these qualities from your windows, triple glazing could turn out to be a worthwhile investment after all.

Replacing your windows

Whether you decide on double or triple glazed windows, if you’re noticing problems with your panes or frames, it’s best to replace them sooner rather than later. 

Typical signs your windows have reached the end of their lifespan include:

• Leaking windows
• Draughts around the windows
• Condensation
• Cracks in the glass
• Energy bills that are much higher than they used to be
• Difficulty opening or closing your windows
• Faulty window components
• Ineffective seals.

It might be tempting to try and fix every single issue again and again. But temporary fixes only work for so long. Windows need replacing every 15 to 20 years, so it might just be time for new windows!