Double glazing is seen as a modern fixture of home design, but it’s not the be-all and end-all when it comes to glazing. If you’re unsatisfied with your current double-glazed rooflights or would simply like an upgrade, you may have considered triple glazing. But is triple glazing worth it, really?
The answer is a resounding yes. Triple-glazed glass features come with some substantial benefits, including better energy efficiency, improved strength and more. In this guide to triple glazing vs double glazing, we will explore what triple glazing is, as well as having a closer look at key categories such as insulation, energy efficiency and security to show you why triple glazing is one home upgrade that you should consider.
What Is Triple Glazing?
In double-glazed windows, there are two panes of glass making up the window separated by a pocket of air or another gas such as argon, which serves to reduce heat transfer between the outside world and your home. Triple glazing works under a similar principle but with an additional pane of glass and a second pocket of air or gas. This means that cold air from the outside world needs to penetrate through much more space to get into your home.
So, what other benefits does triple glazing have to offer you? Read on and see how triple-glazing surpasses double-glazed windows in several key areas.
The Advantages of Triple Glazing vs Double Glazing
Improved Insulation and Energy Efficiency
For the very best insulation, triple glazing is the only option. While double glazing is very good at insulating your home, triple glazing is a far better option for keeping your home both warm and cool. This is because of how triple glazing is designed: instead of there being one extra pane and a pocket of gas between the outdoors and your home, there are now two of each, plus the inner pane of glass. You can expect to increase your thermal efficiency by up to 50 per cent, compared to double glazing. That’s a substantial increase!
This lends itself to much-improved energy efficiency when compared to double-glazed windows. Triple-glazed windows will help to keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter. To help stay cooler in summer, we would recommend pairing your triple-glazed window with curtains or a blind, to help keep sunlight out and keep the air inside cooler.
Security
Triple glazing can give your home a real feeling of security, and it’s one that’s backed up by science. The extra pane of glass makes these windows a lot more difficult to break than single-glazed windows and even double-glazed windows.
They Help Keep Condensation Out
A leaking window, sometimes caused by condensation, can cause significant issues for your home and health. Increased moisture levels can lead to the growth of mould and mildew, as well as potentially causing damage to your home through rot.
A triple-glazed window is less likely to develop condensation than a double-glazed window, which in turn, is less likely to develop condensation than a single-glazed window. This is because condensation is caused by temperature differences on the inner pane and the room. With triple-glazed windows, thanks to the extra pane of glass, the inner pane will not be as cold as on single or double-glazed windows, which will help to reduce condensation. While it still may experience some condensation on particularly cold days, this can be quickly dispersed with an opening rooflight.
A More Peaceful Home
Triple-glazed windows will make your home more peaceful thanks to their substantially increased sound insulation. This is a particularly big benefit if you live near a busy road, motorway, or airport, where noise levels will be higher. However, you don’t need to be in a noisy environment to reap the benefits: triple-glazed windows will also reduce or stop rain noise from transmitting itself into your home, so even rural and isolated homes will notice the benefit of a product like this triple-glazed skylight.
Better UV Performance
Ultraviolet (UV) light can make your carpets and furniture fade. While some amount of UV light will always be present, as it’s a natural part of sunlight, triple-glazed windows can help to reduce the amount of UV light that can penetrate your home.
This is because the extra pane of glass represents another physical barrier that the UV light needs to get through before it enters your home. That’s right, as well as offering a barrier to any burglars or other assailants, triple glazing also provides a barrier to ultraviolet light.
Are There Any Downsides to Triple Glazing?
So far, we have examined the sizeable benefits of triple glazing, but are there any downsides? While there aren’t many disadvantages to triple glazing, there are one or two things that you need to consider.
Increased Cost
While triple glazing has some substantial perks, it does cost more than double glazing, in general. If you would like to find new windows, skylights or other glass fixtures on a budget, you may wish to opt for double glazing instead.
You May Need New Window Frames
If you decide to buy triple-glazed windows, you may need to buy new window frames. This is because triple-glazed windows are heavier than double-glazed ones, so your old frames may not be able to support them.
Lower Natural Heat Gain
When compared to double-glazing, you can expect to get less warmth from sunlight with triple-glazed windows. This is because sunlight will have to work harder to get into your home, thanks to the extra pane of glass. However, this increased insulation can also be a perk, so it’s a matter of weighing up whether or not you’ll miss the natural heat gain from sunlight more than you’ll appreciate the benefits of keeping heat inside your home.
Is Triple Glazing Worth it for Me?
We believe that the benefits of triple-glazed windows strongly outweigh any downsides, and we would recommend that you opt for triple-glazed windows, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. If you are still soldiering on with single-glazed windows, upgrading to either double or triple-glazed windows is essential, as single-glazed windows are substantially less effective than even double-glazed windows.
At Toughened Glass Systems, we offer a wide range of glass features that you can install in your home as roof windows, rooflights and more. No matter what your requirements are, we can find the right glass for you. If you would like to find out more or would like help deciding on the type of glass that’s right for you, we’re here to help. Contact us today and speak to our friendly team of experts.
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Triple Glazing vs Double Glazing FAQs
Is It Worth Upgrading from Double Glazing to Triple Glazing?
While the upgrade from double glazing will not be as immediately significant as the upgrade from single glazing, it is still a fantastic investment. Triple-glazed windows’ increased energy efficiency can help to save on your heating bills.
Will You Still Get Condensation on Triple-Glazed Windows?
While you will still get some internal condensation on triple-glazed windows, significantly less will develop than on single-glazed and double-glazed windows.
How Long Does Triple Glazing Last?
Triple glazing does not last forever, but with a high level of care, you can expect your triple-glazed windows to last you between 20 and 50 years.
