Is It Worth Replacing Double Glazing with Triple Glazing?

As houses age, so do double glazed units, and you may find you’ll need to replace them after a while. On average, your windows and doors need replacing every 20 years, so for many people, replacing their double glazing units may be a once or twice in a lifetime event.

Although triple glazing has become a more popular trend, double glazing is a concept that has existed since the 1930s, and exists to help homeowners keep their homes well insulated and warm for longer periods of time. Recently, triple glazing has become a preferred upgrade to the benefits of a double glazed glass unit.

So if you’re considering replacing your old double glazed units, are triple glazed units really a worthy upgrade?

Read on to find out more.

What is Triple Glazing?

While double glazing units traditionally contain two panes of glass within a sealed unit, triple glazed units contain three, creating a window with an increased thickness of between 28 and 44 mm. The toughened glass used in the process can help to prevent thermal stress fracture as a result of shifting temperatures.

Rather than using the regular spacer bar present in a double glazed unit, triple glazed units use a thermally broken spacer bar on each side of the pane.

The width of the cavity between each spacer bar is filled with argon gas, or another variation of an inert gas. This gas is naturally heavier, and so a better insulation than regular air against noise and temperature change.

Are Triple Glazed Units More Effective than Double Glazed Units at Insulating My Home?

Although it might be common sense to believe that triple glazed units will improve the energy efficiency of your home, this is not strictly true.

If you install triple glazed units into a building without adequate insulation overall, the overall efficiency will continue to be reduced. Therefore, before considering installing triple glazing, it may be a good idea to explore additional options for protection against heat loss.

For example, ensure that your home is draught proof by replacing ill-fitting exterior doors, and ensuring that there are no gaps or cracks in the walls. You can also update your loft insulation to offer better protection against heat loss through your roof.

Additionally, many users of triple glazed units report reduced light quality through their windows as a result of the extra inner pane in the window. Due to this extra inner pane, units can be heavier, which requires strength in the hinges and frames. This can ultimately lead to increased installation costs.

How Can I Increase the Energy Efficiency of My Home Without Triple Glazed Sealed Units?

If you want to increase the efficiency of your home without investing in triple glazing, you might want to consider making a few small changes that will help you protect against heat loss and fluctuating temperatures.

You may be surprised to learn that double glazing can continue to insulate your home exceedingly well with just a few upgrades.

For example, double glazing is constructed from toughened glass, which is naturally a better insulator than a single pane of tempered glass. Therefore, if your house currently has single paned windows, simply upgrading to double glazing can make a huge difference to the heat retention in your home. If your house is listed, you can also use secondary glazing covers to create tighter sealed units around the frame and prevent draughts.

Additional options for improving the overall energy efficiency of your house can include installing glass units with a new low-E coating, and fixing any loose sealed units. By installing glass with a low-E coating, you can increase the amount of heat reflected either back into your home in the colder months, or away from your home in the warmer months.

It’s recommended that you don’t drill any double glazed glass to release mist or condensation that has built up within the panes. Although seals can be used to plug the drill holes, these can come loose later on, and will affect the performance of your double glazing.

You can also replace the glass in your units without needing to replace the entire window. Replacing the glass and the seal will provide the same value for money if the frame is still in good condition. For the purpose of maintaining building specifications and ensuring your safety, this should always be completed by a qualified professional.

Which Services Do We Offer for Your Double Glazing Units?

If you’re looking to upgrade or replace your existing double glazed sealed units, we understand that you might want to consider larger sizes of windows, have questions about specifications, or browse the range of windows in our collection.

At Halifax Glass, we pride ourselves on giving you the standard of service you deserve every time. We make our units in house, so you can have a unit to the exact shape and size you require every time.

Are you looking to upgrade your double glazing? Contact us today for specialist support and guidance.