With the fight to tackle climate change, manufacturers around the globe are looking for solutions that help to improve the energy efficiency of homes. Subsequently, triple-glazing is the latest grade available in the replacement windows space.
Triple glazing is relatively new to the UK market but has pretty much become the standard in Scandinavia where the climate is harsher. Scandinavia is also regarded as a leader in technological advancements and is a good reference for UK suppliers.
Reports indicate that triple glazing windows have considerably improved the energy efficiency of homes in Scandinavia although the payback period is very similar to double-glazing.
The price of triple glazing windows is obviously a significant decision maker, but there are also other advantages to consider to determine whether triple glazing windows are worth the investment.
Energy Efficiency of Triple Glazing Windows
Triple glazing windows are fitted with three panes of glass. This third pane helps to reduce outside noise and improves the heat distribution of your home. But do the benefits justify the price?
In order to maximise the energy efficiency of your home and create comfortable temperature levels all year round, the standard of glazing has to be consistent with the insulation elsewhere around the house.
The energy efficiency of glazing is measured with a ‘U-Value. The lower the value the more energy efficient the windows are. To give you an idea of measure, standard walls in a house have a U-Value of 0.3.
Triple glazed windows have a U-Value of 0.8. In contrast, single glazed windows only have a U-Value of 3-5 and double-glazing has a U-Value of 1.6. It’s clear to see that triple glazing is significantly more energy efficient and will improve your ability to control the temperature in your home.
Because triple glazing has a U-Value that is more or less the same as the walls of your house, they help to consistently distribute heat around the room and retain warmth for longer. This means you won’t need to leave the central heating on for so long.
Benefits of Triple Glazing Windows
Other than improving the thermal efficiency of your home, triple glazing windows improve noise reduction and the acoustic performance of your house. Whereas double glazed windows have an acoustic performance of Rw32, triple glazing is in the low 40’s and makes a considerable difference when muffling outside noise.
Lower U-Values also reduce levels of condensation, which is a sign of heat reacting with cold air. If your windows gather a lot of condensation it’s usually because they are allowing the cold in from the outside (unless you’ve been using the washing machine or tumble dryer then condensation is caused by the humidity).
Whilst triple glazing delivers a better performance than double glazing, the higher cost may put some people off. At Price Experts, we can get you the best quotes for triple glazing windows in your area, so use our free service and request a quote today. There is no obligation to buy.
Write a review