Triple-Glazed Windows

More Performance, More Comfort, More Security

With fluctuating energy costs around the world, consistent energy bills are luxury all homeowners welcome. Windows are the most exposed part of a home and provide plenty of opportunity for energy loss and savings. Modern triple glazed windows with low U-values will help decrease both heating and cooling bills while creating a more stable and comfortable interior temperature year round. Best of all, because it is so common in Germany, the price difference compared to double glazing is just 10% or less! This means triple glazed windows from abroad may be cheaper than local ones!

What is Triple Glazing?

Simply put, triple glazing is three panes of glass built into a window. This modern innovation outperforms single and double glazed windows across the board. It will reduce your energy costs, increase the comfort inside your home and improve security.

We are all familiar with the importance of wearing multiple layers of clothing in winter. Each additional layer provides not just another barrier against the weather, but also creates a space to trap warm air between them. Windows are similar.

While the insulating value is improved by 40% the price differs not more than 10% from double-glazed to triple-glazed windows.

Triple glazing creates not just a third pane of glass, but also a second air gap or cavity between them (see illustration left). Each air gap is also typically filled with argon which is heavier and less conductive than normal air. This makes it even tougher for energy to move through, reducing heat loss.

• Superior insulation ability and U-values
• Reduced heating and lower heating bills
• No big difference in price compared to double (10% or less)
• Improved sound reduction and security
• Enhanced living comfort (no draughts or cold spots)
• Reduced condensation

All of our frames are built for triple glazing, whether they be timber, uPVC or their aluminium clad versions. Insulate yourself against rising energy costs and stricter building standards with triple glazed windows.

Triple vs. Double Glazing

Compared to double glazed windows, triple glazing can offer up to 40% more energy efficiency. Particularly in cold climates where heating costs are higher, this can add up to significant savings over the life of the window. Adding a third pane and creating a second air cavity sees a substantial boost in energy efficiency, sound reduction and security. Finally, separating the glass with warm edge spacers and filling the gaps with argon gas provides the ultimate combination of savings.

Does Triple Glazing Cost More?

There is a widespread myth that triple glazing is expensive and may not be worth the extra cost when spread over the life of the window. While this may hold some water in countries with lower energy standards and building regulations, it could not be further from the truth for German windows. Triple glazing is so common in Germany that the price difference for new windows is typically 10% at the most for standard glazing.

Are Triple Glazed Windows too Heavy?

Another common concern is that the additional layer of glass is unduly heavy and may cause issues for the frame or sash, as well as making them somewhat more difficult to open or close. This is another myth, based on fitters in other countries trying to jam three panes into an inferior existing double glazed unit.

All of our windows feature the best hardware and precision built frames, all designed for triple glazing from the beginning. Moreover, every single piece of the window is made in Germany, ensuring the same reliability and quality people around the world expect from us. In fact, opening your German made windows and doors will probably be easier and smoother than your current single or double pane ones!

Security and Burglary Protection

A third sheet of glass in your window makes them that much more difficult to break through. Neuffer also offers laminated safety glass in several configurations which can be added on the exterior, interior or both depending on your requirements. Exterior only is best if security is your only concern while interior only is best when safety is key, such as an area where kids typically play and the danger of broken shards would be unacceptable.

Noise Reduction

The acoustic performance of triple glazing is also much better than glazed windows with only two panes. The additional glass and air gap reduce the ability of heat to move through, from one side to the other. Whether this is cold moving from outside into the house, or sound waves moving from a passing car inwards, the effect is the same. The triple barrier and argon gas filled cavities reduce their energy and ability to move, meaning less cold and sound entering the home.

Why to Consider Triple Glazed Windows for Your Home

A triple glazed window is one that contains either three layers of glass or two layers with a low-emissivity, or Low-E, film suspended between them. Triple glazed windows, which are high insulation performance, especially in colder climates, were first introduced in Sweden many years ago. Today, they are often found on new construction projects across the U.S. and Canada and are an ideal option for homeowners retrofitting older homes in colder climates.

Though a bit more expensive than other windows on the market, triple Glazed Windows are being used more and more frequently now as building codes adopt the Department of Energy’s push toward R-5 windows, or hurricane-resistant windows. Triple glazed windows are beyond ASHRAE 189.1 and IGCC standards, although they are now required after the adoption of the 2012 IECC standard. Now and following latest code regulations, triple glazed windows are required in zones 7-8. The Department of Energy is also looking forward to expanding the use of triple glazed windows with its Windows Volume Purchase Program.

The most common types of triple glazed windows are:

1. Triple glazed using a traditional spacer in each glazing gap.
2. Triple glazed, glass in the center, with an interior U-type channel that seals between the inboard and outboard lites.
3. Triple glazed windows with a suspended attached film, that will be heated allowing it to shrink and tighten to visible clarity.

Benefits of Triple Glazed Windows

These windows, when properly installed, have an extensive array of benefits. More rigid and durable than traditional windows, triple glazed windows have an outstanding insulation performance, especially in areas with extreme weather. They also are resistant to condensation and reduce sound transmission.

Their three layers of glass also provide increased security –– the thicker area is harder for vandals to break. Additionally, they offer great energy savings when compared to regular and double glazed windows.

Installing triple glazed windows is equivalent to upgrading your walls and ceilings from R-20 to R-40 (in certain circumstances), and they can decrease relative heat loss, which increases thermal comfort inside.

To cut costs, a combination of double glazed windows and triple glazed windows can be used with the building orientation. Consider insulated hollow frames when installing your windows, as they can increase their performance, which can save you money in the long-run.

Cons of Triple Glazed Windows

Like any other building material, these windows can have some issues as well. Due to the weight of containing three individual panes of glass, the windows can sometimes pose a problem with weaker sash materials, and if an existing structure has little or no wall insulation, triple glazed windows are discouraged.

The weight can also ad labor cost to your installation budget, and their casements have width limitations and sometimes are restricted when they are opened, which will need to be considered prior to installation. Additionally, Some builders have reported that because of its thickness, condensation might build up in the outside portion of the window

Financially, triple pane windows are more expensive – costing 25 to 30 percent more than double-pane windows. In extremely cold climates, the cost is worth the investment, but in milder climates, that may not be the case.

What to Look for When Buying a Triple Glazed Window

If you still want to go with a triple glazed window for your home, then you will need to review the following areas:

Triple Glazed Windows

Triple glazed windows or not?

If you are considering triple glazed windows for your project — here is a few answers to the most common questions.

Energy performance of triple glazed windows

The big difference in energy performance, when you replace double glazing with triple glazing, is down to the extra layer of insulating air, or in most cases gas.
Energy performance of a window is highly dependent on the sash and frame surrounding the glass. That is why Idealcombi is using Idealcore™ in our windows. With twice the thermal properties of timber and traditional composite materials, Idealcore™ is the ideal choice of thermal break for energy efficient windows.

Considerations before installing triple glazed windows

If you are considering triple glazing you are already in an “energy efficiency” state of mind, and you would probably already have considered an air-tight envelope and a heat recovery system(MVHR).
All Idealcombi windows are very air-tight and will therefore minimise the natural airflow in your building.
Due to the additional weight of the glazing, some of the opening sizes/functions of the windows could be restricted in size, when compared to double glazed frames.
The Idealcombi team will help you through any considerations regarding your project.

Triple glazing in renovation projects

Triple glazed windows require the same amount of work as double glazed windows. All Idealcombi windows are bespoke and made to measure – your new windows will fit your structural opening perfectly.
Adding air-tight windows to an old house may change the natural air-flow. You might have to change your habits and regularly ventilate your house manually — to make sure you get the damp air out and fresh dry air in.

Additional weight of triple glazed windows

The additional weight of triple glazed windows does not normally require additional structural support, however there may be additional installation costs due to the additional weight of the triple glazed units. And as mentioned above, larger units may be restricted in size, due to the overall weight.

Why you should be considering triple-glazed windows

Follow the author of this article

Making your home as energy-efficient as possible through the installation of triple glazing comes with added benefits, not least better security

V ery few people would consider installing single glazing these days – and in fact, today’s Building Regulations don’t allow it, with the exception of listed properties.

But is there going to be a time when even double glazing is considered inadequate, and triple glazing becomes the norm?

With energy efficiency high on the agenda for many homeowners and some other persuasive arguments in triple glazing’s favour, is it worth investing in this high-performance alternative?

What’s the difference between double and triple glazing, and why is it needed?

New builds often feature large swathes of glazing – picture windows, sliding doors, rooflights – but all that glass has implications for energy efficiency, because heat passes through it a lot more readily than it does an insulated wall.

In the face of more stringent Building Regulations, glazing companies have had to rise to the challenge of creating better-performing products. With the improved insulation that comes from having two pockets of air instead of one, triple glazing is one solution.

A low-energy home

Triple glazing is standard in colder climes of northern Europe. It’s also considered an essential ingredient in modern, ultra-low-energy new-build houses, which use a combination of features to be as efficient as possible, from high levels of insulation to eliminating every micro-gap in the fabric to ensure airtightness.

Triple glazing comes in well above Building Regulations standards for energy efficiency, assuming that products have been installed correctly – there’s no point having super-insulated windows if there are gaps around them for the air to leak out.

Expect to pay around 20 per cent more for a like-for-like triple unit – but very high-spec, Passivhaus-standard windows can be much more.

Added extras

It’s not just the three panes of glass that make a unit more efficient. Other features (available in both double- or triple-glazed products) that boost performance include an inert gas such as argon inserted between the glass, which is less conductive (and therefore more insulating) than air.

Low E glass can also improve insulation: this product features an invisible metal oxide coating on one of the inward-facing panes, which reflects heat back into the room.

Finally, look for products with “warm edge” spacer bars sitting between the panes: made from plastic composite, they conduct less heat than the aluminium traditionally used for this component.

Security and noise benefits

Triple glazing can act as a security deterrent, because it’s incredibly hard to break.

There’s a minor benefit when it comes to noise reduction – but if acoustics are your main priority, then other options are far more efficient in this area, such as secondary glazing or units with a larger air gap between the panes and laminated glass.

Is it worth it?

There are certain circumstances that make a definite “yes” to triple glazing more likely: if you live in a cold climate, it will make a more substantial difference to your comfort than if your home is in a milder area.

Getting optimum benefits from triple glazing relies on energy efficiency elsewhere in your home, so it’s especially recommended in a new home where insulation levels and airtightness are also very good.

You could opt to mix and match according to need, perhaps just using triple in north-facing rooms where heat retention is more important.

The eco benefits of triple glazing are hard to call if you think of sustainability in terms of the energy it takes to build a house (known as “embodied energy”) rather than just what it takes to run it.

Glass has one of the most energy-intense manufacturing methods there is, so it’s also about weighing up whether that extra pane is worth it for the additional comfort level it will bring, rather than thinking about it strictly from the perspective of saving the planet and lowering your bills.

Shape your space

Everest has teamed up with Telegraph Spark to show how simple improving your home is, from made-to-measure windows to spacious conservatories.

Providing a bespoke service, Everest works with you every step of the way, from the initial design consultation to manufacturing and installation.