Triple Glazing...

Mocrie14

Am thinking of getting triple glazing to keep out the noise and cold. Am living in 6 yr old house with wooden framed double glazing. Anyone got any comments/advice?



Thanks!

CJhaughey

Cost Benefit analysis would suggest that you are mad to replace 6 yr old 2 glazed windows with 3-glazed units, however my windows are 3 glaze and they are superior windows as far as U value and Noise is concerned, however they were part of a newbuild and I did not retrofit them.

Reyman

CJhaughey wrote:

Cost Benefit analysis would suggest that you are mad to replace 6 yr old 2 glazed windows with 3-glazed units, however my windows are 3 glaze and they are superior windows as far as U value and Noise is concerned, however they were part of a newbuild and I did not retrofit them.

Triple glazed windows can be pretty impressive.

The typical older double glazed window has a U value of around 3.0W/m2/C. I'm getting in argon filled tripled glazed windows at the moment - the U value of the glass is 0.7 W/m2/C. The glass together with the frame is 0.8W/m2/C.

Heat loss is down to 25% of what it would be with older double glazing

Mellor

reyman, can you post a link to a supplier or online catalouge, those are very nice U-Values. Guessing they is some sort of LowE/ULowE coating on them?

CJhaughey

Reyman wrote:

Triple glazed windows can be pretty impressive.

Don't get me wrong I think 3 glazed windows are great, but my concern is the cost vs the benefit.
To fit 3 glazed windows to an average house is going to cost in excess of €17000.
This is OK in a new build but in an existing house the cost vs the payback time is going to be way out there.
If the OP is dead set on getting them for reasons of noise then that is probably a good solution and if the energy saving is a bonus then there is no problem.
The windows I used are the original type from www.elitfonster.se
A U value of 0.8 for the whole unit is seriously impressive, the best that that elitfonster offer are 0.9 for the extreme series.
What brand are they out of interest?

Reyman

The company that makes them is Austrian and the website is in German.
http://www.gaulhofer.com. They are pricey and very high quality -- worth buying if you have a pretty decent house and want good wooden windows.
Otherwise I'd say too dear.

The outfit that installs them here is pretty small and I'd prefer not to name them until I see what kind of job they do.

hobie

What would be the difference in cost (retrofit) for triple versus double glaze for an average 4 bed bungalow .....

It's a good while since I had my double glaze windows fitted but they cost a heck of a lot less than 17 grand ....

ardara1

Your windows will go tits up in about 8 years - if you're lucky - get half decent double Glazed Soft Coat low E (The std spec now) - if you're worried about noise put secondary glazing in - like all hotels in Europe - and get big heavy curtains for night time

ardara1

ardara1 wrote:

get half decent double Glazed Soft Coat low E (The std spec now) - if you're worried about noise put secondary glazing in - like all hotels in Europe - and get big heavy curtains for night time

I'll second that!

That's my approach anyway, the lined curtains (or internal shutters) will make a bigger difference (at night) than tripple glazing.

CJhaughey

ardara1 wrote:

Your windows will go tits up in about 8 years - if you're lucky - get half decent double Glazed Soft Coat low E (The std spec now) - if you're worried about noise put secondary glazing in - like all hotels in Europe - and get big heavy curtains for night time

Please post your information on how triple glazed windows will fail in 8yrs.
My windows have a 10yr Guarantee so I am fairly confident that they will last longer than 8 yrs, plus the fact that I have seen others that are now over 15yrs old and they are perfect.

John Mason

I have triple glazed windows and they are definately worth the money for noise reduction but also for the engry conservation. I got 7 windows for €2k about 2 years ago. i would highly recommend the company i used, if you want you can pm me and i will give you his phone number

ardara1

CJhaughey wrote:

Please post your information on how triple glazed windows will fail in 8yrs.
My windows have a 10yr Guarantee so I am fairly confident that they will last longer than 8 yrs, plus the fact that I have seen others that are now over 15yrs old and they are perfect.

CJ - you just hav eot open your eyes - take a straw poll - my own glazing failed in 6 years - was in a architects office recently where a full glazed wall fronted the building - 40% of the pnes had condensation in them.

It's an interesting point tho' - all I can do is post photographs - I'll start a new thread for opinions.

DC1

Has anybody heard that even though triple glazing gives you better insulation, ie keeps in more heat, that it also gives less daytime solar gain, because of the 3 layers of glass reflecting more of the suns rays away from the house, so you may lose as much as you gain ?
If this is true, then maybe triple glazing may not be such a good idea in a temperate climate.
Or maybe its a myth put about by people who cant supply triple glazing ?
For sure triple glazing is nearly essential in Sweden and such places where they get -30 degC in winter.
But I'm not sure about Ireland where it never gets below -5 degC.

ircoha

DC1 wrote: »

Has anybody heard that even though triple glazing gives you better insulation, ie keeps in more heat, that it also gives less daytime solar gain, because of the 3 layers of glass reflecting more of the suns rays away from the house, so you may lose as much as you gain ?
If this is true, then maybe triple glazing may not be such a good idea in a temperate climate.
Or maybe its a myth put about by people who cant supply triple glazing ?
For sure triple glazing is nearly essential in Sweden and such places where they get -30 degC in winter.
But I'm not sure about Ireland where it never gets below -5 degC.

This portal provides links that might get you started on understanding some of the issues
http://windows.lbl.gov/software/default.htm#Optics%205.1%20Update