A Brief Guide To Triple Glazing 

To put it as simply as possible, triple glazing is 3 panes of glass instead of 1 or 2.

The claim is that by having an extra pane, you will increase efficiency and reduce outside noise.

Double glazing makes a significant improvement over single glazing, but even so, upgrading from single to double glazing takes a long time to pay back in terms of energy efficiency.

So would making the jump to triple glazing make that much of a difference?

The energy efficiency of windows is measured with a ‘U-value’ and the lower this 'U-value'  is, the better the energy efficiency of the windows. 

Single glazing generally has a U-value of 5, older double glazing is around 3 and new modern double glazing has a U-value of around 1.6, in fact Building Regulations insist that any window you install today should have a U-value of no worse than 1.6.

The jump in the U-value from older double glazing to modern double glazing shows the improvements attained over the years.

These improvements have been made through:

• optimisation of the window cavity
• the use of low emissivity coatings being added to the glass
• using inert gas to fill the cavity
• the use of  aluminium spacers.

All of this has brought down the U-value of modern windows considerably.

So, what is the U-value of Triple Glazing? 

Well, Pilkington boast a U-Value of 0.6 - 0.8 depending on the product selected.

Walls have a U-value of around 0.3, so it is clear that while windows still have a long way to go, they are much closer now than their single glazed companions from years ago.

It is estimated that triple glazing is capable of reducing the loss of heat through windows by as much as a third more than double-glazing plus the sound insulation is better.

There is a global focus on creating an environmentally friendly planet and reducing carbon emissions by improving energy efficiency and, therefore, triple glazing helps achieve this even more so than double-glazing.

However, opinion is still divided.

Triple glazing is widely used in cold climate countries like Sweden and Norway.

And while a U-value as low as 0.6 - 0.8 sounds impressive, the additional energy saved is minuscule compared to the payback time for the triple glazing (like double glazing). There are potentially other energy-efficient improvements you could do with a shorter payback time.

But the key to Triple Glazing is really to do with comfort. 

The standard of glazing in your home has to match the standard of the insulation elsewhere in your home, so that the warm wrapping around the house performs consistently.

Which is where triple glazing comes in.

Beause triple glazing hangs on to heat better than double glazing, it makes it that much more comfortable.

The decision really comes down to what you are looking for out of your new windows.

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