I am replacing (9) windows in my home with better energy efficient windows. These are vinyl clad frames with low-e glass and argon filled space. Total thicknes of glass and space is 7/8. there are no metal spacers. U-.27 rating. The price they gave me for these windows was in the $6,000 price. After the negotiated price we found a coupon in a local newspaper from this company that would offer triple pane for the same price as double pane. After a some bickering they said that the coupon should have been presented prior to the deal. The coupon states that it can not be used with other offers. They presented that they gave us other discounts to get this price. But in the end they agreed to go with the same price.
My question is this. Are there disadvantages of going to triple pane low-e windows outside of cost. I know they weigh more however do the block much more noticible light entering the room? Are there any other considerations not go with triple pane?
hi
get 2 pane glaze with low -e and make sure the pane are 5/8 gap on them
i have triple glaze sliding glass door and weight about 300 pounds and i seeno difference
cheers
pg
ps to see how many pane you have used a lighter and place it along the glass and see how many flame u have
2 flame means 2 pane
cheers
pg
Originally Posted by ricciuto
My question is this. Are there disadvantages of going to triple pane low-e windows outside of cost. I know they weigh more however do the block much more noticible light entering the room? Are there any other considerations not go with triple pane?
Disadvantages? I would have to say no. All glass blocks a certain percentage of light. So technically, yes, 3 panes of glass will block more light than 2 panes of glass, but the difference is negligible.
The only thing I would suggest, is that if you are getting casements, do not get triple-pane. Casements have enough problems with sagging without putting a 50 lb piece of glass in them. I would not have the slightest worry otherwise.
Triple pane glass often has an aluminum spacer bar, so if that is a big issue to you, that would be one reason to go with the other glass package. Generally, triple pane low-e glass is better than double pane low-e as far as overall u-value is concerned. Overall u-values (which will be posted on each window's NFRC sticker) are calculated based on a combination of factors- glass size, lineal inches of spacer, type of spacer, type of glass, type of gas fill, width of IGU, and so on. For a salesman to tell you an exact u-value is bogus, in my estimation, because the u-factor will be different for each size of glass you get. But generally, triple pane glass is better than double pane, and to me that is the bottom line. The price they quoted you sounds fair, provided it includes installation.
A dual pane window with a softcoat LowE coating will have better performance numbers than a triple pane without a lowE coating. But, when a triple pane has two surfaces coated with LowE, then you will have a definite advatgae by going with the triple pane.
If the windows offer a gas infill, then consider krypton on the triple pane and argon with the dual pane.
Krypton gas will achieve its optimum performance with about a 7/32 spacing between the lites...which just happens to be about where a triple pane unit would be. Argon in a triple pane with that sort of spacing between the lites is really not much better than air - as far as energy performance numbers go.
Argon reaches its peak energy efficiency at about a 7/16 spacing between the lites which is where your best dual panes will be, assuming a softcoat LowE as well. Actually, even at 7/16 krypton is still slightly better than argon in performance, but not enough to offset the price difference.
The weight of a square foot of single strength (3/32) glass is a bit less than 1.2lbs.
A square foot of double strength (1/8) weighs 1.6lbs.
Assuming a window of about 6 square feet, the additional lite in a triple pane would add 7.2 lbs to the weight of the sash versus a dual pane using a single strength glass.
If you are using double strength, the additonal lite could add 9.6lbs to the weight of the sash.
Good luck!
Anuone else notice that this picking a new window thing is way too much like buying a new TV - no longer just buy it, attach rabbit ears, plug it in and watch your three channels! Now you need a degree to hook up and watch a new TV!
Tags: double, pane, triple, windows, triple pane, triple pane, better than, pane low-e, between lites, double pane, dual pane, price they, spacing between, spacing between lites
