Double glazing and triple glazing are similar in theory: while double-glazed windows are made up of two panes of glass in a sealed frame – with the cavity filled using an insulating gas, such as Argon – triple-glazed windows consist of three panes of glass in the same format. The combination of glass and air is designed to stop heat being able to pass through the system, meaning your home doesn’t cool down as quickly. With an extra layer of glass and gas for thermal energy to battle with, triple-glazed windows are generally believed to be more energy efficient than other types of glazing.
While triple glazing does offer excellent heat-retaining benefits, it costs a lot more than double glazing, and won’t necessarily enhance the amount you can save on your energy bills. On average, you can expect to pay about £100–£150 more for a triple-glazed unit than a double-glazed unit, and the return on your investment (in terms of energy cost reductions) will be about the same. It may not be worth upgrading your double glazing to triple glazing, but there are huge energy savings to be made if you replace all of the single-glazed windows (as well as any glass doors) in your home with triple-glazed units.
Triple glazing or double glazing – which is right for me?
Deciding whether or not triple glazing is right for you depends on your financial situation and needs. If you are carrying out a big renovation project on your home, or thinking of ways you can increase its value for a later sale, then it’s probably worth installing triple glazing in your property. If you actively adhere to an energy-efficient lifestyle – you have roof and cavity wall insulation, for example, or you use smart home technology to control your energy usage – then you are more likely to feel the benefits of triple glazing than someone who is simply relying on high-performance windows to reduce their energy bills.
If you have a lower budget and just want to help your home retain heat and enhance solar gain (heat energy that is trapped from sunlight), then double glazing is still a perfectly effective option. If you’re concerned about your windows’ ability to control heat loss and save you money on bills, ask us about energy ratings. The system is quite simple to understand: windows are rated from A to G, with A being the most efficient.
Here at Hamilton Windows, we’re experts in making homes more energy efficient. Contact us today and we will help you choose which type of glazing is best for your property.
