Most people these days have double glazing in their homes. The standard type of windows now installed in new-build houses, double glazing consists of two panes of glass, separated by a gap which is filled with air or with a gas such as argon. This gap means the windows retain heat much better, so less energy can be used to heat the house.
With concerns growing about climate change and the need to save more and more energy as a whole, some industry experts are now suggesting we start using triple glazing instead. But is it really necessary?
Here, we take a look at some of the reasons triple glazing is used, and see whether it could, indeed, be right for you.
What is triple glazing?
Triple glazing, as the name suggests, is simply glazing consisting of three panes of glass instead of two. So instead of the single air gap, there are two barriers, usually filled with a type of gas.
Although commonly used in habitually cold countries such as Norway and Sweden, triple glazing is still only rarely installed in the UK.
The benefits
The most noticeable difference triple glazing makes is one of comfort. Sound levels inside the home are reduced – so triple glazing is ideal if you live by a busy motorway which disturbs your sleep.
The extra pane of glass has been shown to decrease the number of cold spots in a home, which can be present even with new double glazing.
If you are interested in finding out more, contact a Gloucester double glazing firm, such as https://www.firmfix.co.uk, for further information.
The drawbacks
Because there are three panes of glass, triple glazed windows tend to be heavier than normal. They are also considerably more expensive than double glazing, because they are more costly to manufacture.
According to The Telegraph, triple glazing may make your house darker, as more panes of glass mean less light can enter.
Perhaps more importantly, despite the fact there are more barriers to escaping heat, triple glazing will not save you much more money on your energy bills than double glazing, as the difference in heat loss is not significant enough.
So triple glazing does have its place, but it really only suits certain types of properties in certain areas.