Is triple glazing worth the extra expense in the UK?

 

With the current focus on energy efficiency, and many homeowners replacing their old inefficient windows – Iis triple glazing worth the extra expense?

The PassivHaus Institute tested surface temperatures on various forms of glazing when the internal air temperature is designed to be at 21°C:

Next to a single-glazed window, the internal surface temperature is around 1°C.
Next to a double-glazed window (circa 2000), the temperature is around 11°C.
Next to a modern, energy-efficient double-glazed window, the surface temperature is 16°C.
Next to a triple-glazed window the temperature is 18°C.

So whilst triple glazed windows performed better than modern double glazing, it was a relatively small difference, and something worth considering when comparing quotations.

Read article in Homebuilding and Renovation “Does triple glazing make sense?

Conclusion It is certainly worth replacing single-glazed windows. Whether you want to go for double or triple glazing will really depend on how much you can afford and how well insulated the rest of the house is. There is little point in adding triple-glazing if there is a lot of heat loss from uninsulated solid brick walls.

In June 2014 the UK government launched the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund that includes a grant for replacing single glazed windows with double or triple-glazed windows and solid wall insulation. For more details about the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund click here

Also read the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) leaflet on Energy efficient glazing

 

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