The Difference Between Double & Triple Pane Windows

If you’re curious about the difference between double-pane and triple-pane windows, you’ve come to the right place. No matter how many windows you have in your building or house, or how many panes those windows have, today we will be talking about how they work, their pros & cons, the different types of glass available for each type of window.

Double-Paned Windows

UPVC wood effect Double glazing cross section

Double pane windows are exactly what they sound like – two pieces of glass with an insulated space between the two panes. This is most commonly achieved with an “air pocket” that provides the insulation, but it could be gas instead of air or even vacuum. Double pane windows have a metal spacer bar between them to keep them apart. The biggest advantage of double pane windows is you get better insulation because there are more barriers for heat to pass through.

A second advantage is that this type of window is often easier to clean than single-paned glass because one side doesn’t tend to get so dirty as the other does when you’re cleaning from the inside, looking out into the dark. Unfortunately, double-paned windows aren’t perfect. Many people complain about poor quality seals, which lead to condensation on the inner wall and fogging up on the outer wall. Double pane windows also don’t do as good of a job as triple-paned windows when it comes to blocking outside noise.

Double pane glass has two layers of glass with an inner sheet of gas or vacuum. This can be extremely advantageous when insulating your home because the two panes prevent the transfer of heat by trapping an insulating layer between them. Several types of gas can be inserted into this space, but most often, it will be argon because it has proven to have the highest R-value while still being safe for human use. Although not as technologically advanced as triple pane glass, double pane windows are still better at insulating your building than single pane ones. Another advantage to this type of window is their longevity – they last a lot longer than single ones because the thickness of two panes is more than twice that of one.

Triple-Paned Windows

Triple pane windows are the newest and best option for insulation out there. We will cover why we think this in a minute. They work exactly like double pane glass, only with three pieces of glass instead of two. The spacer bar runs down the middle and can either be filled with an insulator (air, gas, or vacuum) or left empty. Suppose you’re asking yourself, “Which one is better – triple pane or double?”. In that case, that’s a common question and one that isn’t really easy to answer without knowing other details about your house or apartment like what nearby buildings look like, if you live in an area that gets a lot of wind or storms, if you have poor insulation on your home, etc.

Triple pane glass is designed to provide even better insulation than double pane windows do. This is possible because the center spacer bar in triple pane windows will often be filled with an insulator while double panes are not. The empty space helps stop convection currents within the window, making them more efficient at blocking heat transfer into or out of your building/home/apartment. They are also great at blocking outside noise because there are three pieces of glass instead of two, like double pane windows.

Summary

So that’s about it! We hope you understand the difference between a double and triple pane window and what makes them different from one another. The only thing we didn’t talk about is how much it costs to get your home or building outfitted with new windows because there are many factors involved like company, product, job specifications (like sashes/frames), etc. If you need any help or advice on what type of replacement windows would be best for you, contacting a reputable window installation company might be worth it. Hopefully, they can point you in the right direction if you’re in the market for new glass in your building.