Triple Pane vs. Double Pane Windows

Triple Pane vs. Double Pane Windows: Which Are Right For Your Home?

When double pane windows first came on the market, they became popular for their insulating qualities. With two panes of glass, they could slow the flow of heat, prevent heat loss, reduce sound barriers, and even stand up to window condensation. Triple pane windows can do all of this with three panes, often with gas filling between each pane of glass. But is triple-pane superior to double-pane windows when it comes to insulating your home, or are three panes simply overkill?

Let’s compare triple and double pane windows on several different factors so you can decide which type of window is best for your home.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency refers to how much energy your home can save by relying on insulation and construction. For example, windows can be energy-efficient by blocking heat loss to keep heat in your home during the winter and keep heat from seeping in during the summer. In doing so, your window can help to regulate the temperature, meaning your HVAC system won’t have to use as much energy to heat or cool your home.

Double-pane windows are famously energy-efficient, blocking 90% of heat from the home. They often use either krypton or argon gas, both non-toxic and odorless, to slow airflow from one pane to another. Triple-pane windows take this a step further, blocking 97% of heat from passing through the glass for optimized energy efficiency.

It’s worth noting another form of energy efficiency when it comes to windows, however, which is the natural lighting that passes through the window. The more natural lighting a window lets in, the less you’ll have to rely on electric lighting in your home. And the thicker the window, the less sunlight gets in. By becoming more insulating, double-pane windows already lose a little bit of that natural lighting, and triple-pane windows lose more. However, the energy that comes from blocking heat loss tends to make a bigger impact and tends to be more cost-effective.

Home Security

Aside from doors, windows are the most common way for home intruders to get into your home. It’s easy enough to break a single-pane window and gain entry into the house, but the thicker the window, the harder it is to break. While double-pane windows make this more of a challenge, triple-pane windows maximize the strength of the window, making it more difficult than any other type of window to break from the outside.

Noise Reduction

One of the things that made double-pane windows so popular when they came on the market was the ability to block sound better than single-pane windows. This offers your home more privacy as well as peace and quiet from outdoor noises. The general assumption is that triple-pane windows will reduce noise even more effectively than double-pane windows.

While it’s true that triple pane windows offer more noise reduction, the difference is not particularly noticeable because the space between panes of glass is so thin.

Ease of Installation

When you have windows professionally installed, you pay for the labor of that installation, as well. Double-pane windows are easy to install in most homes, comparable to an average window. Triple-pane windows, however, are larger and bulkier, which makes them more challenging to install.

Cost

Double-pane windows require less labor to install and fewer materials to produce, which means they are less expensive upfront. Because triple-pane windows are more energy-efficient, they will eventually pay for themselves. Thus triple-pane windows tend to be a good idea if you plan to stay in the home for a long time, while double-pane windows are a good option if you plan to live in your home for only a few more years.

There are ups and downs to both options, but ultimately triple-pane windows offer an extra layer of protection, energy efficiency, and noise reduction (even if less noticeably so in the final category). These are the best window options to date, which is why we offer triple-pane windows at Rescom Exteriors. Contact us today to learn more or to get started with a free quote.