When winter sets in or during the peak of summer heat, it’s more clear than ever when you need new windows. Cold drafts or heat transfer can make the interior of your home uncomfortable and cause your heating and cooling system to work much harder. When it comes to new windows, deciding between double-pane and triple-pane is a consideration. Here’s what to know about double-pane vs triple-pane windows:

What Are Double-Pane Windows?

The standard in window installation, double-pane windows are the most commonly purchased. These windows offer basic, yet essential, protection against the elements. Double-pane windows are characterized by having two layers of glass with an insulating gas between the layers.

Insulated windows are usually filled with argon gas. Double-pane windows are often the standard option now. They offer better insulation, more noise reduction, and overall better energy efficiency than single-pane windows. There are also glass options and other upgrades available to improve their performance even further.

What Are Triple-Pane Windows?

Triple-pane windows are characterized by having three layers of glass with insulating gas between each pane. They offer superior performance to double-pane windows in a number of different ways, including energy efficiency and noise reduction.

With triple-pane windows, it’s not just about the extra panes, but what goes between them.
Having an extra pane for each window adds a significant amount of protection and efficiency to the whole. However, having the additional layer of filling with spacers and argon gas plays a role as well..

These serve to reduce condensation and increase insulation overall. With a layer between panes, these fillings are doing their job well. But with two layers between the first and second cavities, these fillings have real stopping power. Additionally, the extra insulation can help with noise reduction and soundproofing your windows.

Double-Pane vs Triple-Pane Windows

When evaluating window performance, you want to pay attention to R Factor, U Factor, and SHGC (the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient).

R Factor, U-Value, and SGHC

The R Factor indicates heat flow resistance, whereas the U-value measures the ease of heat flow. Essentially, the higher the R Factor, the better the insulation, and the lower the U-value, the better a window insulates against heat flow.

The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, or SHGC, indicates how much solar radiation transfers through the glass into your home. It’s about how much heat comes through from the sun. In colder weather, having a higher rate is welcome.

However, during warmer months, having a lower rate is preferred. For Central Pennsylvania, high-performance windows featuring Low-E glass and mid-range SHGC tend to be a better fit. This is something to keep in mind when shopping for new windows.

Comparing Double-Pane and Triple-Pane Windows

When evaluating double-pane vs triple-pane windows, the type of window, glass options, and more go into the cost of replacement windows. When it comes down to it, triple-pane windows are superior to double-pane windows. They are heavier, more solid, and offer more resistance to the elements.

Double-pane windows will dutifully serve their purpose, and as the less expensive of the two, are frequently installed. Consider double-pane windows as the luxury standard and triple-pane windows as a luxury upgrade. Depending on the reasons to replace your windows, triple-pane windows could be the best choice for your new windows. For walls with a lot of windows or large windows, triple-pane is recommended.

Double-Pane Windows:

• More energy efficient than single-pane, less efficient than triple-pane
• Insulates almost twice as well as single-pane windows
• Significant improvement in noise reduction over single-pane
• Less expensive than triple-pane windows
• Heavier than single-pane, but lighter than triple-pane
• ENERGY STARⓇ-certified options
• Available in various sizes and window styles

Triple-Pane Windows:

• Even more energy efficient than double-pane windows
• Best insulation for maximum performance
• Less prone to condensation
• More noise reduction than double-pane
• More expensive than double-pane, but with more benefits
• Heavier than double-pane windows
• ENERGY STARⓇ-certified options
• Available in various sizes and window styles

Replace Your Windows With Zephyr Thomas

Thinking about what you need and considering upgrades can help you choose the best windows for your home. Ultimately, whether you decide on double or triple-pane windows for your home, getting new windows at all will significantly improve your home.

The benefits of replacing windows are many, including improving energy efficiency and comfort. With the high-quality work of Zephyr Thomas Home Improvement, you’ll be looking at a much more comfortable atmosphere inside your home. Not to mention, your home could become more energy efficient, which can help you save on energy bills over time.

Serving Lancaster County since 1953, we’re here to help with your home improvement needs, from window replacement and new doors to basement, bathrooms, kitchens, and more. Contact us at 717-399-4708 to schedule a free estimate for your next home improvement project. Or, stop by our showroom to see some window options in person.