Triple Glazed Windows

What Could You Save?

Every situation is different, but if we assume the property has 25 sq metre of glazing, and is heated with a boiler which is 80% efficient, the saving could be as much as 79% ( £72) against a standard double glazed unit

* Based on an outside temperature of 5° C and an inside temperature of 21°C. With a heating cost of 16cent per KW

Modern windows are being constructed using three panes of glass, hence the name triple glazing. Triple glazed windows are even more energy-efficient than modern double glazing. The thermal insulation benefit is clearly visible through the additional pane of glass and gas filled cavity.There are three reasons why you should consider installing triple glazed windows containing Planitherm glass:

1. Save even more on your energy bills

UPVC Triple Glazing windows units have an optimised energy balance to maximise cost savings. Triple glazing allows a high level of solar heat gain, capturing free heat energy from outside during the daytime to warm the home. This is combined with exceptional thermal insulation properties with triple glazed units having a very low U-value* to keep the heat in during night and day. The outcome is a window that well exceeds the current maximum “A” window energy rating.

2. Maximum comfort

The thermal efficiency of UPVC Triple Glazing windows units ensures that cold spots are eliminated. Triple glazed units can also be optimised to deliver excellent thermal acoustic performance – minimising noise levels from outside.

3. Enhanced security

The extra pane of glass ensures that your windows are less easy to break through giving you peace of mind when it comes to security. UPVC Triple Glazing windows is well established in many parts of Europe and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Windows are one of the most exposed parts of a house. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a staggering 26% of all domestic heat loss escapes through the windows. Installing energy-efficient windows is essential to help keep the cost of energy bills down.

Double glazed windows containing Planitherm glass provide a highly energy- efficient solution that can save up to 28% on your energy bills**.

However, Planitherm in triple glazed units provide the ultimate in energy efficient performance, exceeding the best performing double glazing units. Rising energy prices mean that it has never been so important to save as much as possible on your energy bills. Installing triple glazing will also reduce your carbon emissions.

* U-value reflects the thermal insulating performance of a building the lower the co-efficient is, the better the insulating performance.** Energy savings calculation courtesy of the Glass and Glazing Federation. Energy consumption data courtesy of the Energy Savings.

1. Save even more on your energy bills with Triple GlazingWhen compared with a double glazed unit, a triple glazed window incorporates an extra pane of glass and additional insulating cavity space so its energy efficiency is greater.

A double-glazed window containing Planitherm can easily achieve the minimum required “C” rating or step up to an “A” rating for superior energy efficiency.

Due to its unrivalled balance of solar heat gain and exceptional thermal insulation, it is possible to exceed the “A” rating with triple glazing – achieving energy ratings of up to +20 to +30 kwh/m²/year. This means that your windows actually allow much more heat into the home than it loses, helping to heat your home for free!

According to the GGF Energy Savings Calculator, “A” rated windows could save you up to £3910 on your energy bills and 17.5 tonnes of CO2 over the next 10 years*. Triple glazing is up to 40% more thermally efficient so the savings will be much higher.

This can be illustrated when considering the U-value measure. A U-value demonstrates the thermal insulating performance of a window. The lower the figure, the better the insulating performance. Today, a window must have a minimum U-value of 1.6Wm²K to meet building regulations. An energy efficient double-glazed unit containing Planitherm glass can achieve around a whole window 1.4Wm²K U-value.

A triple glazed window can achieve a U-value as low as 1.0Wm²K, which could save you a significant amount on your energy bills through reduced heat loss from your home.

* Based on a semi-detached property removing single glazed aluminium frame windows and replacing them with A rated windows with a 3% inflation factor.

2. Maximum comfort and security with UPVC Triple Glazing windows

If double glazing makes a modern house comfortable to live in, the impact of triple glazing is even greater.

With a triple glazed unit the internal surface temperature is around 2 degrees warmer than with a modern double glazed unit*. This means that it is more comfortable to stand next to windows as any cold spots and internal condensation are eliminated.

Through adjusting the glass combination, triple glazed units can also be optimised to provide outstanding acoustic performance, minimising noise levels from outside. This could benefit you if you live close to a road or in a densely populated area.

Having a third pane of glass in a window makes a triple glazed sealed unit harder to break through. Triple glazed windows are also internally beaded and the glass unit can only be removed from the frame from inside the property enhancing their security further.

*Research conducted by Passivehaus Institute, Germany

3. UPVC Triple Glazing windowsFAQ’s

Answers to our most frequently asked questions can be found below.

Woodgrain on white achieves the look of traditional hardwood frames on the outside and brilliant white frames on the inside.

Not only do we offer an extensive range of solid and woodgrain colour options to offer our customers more choice, all of our foil finishes are supplied on lead-free profile and are laminated using Eco-Friendly methods to comply with European Legislation.

Triple glazed units are wider than double glazed units due to the extra pane of glass and cavity. Subsequently, triple glazed units require a recess deep enough to be fitted and are likely to require reinforced window frames to handle the additional weight. Your window installer will be able to guide you on this.

Triple glazed units are up to 40% more thermally efficient than double glazed units, helping to reduce your energy bills and carbon emissions. With triple glazing, homes are able to stay warmer for longer and you can expect fewer cold spots and drafts near windows. The extra pane of glass provides a security benefit too.

For the best solution insist on Planitherm. Planitherm is Europe’s best selling range of high-performance low-E (low-emissivity) glass. Planitherm has been specifically designed to maximise interior comfort and energy-efficiency within the home. Planitherm glass has an advanced coating which is designed to reflect the heat from inside the home back into the room, whilst capturing free energy from natural daylight outside.

In terms of thermal insulation, the performance of a triple glazing unit far exceeds the minimum performance required by the current Building Regulations. owever, the Building Regulations are anticipated to tighten in the future. The Government has recently introduced the Code for Sustainable Homes, which is the national standard for the sustainable design and construction of new homes. The initiative is designed to move us towards building zero-carbon homes by 2016. The strict energy efficiency requirements of the programme are likely to require triple glazing solutions to be implemented from this point.

No. This is a common misconception with triple glazing. The level of solar heat gain from outside is actually less through a triple glazed unit than a double glazed unit due to the extra pane of glass and cavity. The overall energy balance of a triple glazed unit is superior to double glazing due to its vastly enhanced thermal insulation properties which ensures that more heat is retained within the room instead of being lost through the window.

A comprehensive range of solid colour and natural wood effect foils are available across our product range.

Foils allow you to further bespoke the look of a home and create that bespoke look. Furthermore, all our foils are supplied on 100% calcium organic material and applied using our eco friendly process.

All foils are also available in two options: Foil on the outside and white on the inside or alternatively foil both internally and externally, the choice is yours.