Wrong Time For Triple Glazing

At a time when living costs are rising at an alarming rate, raw material costs have never been so high and when peoples spending power has been severely reduced, has triple glazing arrived in the market at the wrong time?


The benefits are obvious, they achieve a U-value that current A rated double glazed windows can't do at the moment. But there will obviously be a price different between the double and triple glazed options, and this may be hard to push. Given the choice between a very good A rated double glazed window and a triple glazed one, it may be difficult to justify to the customer why they need to spend more on shaving off a few fractions from the U-value.


And just a point on the new triple glazing website using super heroes as a way to promote the product. I can understand the novelty of the idea, but personally I wouldn't have used something which does seem a little gimmicky to push what is a very new and high end product. I would have gone down the luxury and high end road, but that's just my opinion.


I still think that the energy efficiency of standard double glazed windows will improve further, and if this is the case, this will add to the argument of not paying more for an extra pane of glass just to slice of a bit more for the U-value.


Don't get me wrong, I do think the idea of the triple glazing is one that will work for the industry, just maybe not now when people's purses are squeezed tighter than ever.

Triple Glazing

There seems to be a bit of confusion as to the make up of the new triple glazed units due to be brought to market. So I've found two images showing the two different set up's that are being advertised. But the confusing factor here, is that the two images below are from WHS Halo, which system are they going to use?

Both systems claim to achieve a U-value of 0.7. But one of the obvious problems I can with the system housing the single pane of glass is condensation. Will that set up cause it?


Personally, the triple glazed one unit set up is the better option. Fitters still only have to glaze one unit, there's no need for a second bead, and potential condensation shouldn't be a problem.

It's Coming

In the next few weeks/months it looks like we are going to see the introduction of triple glazing into the market.


Triple glazing is already available in the market place, but this is a different particular breed of triple glazing. This is one made up of a double glazed unit, with a third layer of glass separate to that, sitting in it's own dedicated little cavity within the frame, with it's own little dedicated glazing bead.


Companies like the Advance Group in Scotland have been doing this for a while now, and feedback from them seems to suggest that customers have taken to the new product positively.


Triple glazed windows are expected to have a U-value of about 0.7, much better than what is currently available from energy rated double glazed windows.


The main question is what price are these new products going to come in at. Are they going to be much more than double glazed windows? Advance Group in Scotland have said that there isn't much difference. In fact they told me a price which seemed to me to be quite reasonable. And that is they key. Providing that they are way much more than double glazed prices, then I can see this taking off. 


We might even see companies selling triple glazing as standard providing the demand is there are the costs don't vary too much.

The Next Step In Window Evolution?

While I was up in Scotland, I saw in one of the Scottish versions of either The Sun or Daily Mail an advert by Advanced Group and their 44mm triple glazed windows. But as I was on holiday I paid no attention to it after that!

Then I saw on the GGP Magazine website a feature article on them, and have paid it a little more thought this time. In the article they say they are producing over 1500 triple glazed windows per week, which to be honest is pretty good going in what are still difficult and uncertain trading conditions.

If we go back in time and then look at triple glazed windows it fits the evolving picture. Windows progressed from single glazing, to thin double glazing in timber, then that was adapted into PVCu frames. As time has progressed it widened to the current 28mm double glazed unit standard. And since then, instead of making the cavity wider, we've adapted the unit to hold things like argon gas, super spacers and used different variations of glass. But personally I think we've been missing a trick with triple glazed windows. It seems the natural step upwards in glazing technology. Whats more you could still add things like argon gas and still use low 'E' and low iron glass. Even without this Advanced Group say that a U-Value of 0.9 can be achieved.

What I would really like to know is if triple glazing is a much more costly option. If triple glazing isn't too expensive, then I truly believe we could add a very useful and profitable string to our bow.


UPDATE: Thanks to the Advanced Group in Scotland for sending in an image showing their triple glazing installed: