Double-Pane vs Triple-Pane | Which One Should I Use?

Find a great window company near you. Check out TheWindowExperts.com/
Don't get fooled by a salesperson trying to talk you into getting triple-pane windows without knowing the truth. Just because there is more glass doesn't mean it will be better for your specific needs. Jeff breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of both double and triple-pane glass so you can make the best decision for your home.
Stay up to date on the latest in the window and door industry by subscribing.
Houston Window Experts: houstonwindowexperts.com/
LINKS:
Understanding How Soundproof Windows Work: • Understanding How Soun...

[@11jacqueline11]

Great video, thanks for explaining the difference and benefits of double vs triple pane.

[@Schris22]

Was about to pull the trigger on some Octa Pane windows, glad I watched this video before signing. Thanks Jeff! Informative and well conveyed content as always.

[@joycehahn01]

Thank you !!!! I appreciate the information and your help !!!

[@nickdavis4839]

Thank you for this informative video.

[@gregcorwin8316]

Great video Jeff! For obvious reasons I really enjoy your glass-related videos the best. Since I do live in a place that can potentially see -20F and lower many times during a normal winter, I do have triple pane windows and I highly recommend them for anyone living in climate zone 6 or higher (some energy performance experts recommend triples in zone 5 as well...), but absolutely agree that in a cooling dominated climate, like Houston, or even a more moderate climate, dual pane with the appropriate coating is usually a much better choice for all the reasons mentioned.

[@perry7175]

Thanks Jeff. As always really informative! You and your daughter helped us decide to purchase NT windows back in Dec for our 1959 home. A great overall experience with the installer, Maverick Windows. Very pleased with the overall value/performance. A few of those windows are as large as an entry door!

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

Glad to help!

[@rockyboy976]

Wonderful video Jeff. I love your well articulated delivery and I liked the video. So, what exactly is the final verdict on triple pane window in a cold country? Does it prevent heat from escaping and/or does it keep the house even remotely as warm as a brick wall? Or it is just a tripe pain :-)

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

In cold climates, it's a Yes!

[@TripleZme]

Hey Jeff. Love your videos and advice. Have a question for you. I live in Ontario Canada (just north of Toronto). I have large suburban corner property with 33 windows. the back of my house faces East, many of the living area and windows face South and the front faces West. I do have a few windows that face North and because of the house next to me, that side does not get a lot of sun. What would you suggest in terms of Low E and Glazing for my house and the different directions my house faces. Thanks.

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

I'd keep them all the same glass. I see you reached out to Greg Corwin. He's the authority on glass. Let's see what he has to say.

[@TripleZme]

@@HoustonWindowExperts Thank you for the response. What would be your recommendation for my climate environment? all 180 or 272?

[@DustinCFletcher]

Would you recommend a double pane with low E coatings over a triple pane without coatings in a cold climate? Is the coating were the moneys at in terms of solar heat gain in terms of energy efficiency?

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

I'd have a local window dealer run those scenarios on their software to see what the performance numbers come back at. That's the best way to know for sure.

[@stradovinski]

Would those double pane results be similar to what to expect from non-insulated impact glass (with just low e)?

[@gregcorwin8316]

Adding a soft coat LowE coating between the lites of a laminated glass sandwich is relatively common and while doing so does not change the solar heat gain characteristics of the coating (meaning it will still block as much solar heat gain as a standard dual pane IGU with the same coating), it does negate the potential U-factor performance of the LowE coating so that the single laminated glass will have the same U-factor performance as an uncoated single monolithic lite of the same overall thickness rather than U factor performance of the standard IGU. In appropriate locations, adding a surface 4 coating to the laminated glass, while keeping the SHGC of the enclosed coating, will improve the U factor energy performance enough to meet energy code and eliminate the need for an IG unit (dual pane) to meet required performance values.

[@sa3270]

Having had freshman statistics in college, I would assume triple pane windows would experience seal failures somewhat sooner on average than double pane windows. Though if the window is put together well, it might not be an issue for either before you replace the window for other reasons.

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

You're correct, triple pain windows will have a higher rate of steel failure due to more moving parts.

[@shubinternet]

But what happens when that single pane of glass is treated with the same types of coatings as the double pane? What about thermal bridging one double pane versus triple pane glass?

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

Please elaborate

[@JosephHuether]

Great video…but I have the following comments for anyone interested. 1) The “triple pane” third pane has no air space…or in the case of really high performance triple panes…no vacuum. 2) If you are a true “green” wonk, you might take into consideration that once you add a coating like low-e to your insulating glass unit (IGU), the glass cannot be recycled. In 35 years, when the service life of your IGU ends, that glass will end up in a landfill. In other words, with the common everyday IGU, we take a material (single pane of glass) that can literally last for thousands of years and turn it into a product that will be landfill in less than a hundred. Interestingly…in the 1920’s, arguably a “golden age” of American residential construction…a typical middle-class home in the northeast would have single pane double hung windows WITH a high quality wood framed storm window. In the pre-air conditioner 20’s, you would swap out the storms for screens (to catch breezes) and put up awnings to reduce solar heat gain….AND…the windows could last as long as the wood framing.

[@gregcorwin8316]

Was a great video, but to address your comments: 1) In common industry usage, triple pane windows have TWO airspaces that are normally the same width between the lites. There are also hybrids that might have two lites separated by a vacuum IG or else two lites separated by an interlayer in a laminated glass unit, plus a third lite separated from the dual lite construction by a wider airspace. Some people refer to an IGU with a vacuum IG or laminated lite plus monolithic lite as a triple pane while others refer to it as dual pane with vacuum or laminated. There are also triple pane IGU's that do have two airspaces but then include a laminated lite as one of the three glass layers. It can be confusing. 2) Recycling glass with a soft coat LowE coating is common and in no way precludes that glass from being recycled. Cullet (recycled window glass) typically makes up about 30-35% of the material used on a modern float glass production line and while tinted glass or some glass from overseas (specific to where it comes from) cannot be used as cullet for producing window glass in North America, there are no restrictions on using LowE coated glass as cullet to make new glass. It's common and unremarkable. 3) Glass can last for thousands of years, so can pyramids, so your point being? Per LowE glass being destined to be in a landfill in less than 100 years, see #2. Also, the widespread and commercialization of add on storm windows really didn't become a thing until the mid 1930's, curiously about the same time that the IGU was originally patented and introduced - although this early incarnation of the IGU failed miserably and the concept of dual pane glass as a single integrated package pretty much disappeared for another 40 years or so.

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

@gregcorwin Thanks!

[@YingLuo-be1hf]

We produce door and window rollers

[@StevenSales]

Here in Climate 5 we find where builders install the window with incorrect orientation at times. How does this effect the performance?

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

If the window is not installed in the right position, it will still function. It just went out function as efficiently as if it was done correctly.

[@StevenSales]

@@HoustonWindowExperts With that fine piece of metrology can you measure the difference by flipping your sample glass assembly around. That might give the difference in values of a correctly installed window versus incorrect orientation ...

[@HoustonWindowExperts]

It doesn't make a difference with this tool. I've tried.