What Is An Insulated Window?

Q:

What is an “insulated” window?

A:

Modern windows are often referred to as “insulated” because of technology that retards, blocks, or slows the transfer of air through the unit. Most people are familiar with fiberglass or other types of insulation material in a wall cavity. In a window, the “insulation” is a combination of several factors.

Most common are windows with at least two panes of glass enclosing a ‘dead’ airspace between them. The airspace may also be sealed to contain a clear, odorless gas (commonly argon), which is heavier than air and thus an even more effective insulator. Better yet, one or both inside surfaces of the glass can be permanently laminated with a clear coating that further retards thermal transfer and protects the home’s interior against solar heat gain and damaging ultraviolet rays.

Homes that are on the water or face a direction with an excessive amount of cold wind or weather routinely have windows installed with three panes of glass, this is commonly called triple pane windows. These windows are basically double a normal window and give double the protection of a normal window since they have the advantage of two spaces to "insulate" your home from the outside world.

Triple pane windows are a heavy window to install and are also more costly, you must way the pro's and con's of buying them before deciding if they are needed.

Rob Abbott
Village Builders Inc.