Plastic windows became available in our country relatively recently, a couple of decades ago, although in Europe they have been known since the early 60s of the last century. Such light-transmitting structures are attractive to the buyer, first of all, because they have special characteristics responsible for retaining heat and significantly reducing the penetration of street noise. Expandable functionality and a pleasing appearance also play an important role when choosing windows based on plastic.
And although outwardly PVC systems look almost the same, their “filling”, depending on the manufacturer and model, can vary significantly.
In this article we will describe the features of the so-called five-chamber plastic windows , consider their positive and negative aspects, design specifics and scope. We will also give some useful tips, following which you can easily choose the most suitable option for a 5-chamber window model for an apartment.
Advantages of a plastic window with five chambers
When using the phrase “five-chamber window,” you need to clearly understand which cameras you are talking about. In this case, we mean the number of cameras in the profile (remember, a double-glazed window has not five, but a maximum of three cameras). What advantages does such intimacy give to the window?
Due to the fact that the thermal conductivity of the profile decreases in proportion to the number of chambers, the main positive property of such structures is improved heat retention in the adjacent room. Visually evaluate the differences between a three-chamber profile and a five-chamber one:
The low thermal conductivity of the profile is especially important for plastic windows installed in residential buildings in regions where cold weather reigns most of the year. The increased thermal insulation capabilities of a 5-chamber profile, in comparison with, say, a three-chamber profile, allow owners to significantly save on paying bills for electricity consumed by household electric heaters.
The presence of additional chambers significantly affects the cost of the final product - the price of plastic windows with a profile of five chambers is significantly higher than, for example, the price of PVC structures with a profile of three chambers.
What is good about a 5-chamber unit?
Models with five inserts perfectly protect the internal climate from external influences, regardless of the time of year.
The material can withstand temperatures from -50 to +50 degrees and is resistant to static pressure.
You can choose almost any shape, color, or opening method. They are not further processed or painted, and no measures are taken for seasonal insulation.
The design of this type of product is almost universal and goes well with various types of curtains and blinds.
Despite all the advantages, installing such a unit in openings opening onto a glazed balcony will be a pointless overpayment.
Profile color selection
Most buyers of five-chamber plastic windows are satisfied with the white profile. The advantage of this choice is obvious: white color fits almost any interior. However, some people who want to create a certain style in their room are, for some reason, not always satisfied with the standard window color. In this case, you can consider installing a light-transmitting structure with a profile of a different color than white.
If the window is already installed, you can use paint and repaint the profile yourself in the desired color. However, if you are just planning to purchase a PVC system, it makes sense to buy plastic windows that are already colored.
Modern technologies make it possible to give the structure profile a specific color (of your choice) by applying a special film to its surface. This process is called lamination or laminating. Its essence is as follows:
First, the profile is thoroughly cleaned. The machine then applies a laminating film to its surface under pressure. The applied film material is considered to be of high quality if it does not contain bubbles or various types of inclusions in the places of application.
Blitz survey: What color can a plastic window be? From the article you can find out what colors plastic windows come in.
The color of the future plastic window with five chambers is always chosen by the buyer at the stage of ordering the design. To more accurately determine the shade, as a rule, the RAL color catalog is used. This publication must be present in any self-respecting company selling such color systems.
Advantages of five-chamber systems
- Such products more effectively protect against street noise, bad weather, and precipitation, but are more expensive. They are more often installed in urban buildings and on objects that require thermal insulation.
- Five-chamber windows with an installation depth of 7 cm are more difficult to break.
- They help save on energy resources by better retaining heat in the house, and are especially suitable for glazing cottages.
- The products serve as reliable protection against freezing, do not contribute to the formation of condensation, and isolate sound as much as possible.
Selecting a double-glazed window
A modern double-glazed window has the following design differences:
- number of glasses;
- types of glass.
1. The number of glasses in a double-glazed plastic window varies from 2 to 4. Let us remind you that two glasses form one chamber, respectively, the maximum number of chambers in a double-glazed window is three.
Expert commentary
Vladislav Dobronravov
Leading technical specialist at Okna-Media company
What benefits does the presence of additional glass provide to the design? The first is improved heat retention. The second is to reduce the penetration of extraneous noise from the street.
Note that five-chamber models of plastic windows with double-glazed windows are not found on sale, since such designs do not provide a sufficient heat saving ratio for the profile and the double-glazed window (the small number of chambers in the double-glazed window negates all the advantages of a good profile).
To summarize, we note the following. If your home is located in a region of the country where “His Majesty the cold rules” most of the year, then the best option in this case for installation in an apartment are windows with a 5-chamber profile. By equipping window openings with such a solution, you can be sure of maximum heat retention in the apartment.
2. Types of glass . When choosing a five-chamber window model, you must remember that, depending on the purpose, the double-glazed window can be equipped with different types of glass: energy-saving, triplex glass, or ordinary glass. Energy-saving glass, due to its properties, does not allow the heated air in the room to cool down. The purpose of triplex technology is to protect people in the room from the consequences of flying fragments when glass breaks. Triplex glass is often included in the so-called anti-burglary window. Ordinary glass does not have the capabilities of either energy-saving or triplex glass.
Pros and cons of the model
You can choose decorative types of products so that the installation fits optimally into the interior of the room and the design of the building facade. Then, in addition to the main purposes, you will get a visually aesthetic appearance.
All elements are positioned absolutely parallel to each other, secured with spacer frames.
The material used in production is produced using a special technology that creates the most even surface, a high degree of transparency, and the absence of defective elements inherent in conventional window structures.
It is possible to make glass safer and increase its strength by tempering the glass. Even if such glass breaks, the pieces will be as large as possible, without sharp chips or particularly sharp corners, which significantly reduces the risk of injury.
The finished frame must contain a frame frame, sashes, double-glazed windows, fittings, and sealing. The window is divided into two parts by a crossbar.
This type of product got its name because it is made from a plastic profile that has one large main chamber and several additional smaller ones. The stronger the main air pocket, the stronger the entire window. The installation of metal reinforcement eliminates deformation. Such frames are called metal-plastic.
Slightly smaller chambers provide a sufficient degree of insulation; the more small chambers, the thicker the entire glass unit.
Selecting the number of sashes
When choosing a suitable window model, you need to pay attention to its sashes. The appearance from the window, as well as ease of use, will depend on their number.
If the room where the light-transmitting structure is supposed to be installed has a large window opening, then it would be more advisable to install a three-leaf plastic window, with sashes located at the edges of the system and having a rotary opening. In this case, the central part of the structure remains blind (non-openable). This solution is optimal both in terms of functionality (two doors, compared to one, ventilate the room much more efficiently), and in terms of capabilities associated with providing care for the glass surface (wiping it, washing it, etc.).
An alternative to the previous option, with three sashes, is to install a double-leaf window, in which one sashes can be opened, and the other, larger in size, is completely blind. When choosing such a system, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons, since cleaning the outside of the glass will present certain difficulties.
Expert commentary
Vladislav Dobronravov
Leading technical specialist at Okna-Media company
It is also worth considering that if the window opening is adjacent to the balcony, then to ensure better illumination of the room, you should opt for a light-transmitting structure without sashes, and order a balcony door with floor-length glass.
With standard opening sizes, owners, as a rule, install solutions equipped with two identical-sized doors, one of which is blind. In rare cases, you can find a single-hung window. However, when planning to purchase such a system, you need to remember that if the window sash is opened frequently, it may stop functioning properly due to sagging due to its heavy weight.
links to materials supplementing this article: Mirrored PVC windows - stylish and effective sun protection
Plastic windows with blinds inside the glass unit - convenient and beautiful
How are plastic windows made? Step-by-step photo report
Three cameras or five – which profile is better to choose?
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When choosing a 3-chamber or 5-chamber glazing system, you should understand: outwardly they are almost the same, but their characteristics are different. The five-chamber window is stronger and warmer. But for a typical city apartment that does not need increased protection from cold and noise, it is more practical to purchase a 3-chamber one. But it’s better to equip an office space or a country house using a five-chamber profile. Despite the high cost, it will pay for itself in a maximum of six months, taking into account operating conditions.
Profile systems with three and five chambers are most in demand on the Russian market of window products. Moreover, the former are mostly in the southern regions, the latter – in the northern and Far Eastern regions.
Tips from REHAU
Each region has its own heat transfer resistance coefficient, which determines the demand for the product. In Novosibirsk, for heated objects, it is useless to buy a profile with thermal insulation of less than 0.64 m2°C/W, and a larger value is provided by 5-chamber profile systems. In the Krasnodar Territory the climate is warmer, and here it is sufficient to use three-chamber products with a heat transfer resistance coefficient of 0.6 - 0.64 m2°C/W. They will not “flow” even on winter days.
So, the key difference between a three-chamber plastic window and a five-chamber one is the level of thermal insulation. For a window with a large number of chambers, it is higher; with such glazing, the room cools down more slowly. The number of air layers in a double-glazed window also affects the thermal efficiency of the window. For this reason, the heat transfer resistance coefficient cannot be taken as the only determining factor in choosing a window system.
Selection of accessories
The fitting mechanism in the window design is responsible for opening the sashes. The fittings include, among other things, a window handle. Today, the Russian market is ready to offer the end buyer a huge range of fitting mechanisms to choose from that meet all requirements both in terms of color and cost, as well as functionality.
Currently, plastic structures are equipped with fittings from various manufacturers, the world leaders of which are:
- Siegenia-aubi;
- Maco;
- Roto;
- Winkhaus;
- Schuco.
In most cases, five-chamber window models contain only high-quality fittings from well-known brands. This fact is directly reflected in the final price of the products, naturally upward. What are the advantages of expensive fittings, usually produced in Germany, over cheaper analogues manufactured, for example, in Turkey and China?
In good window fittings, the number of openings/closings guaranteed by the manufacturer is at least 50,000 , while the guaranteed life cycle of mechanisms from little-known companies is only 20,000 . In addition, expensive fittings are easy to use - the ergonomics of the handle and the smoothness of its movement.
On the domestic window market, you can often find fitting mechanisms designed to provide a certain type of protection. These include anti-burglary and locking devices.
The purpose of anti-burglary fittings is to block the window from opening from the outside. The functions of the locking mechanisms are reduced to preventing children from opening the window sash without permission.
Bottom line
When choosing a suitable model of a five-chamber plastic window, you need to take into account the functionality of the option you like, the temperature conditions in which the PVC structure is planned to be used, as well as the cost of the final product. The modern window market is literally filled with products from famous manufacturers. Therefore, when choosing a copy of any European brand, you can be confident in quality, proven over the years and backed by a solid guarantee for the purchased model.
Discussion: there is 1 comment
- Goblin:
05/25/2015 at 10:47Guys, what about import substitution? You see, the editor doesn't know this word. Who rolls such profiles in our endless expanses?
Answer
