The popularity of plastic windows is based on significant operational advantages over wooden frames, which were previously installed in houses and apartments.
Let’s clarify right away - we are talking about a price range comparable to PVC double-glazed windows. High-quality (and expensive) wooden windows, on the contrary, win on all counts.
Let's resolve the eternal dilemma by defining the advantages and disadvantages and understanding the difference between two-chamber and three-chamber double-glazed windows.
Double glazing
A double-glazed unit is usually called a single-chamber double-glazed unit, the first glass of which will necessarily consist of triplex (two glasses of 3 millimeters each + a film and two air chambers located between them - the total thickness of the package is 6 millimeters). This film glues the glass together.
This package is subsequently connected through the use of a spacer with another glass. In total, the design includes 3 sheets of glass.
Triplex can have a thickness of 8 millimeters, in which case the thickness of each glass will be 4 millimeters each.
Types of glass used in double glazing:
- Triplex.
- Tinted.
- Tempered.
- Low emission.
- Reinforced.
What does this technical characteristic mean and what does it affect?
At the time, this didn’t bother me much, but just yesterday, when my cat once again jumped on the mosquito net and tore it off, I remembered those very craftsmen and the time when two men installed these windows for us in the murderous heat. I even remembered that one of them was the director of the company himself, named Morozov. It was he who spent almost an hour telling my grandmother the whole essence of intimacy.
Such “cuts” are usually found in the offices of “window operators”, do you see the third example? There are two cameras, two samples too. I’ll explain below. The company is small, but the guys are so responsible, fanatics, in short, they set it up as if it were for themselves. So, the chamber in our case is the space between the partitions:
- in a double-glazed window - between the panes;
- in profile - inside a polyvinyl chloride (usually white) frame.
Some call the glass or partitions themselves cameras - this is wrong! We take only the air space (some craftsmen, I heard, manage to pour foam inside the frame), which affects the level of thermal insulation.
The “double-chamber” design is more reliable and durable than the “single-chamber” design. In terms of noise suppression and heat retention, they are superior to their single-chamber counterparts, so their use is practically unlimited.
Advantages of double glazing
Double-glazed windows have a number of advantages, for which they are preferred for glazing window openings in residential and office premises.
Good thermal insulation . This indicator is achieved by applying silver ions or oxides of other metals to the glass surface by sputtering. It is on the principle of using this technology that energy-saving double-glazed windows are created, which operate on the principle of a thermal mirror.
The window, reflecting infrared radiation into the home, prevents it from escaping outside, leaving heat inside the living space.
The insulating properties of a double-glazed window can be increased by pumping an inert gas into its cavity; most often argon or krypton is used for such purposes.
Possibility to tint glass unit . This type of window is in great consumer demand. Such a double-glazed window is obtained in two ways:
- When making glass, high-quality additives are added, as a result of which the glass acquires a bluish, smoky, opalescent tint.
- A special sticker is applied to the glass, which has a tinting effect. The film can be used as a decorative material.
Most often, owners of office centers and medical centers prefer to tint their windows.
The film can also protect the glass unit from vandals who like to either break glass or scratch it. It can withstand a light impact, but if the window does break, the film will allow it to retain the fragments, as a result of which the broken glass will simply crack
Excellent sound insulation . In urban living conditions you simply cannot do without such windows. Double-glazed windows will not allow outside noise to enter the living space.
Triple glazing
Today, many people can affirmatively say that 3 glasses are better than 2.
A triple-glazed unit consists of 4 glasses and three sealed cavities - chambers. It is the last characteristic regarding the number of sealed chambers that affects all the positive properties of plastic windows. Triple glazing has:
- Greater sound insulation.
- Better thermal insulation.
Difference
- These double-glazed windows differ in the number of glasses and chambers.
- The thermal insulation of triple glazing is higher than that of double glazing. Double glazing is not suitable for cold winters.
- Builders advise installing triple-glazed windows on the upper floors, this is due to their more enhanced sound insulation.
- Double-glazed windows transmit light into the room better, while their counterparts, on the contrary, dim the light in the room.
Repair and constructionComment
Characteristics of the glass unit
In order to make a double-glazed window of this type, it is necessary to use different thicknesses of glass.
When using energy-saving glass, special coatings are applied to the glass itself, which in turn allows it to reflect heat rays and increase the thermal insulation properties of the glass unit.
For glazing of loggias, balconies and attics, tempered glass is used, which is obtained as a result of the use of additional heat treatment. Thanks to the use of such double-glazed windows, the chance of obtaining a burglary-resistant plastic window increases.
Using polymer film can also be an excellent solution for preserving window glass. As a result of a blow directed at it, the glass will not shatter into many fragments, but will simply crack.
Triplex is known for its excellent sound insulation properties.
When using reflective glass coated with a special metal oxide, anyone using this double-glazed window can forget about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation.
Which profiles to choose for a window
REHAU. They are highly efficient. PVC window designs from REHAU are distinguished by their beauty, durability and ease of maintenance. They look quite stylish. Provide a variety of functionality that meets the expectations of even the most demanding homeowners.
The main advantages are:
- These profiles are specially designed to withstand high UV radiation.
- They do not discolor, do not deform or shrink.
- They can help prevent condensation.
- No rust or corrosion occurs.
- Noise and thermal insulation at a high level.
VEKA. These profiles are made from high quality PVC. They can last for a long time and are also made from environmentally friendly material. Sound and thermal insulation is at the level, excellent heat saving. These windows are also resistant to sudden temperature changes. Taking into account our changeable climatic conditions, this is especially important.
KBE. These profiles can provide safety, comfort and coziness. They have all the advantages that are usually expected from modern windows: waterproof, stable, durable. They also tolerate exposure to ultraviolet rays well.
Double-chamber or single-chamber double-glazed windows
What does a two-chamber window look like and what does it mean? To clarify the points, you need to clarify what the double-glazed window itself is. This is a translucent structure made of glass. It occupies most of the window area, lets daylight in, prevents heat from escaping, and prevents noise from entering from outside.
The question of whether to choose a single-chamber or double-glazed window arises when the consumer decides to replace the wooden frame with a modern PVC structure. Below we will look at how they differ and what advantages and disadvantages of each window system can be highlighted.
Differences between single-chamber and double-glazed windows
How to distinguish a single-chamber double-glazed window from a double-chamber one? The single-chamber version consists of two sets of glasses that are separated by an aluminum frame; the nutria can remain hollow or filled with absorbent. Air without moisture is pumped into the empty space, its remains are absorbed by the absorbent.
The high thermal protection properties of this design are determined by the fact that the thermal conductivity of air is 27 times less than that of glass. To ensure the tightness of the bag, its perimeter is protected by two layers of sealant
The differences between a single-chamber double-glazed window and a double-chamber one lie in the number of glass surfaces. In a two-chamber there are three of them, they are divided by spacer frames, this gives two sealed cavities filled with air. Each type of package has its own advantages, disadvantages and other characteristics.
Advantages and disadvantages of single-chamber double-glazed windows
What is the difference between a single-chamber standard double-glazed window and a double-chamber one? To understand the issue, you should consider its main characteristics:
- use of glass from 4 to 6 mm thick;
- width is 12-44 mm;
- heat transfer resistance coefficient is 0.34;
- the use of this structure reduces the noise level to 32 dB;
- the cost of such a window is 40% lower than its competitor;
- the package is lightweight, which has a good effect on the fittings, increasing its service life;
- a single-chamber design is inferior to a two-chamber design in terms of sound and heat insulation.
Glazing of this type is used to equip:
- balconies;
- terraces;
- loggias;
- large premises with sufficient ventilation and good heating;
- summer country houses;
- non-residential buildings.
Experts do not recommend using this type of glazing for educational and medical institutions, rooms where there is high humidity and a minimum level of ventilation (kitchen, bathroom). In addition, this is not the best option for rooms with poor heating or windows facing the roadway.
Important! The presence of single-chamber structures always allows you to replace them with better ones - two-chamber ones. In this case, only the package is subject to replacement, the frame itself and other elements remain the same.
- light weight, no load on fasteners and fittings, which allows you to extend their service life;
- equipping this design with energy-saving glass allows you to save heat indoors quite well;
- high light transmittance (up to 80%);
- low cost.
- low coefficient of resistance to heat transfer;
- condensation formation already at a temperature of 8 degrees;
- low noise insulation;
- low resistance to heat transfer.
Why is it recommended to install metal-plastic windows with several cameras?
The main part of metal-plastic windows is occupied by the double-glazed window itself. It is what keeps the room warm/cold, resists dampness, wind, and noise while allowing daylight to pass through. Therefore, it is necessary to approach the choice of double-glazed windows very carefully and focus on the maximum efficiency of this part of the window. Let's move on to cameras in windows: what are they and why are they needed?
Chambers are layers of air between layers of glass. The number of cameras in a metal-plastic window depends on the number of glasses. The air in the chamber can be simple, or manufacturers recommend replacing it with various gases that retain heat better than air. But in fact, 95% of plastic windows contain absolutely simple air. The design of the chambers is done in such a way that the air truly becomes a barrier to cold, moisture, and noise. Chambers are a barrier between cold air and a warm room. Double-glazed windows are not only two or three chamber, there are also four, five, six and so on. Each chamber is a plus for energy saving and noise insulation. Most often, double PVC windows are installed, because they retain heat and are quite cheap. Triple-glazed plastic windows perform their functions approximately 25-30% better. They really don't let the cold in. Three chambers are a huge barrier that most often defeats the cold.
Double and triple plastic windows have their advantages:
- High reliability of the entire window and increased service life;
- Improved performance of the entire window;
- Better performance of basic tasks;
- They help restore comfort indoors even in noisy areas.
Which double-glazed windows retain heat in the house better and protect against noise - single-chamber or double-chamber?
Should I buy a single-chamber or double-glazed unit to equip the building? If earlier, traditional systems were used, consisting of a wooden frame, equipped with two or three sheets of glass, today modern double-glazed windows are widely used.
As explained above, they consist of one chamber and have two glasses. Between which, at the very edge of the package, there is an aluminum frame (the so-called spacer frame). It has perforations and is filled with granules inside, which are designed to prevent fogging by absorbing excess moisture and condensation.
