Modern windows have replaced the outdated wooden structures of the last century. In new designs, glass units are used as a translucent filling. Depending on the glass used, double-glazed windows can have a wide variety of functional properties. Let's try to understand the intricacies of this “glass” case.
Two or more glasses connected to each other using double sealing and spacers form a double-glazed window. Silica gel is poured into the spacer frames, which absorbs moisture from the air inside the glass unit. This protects the glass unit from fogging up from the inside.
Features of double-glazed windows
Even a standard glass bag, due to its design, is much warmer than ordinary glass. A double-glazed window consists of glass sheets united by a spacer frame. When purchasing, first of all, you need to take into account the quantity and thickness of glass sheets; distance between adjacent glasses; filling the chambers; glass coating. The space between the glass - the chambers - is usually filled with air. When they are filled with inert gas, the thermal insulation is higher.
A moisture-absorbing substance is placed inside the spacer frame to prevent windows from fogging up. Double-glazed windows are mounted in an aluminum, wooden or plastic profile.
In a multi-chamber double-glazed window, the interglazed distance may vary within one system, but it is always more than 2 cm. Reducing the distance makes it possible to eliminate interglazed thermal convection and retain heat in the room. To make the window warmer, use optional glass, sealing rubber, and inert gas as filling.
As a rule, customers prefer glass bags:
- transparent, without distortion,
- warm and quiet
- heat-, fire-resistant,
- shockproof,
- sun protection
Installation
Window installation must be professional. An incorrectly installed window looks unattractive, lets in cold and, most importantly, poses a danger.
The main stages of installation of double-glazed windows:
First, measure the window opening inside and outside. The external dimensions of the opening should not exceed the dimensions of the window block to prevent the frame from falling out.
Correct unevenness of the window opening. During installation, a lot of dust and debris is generated, so they prepare the room, cover the floor, remove or cover the furniture with film.
The old frame is being dismantled. To install the window block, use a vertical plumb line. The glass unit and sashes must be removed before installing the frame. It is necessary to ensure that the moisture drainage holes are located no lower than the edges of the window opening.
The gaps between the window and the wall are filled with special foam to protect against drafts. Installation in accordance with GOST involves the use of PSUL tape (vapor-permeable self-expanding foam, waterproofing tape, to protect the foam from destruction).
Excess foam cannot be cut off to preserve the protective film. With high-quality installation, no excess foam is formed.
The installation of the window is completed by installing the window sill.
How many cameras should there be in a double-glazed window?
Cameras can be in the profile and glass unit. The more chambers in the structure, the more heat-protective air layers the glazing has. The warmer it is. At the same time, a multi-chamber glass bag is heavier than a single-chamber glass bag. To reduce the load on the fittings, the three-chamber system is divided into sections. It is equipped with special loops. A window with more cameras costs more. It reduces natural light in the room. In a living room, it is enough to install a two-chamber unit, in a non-residential room - a single-chamber one. 3 chambers are optimal in regions with harsh climates. They are often mounted in solid frames. It is better to choose a glass package with wider chambers and a wider frame so that the system’s resistance to heat transfer is maximized.
Profile selection
The PVC profile is perhaps the main element of a plastic window. The main consumer properties of the product as a whole depend, first of all, on its characteristics and quality of workmanship: service life, noise and heat insulation properties and, of course, the appearance of the window.
Most window companies prefer to work with German-made profiles. This is understandable: German manufacturers of profile systems were at the origins of this industry, deservedly leaders in Europe, have enormous experience in the production and development of PVC profiles and offer Russian companies flexible opportunities to work in various market segments, having, as a rule, several series of profiles , differing in their characteristics and cost.
There are not so many fundamental differences between the products of leading German manufacturers. We recommend avoiding only frankly “cheap” products, most of which are not reliable and suitable for our difficult climate.
The plastic profile is the basis of the entire window unit, performing load-bearing, thermal-sound-insulating and aesthetic functions. The two most important technical parameters of a PVC profile are its depth and the number of chambers.
The higher these values are, the better. The depth of profiles presented on the Russian market ranges, on average, from 60 to 82 mm (there are profiles of greater depth, but this is rather exotic). The number of chambers formed by the bulkheads inside the profile ranges from 3 to 8. The chambers play an important role in the sound and heat insulation of the window, and also serve as stiffening ribs.
Three-chamber windows with a width of 58 - 60 mm are recommended for use only in areas with a temperate climate or rooms that are not supposed to be seriously insulated - for example, on a loggia. For most of the territory of our country, profiles with five or more cameras, with a width of 70 mm or more, are more relevant. By the way, even in Europe, with its milder climatic conditions, three-chamber profiles are practically no longer used.
Another quite important indicator of a PVC window profile, which significantly affects its strength and durability, is the thickness of the outer walls. A good indicator is 2.5 - 3 mm, although some manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost of construction, reduce the thickness of the front walls in their economy class profile systems.
To summarize, when choosing a profile, you need to pay attention to the following details:
- number of air chambers;
- profile depth;
- thickness of the front walls;
- presence of a reinforcing liner;
- respected manufacturing company.
What kind of glass should I put in the window?
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Advice on choosing a double-glazed window is not limited to intimacy. Optional glass helps make glazing more functional:
- Energy saving. Covered with silver ions. They reflect heat into the room and increase thermal insulation, help save on heating, and reduce the weight of the system. Soft I-glass is more expensive and “warmer” than hard K-glass, but it is less resistant to impacts. Therefore, it is better to install coated glass on the inside of the glass unit.
- Sun protection . Saves the interior from scorching sun rays and increases comfort in the room. “Absorbing” glass with sun protection is painted in the mass, “reflective” glass is coated with a special coating. The second solution of comparable cost is more effective.
- Soundproofing . Covered with polymer or PVB film. Blocks street noise up to 5 times more effectively than standard ones.
- Fireproof glass . It is made from several glass sheets using special technology. A reinforcing mesh made of metal or polymer is installed between the sheets. They are calcined in ovens to give the glass unit heat resistance and resistance to high temperatures.
- With dirt-repellent coating. Does not require constant care. Convenient on high floors, where it is difficult to clean windows with solid shutters from the outside.
- Tempered . Resistant to mechanical loads and does not lose transparency.
- "Smart" . May change transparency depending on operating conditions.
Trust but check
- When choosing a company, you need to find out whether the company is really a manufacturer and look at the list of its partners. Check the certificate of conformity for the products manufactured and the materials used, whether it was issued to this legal entity. Check the annexes to the certificate with the results of technical tests.
- Visit the production.
- Confirm the accuracy of information about the technical parameters of the window from competing companies.
- Study the labeling, certificates of component materials.
- Familiarize yourself with the typical window installation diagram and the list of materials used. If the installation deviates from the diagram and the materials used do not correspond, rework may be justifiably required.
- Study reviews about the company. Consult with friends. Find the necessary information on the Internet.
- If no one answers a phone call during business hours, this should alert you. A good level of service requires working on schedule and prompt customer service.
- When visiting a company’s office, they pay attention to the availability of a license, certificate, guest book, and product samples.
- It is best if the installation of plastic windows is carried out by a window systems manufacturer, and not by an intermediary company. According to statistics, more than 60% of window companies do not have a permanent staff of installers, but resort to the services of random craftsmen. It is desirable that the company has a permanent staff of experienced, qualified specialists.
How to choose double-glazed glass filling for PVC windows?
The chambers of glass bags are filled with air (a popular and budget solution), dynamically viscous argon, krypton and xenon. Argon makes a standard double-glazed window 1.4 times warmer. It additionally protects the coating of energy-saving i-glasses. Krypton and xenon are respectively “warmer” than the air gap by 2.6 and 4.4 times. But they greatly increase the cost of glazing. Glass bags with a vacuum inside insulate heat as much as possible. But making them is technically difficult, which affects the price of the window.
We recommend installing double-glazed windows with argon gas in your apartment. It is warmer and quieter, glazing is not so expensive.
Let's summarize the choice of the best plastic window
And so, we found out that the best plastic window can be considered a window assembled from high-quality components, such as:
- profile with an installation depth of 70 mm and a number of chambers equal to or more than 5;
- thickness of the outer walls of the profile is 2.5 - 3 mm;
- profile from a well-known manufacturer, for example Veka, Rehau, Schuco;
- double-chamber double-glazed window with energy-saving or multifunctional glass;
- fittings from a well-known manufacturer, such as Roto, Maco, GU, Siegenia-Aubi;
Important! Only a responsible company can guarantee the quality of the window and its installation.
Don't forget to check with the seller:
- opening method (pivot, tilt (fanlight), turn-tilt, sliding);
- sash opening direction (right/left);
- presence of a step ventilation function (built-in mechanism/plastic external comb);
- maximum permissible weight and dimensions of the sash;
- guaranteed number of opening/closing cycles;
- type of fittings (standard/hidden/burglar-resistant);
- availability of additional features (“children’s” locks, opening limiters, balcony latches, etc.).
Double-glazed window formula
The formula of a glass bag reflects its characteristics. Her appearance:
[glass thickness and type, thickness and type] ... [glass thickness and type, thickness and type]
The description begins with the outer glass. So, according to the formula 6M1-16-4M1-12Ar-4I, a double-glazed window has 2 glasses, 2 chambers. The outer glass is standard, with a thickness of 6 mm. The first air chamber with a thickness of 16 mm. 4 mm glass forms a 12 mm thick chamber with argon inside. Low-emission i-glass 4 mm is fixed inside the opening. A system with such characteristics retains heat well and insulates sound.
Frame (remote)
The second most important element of the double-glazed window design is the spacer frame. Its task is to connect the glass into a complete package. It also fixes a clear distance between the glasses to create an air chamber. Such a frame is created thanks to the cavities inside the profile, which have a closed cross-section. The material for the spacer frame is metal or reinforced plastic. The latter became an integral part of the new TPS production technology. Now you can find double-glazed windows where polymer thermal bridges with sealant are placed on the surface of the spacer frame.
The frame profiles can be additionally connected by corner elements or be a solid strip bent at the corners. There will be only 1 joint in the one-piece profile, which makes it practical in view of minimizing the chances of loss of gas filling of the chamber and the formation of condensation.
What affects the cost of double glazing
- Type of glass . Optional glasses are more expensive than their standard counterparts. But sometimes saving on glass filling is unacceptable.
- Chamberiness and depth . For harsh winters, we recommend thicker multi-chamber double-glazed windows.
- Filler gas . Inert gas increases the cost of glazing.
- Fasteners.
In order to wisely save on glazing, it is important to know how to choose the right double-glazed window for a PVC window. You should not fall for the tricks of sellers and agree to a quiet heating package for the kitchen. Here it is optional. It is better to install a soundproofing multifunctional double-glazed window in the bedroom. On the first or second floor, a tinted film on the window or an impact-resistant glass bag would not hurt. We will tell you about all the features of glazing in each room, tell you about the options for window elements and make a window to suit your needs. We carry out installation in accordance with GOST and provide a guarantee for the work.
Strength
In addition to the thickness and coating, the strength of the glass is important, this is especially important for apartments on the first floors, private and country houses. One of the best options is laminated triplex glass, which is 5-7 times stronger than regular glass. This glass has a polymer layer, it is difficult to damage, it does not crumble into pieces if it does break (for example, after being hit by a firearm). The second option is the presence of an internal reinforced mesh. It is more reliable, more expensive and is usually ordered for cottages that require increased protection.
