Double or Triple glazing

3rdDegree

Got a quote to replace all 11 windows and one door with double glazed windows from Fairco for 15k. Seems like a good price to me. Some of the windows are quite complex. There is a large bay window and also a smaller bay window. Even have a window with a curve on the frame.

When I asked about triple glazing, He put me off saying that they window may need to be thicker or they have to use more expensive gas.

I've already paid a deposit, but am having second thoughts. Should I try to get triple glazing and would they be of much benefit? Are Fairco considered good?

I know it's hard to give advice with the information provided, but any help would be much appreciated. 15k is a lit of money.

Thanks

Al Capwned

triple glazed glass units can be made as narrow as 24mm - 4/6/4/6/4

So to me, (without any first hand experience of the specific profile) there is no reason why a triple glazed unit couldn't be mounted into Fairco frames.

It would increase the price significantly, as there's 50% more glass being used, and twice the amount of work for the unit manufacturer to assemble the units, but it can be done. It also makes glazing the windows, and installing them more difficult (expensive), because of the increased weight in the units.

Just looked up Fairco really quickly there - they use a 70mm profile, which would most likely indicate a 28mm glass unit, so by using 4/8/4/8/4, this would achieve the required unit.

By the way x/y/x/y/x - where x is the thickness of the glass panes, and y is the thickness of the spacer bar between the glass (silver bar around the edge of the unit).


Edit - as far as i can see from their website, the use a 70mm frame as standard, so to say they may have to use a thicker window is incorrect.
Also, more expensive gas?? Nah....

martinn123

alproctor wrote: »

triple glazed glass units can be made as narrow as 24mm - 4/6/4/6/4

So to me, (without any first hand experience of the specific profile) there is no reason why a triple glazed unit couldn't be mounted into Fairco frames.

It would increase the price significantly, as there's 50% more glass being used, and twice the amount of work for the unit manufacturer to assemble the units, but it can be done. It also makes glazing the windows, and installing them more difficult (expensive), because of the increased weight in the units.

Just looked up Fairco really quickly there - they use a 70mm profile, which would most likely indicate a 28mm glass unit, so by using 4/8/4/8/4, this would achieve the required unit.

By the way x/y/x/y/x - where x is the thickness of the glass panes, and y is the thickness of the spacer bar between the glass (silver bar around the edge of the unit).


Edit - as far as i can see from their website, the use a 70mm frame as standard, so to say they may have to use a thicker window is incorrect.
Also, more expensive gas?? Nah....

Your calculations above, are correct in relation to the overall thickness of the Unit.
However with Double/Triple glazing an important feature is the width of the spacer. When D/G units were at 24mm, 4/16/4 and Low E glass was introduced, it was found that the unit was more effective at 28mm, 4/20/4, better U values were achieved.
Using your figures the spacer is reduced to 8mm [ 28mm unit] or 6mm [ 24mm unit].
This has the effect of reducing considerably the effectivness of the Low E, at the cost of the extra glass, third pane, forget the gas, no cost addition.
So the question is the overall decrease in U value, in proportion to the increase in cost.

In addition as mentioned additional weight, which in larger sashes means more strain on hinges etc, and potential problems in the future

SteM

OP, don't know about the salesman spiel about tripple glazing but Fairco windows are considered good as far as I can tell. We got double glazed windows fitted by them 17 months ago and are delighted with the quality anyway.

Al Capwned

@ Martinn123 - thanks for clarifying the u-value question!
I didn't realise the thickness of the spacer bar affected the effectiveness ( ) of the low-E glass. Good to know

Probably as well for the OP to go with double glazing then in that case!!!

EDIT - Unless fairco have an alternative smaller glazing bead that could accomodate a thicker unit into a 70mm frame???



affected the effectiveness :rolleyes: