When ordering a plastic window, people often do not know what a double-glazed window is and confuse it with a common window. Not everyone pays attention when choosing a window profile to what will be inserted into it. It is not right. The double-glazed window occupies a large area of the window construction and consists of glasses and an air gap between them, thus forming a closed chamber. It can be filled not only with air, but also with other gas. Knowing the configuration and design differences will help you make the right choice. What is the difference between single-chamber and two-chamber double-glazed windows? The difference is significant.
Single chamber design
There is an erroneous opinion that the word "single-chamber" means one glass. As already mentioned above, the camera is already two glasses. A layer of a special substance is placed between them, which absorbs moisture and prevents condensation from forming. Another name for this design is single. Masters of their craft often use the expression "standard single-chamber double-glazed window."
This system implies two glasses of 4 mm and an air gap between them of 16 mm. Total 24 mm. There are designs with a deviation from this standard - 18 or 36 mm. The difference between single-chamber and double-chamber double-glazed windows is in weight. The first is much smaller in mass than the second. But how does this affect operation? The smaller the weight of the window, the more securely it is attached to the opening, and more sunlight passes through two windows.
Dual chamber
A double-glazed window, consisting of three glasses and two air chambers between them, is called a two-chamber, or double. This is the most popular type of glazing. It is used in any residential premises - apartments, cottages, offices. A popular option for double-glazed windows is 38 mm thick. It contains 3 glasses of 4 mm and two chambers of 14 and 16 mm.
What is the difference between single-chamber and double-chamber double-glazed windows? The difference between them is the transmission of light rays, but it is difficult for an ordinary person to notice. It should be noted that a two-chamber double-glazed window weighs more than a single, so when installing, you need to know if the opening or balcony can withstand such a load.
Three-chamber mechanism
This type of glass is used in the northern regions, since at low temperatures it shows the greatest heat preservation. Such a design already consists of 4 glasses and three chambers between them. The thickness of the entire double-glazed unit is 58-60 mm.
Triple glass protects against heat loss 50 percent more than double. But there is a reservation that at a temperature below 40 degrees this indicator is noticeable, but at warmer temperatures there is almost no difference in heat. Three-chamber constructions also have disadvantages. With a large thickness of the glass, the weight increases, while the reliability of fastening decreases. Therefore, it is recommended that wide openings be divided into several sections in order to be installed as reliably as possible. If there is no busy road or airport outside the window, and the temperature in winter is kept within the normal range, then installing a triple double-glazed window will not justify itself.
Price difference
What is the difference between single-chamber and double-chamber double-glazed windows? First of all, consumers are asking prices. When choosing a two-chamber or single-chamber double-glazed window, the difference in cost will not be the factor that will play a big role. A double costs about 25 percent more than a single. But if we talk about a three-chamber double-glazed window, then its cost is 50 percent higher than a two-chamber. In this case, the difference in the price of glass is not as significant as in the thickness of the profile. After all, it must be strong and reliably hold the design of the glass packet.
Energy saving
There is a double-glazed window option in which there is only one camera, but it is not air that is pumped into it, but a special gas - argon. Glasses are covered with silver plating on one side. They are energy-efficient in such a package and a little more expensive than usual ones.
There are more expensive options. The silver coating acts as a mirror, reflecting the sun's rays on a hot day. In cold weather, it does not allow heat to leave the room. This option is ideal for those who need a light but warm glass pane. It is 30% lighter, and it holds heat much better than single-chamber and two-chamber double-glazed windows. The difference, the pros and cons are obvious. But this design has a drawback - the service life, which is only 10-15 years. After this time, the gas disappears and the silver coating dissipates. In this case, the window becomes ordinary, single-chamber.
Application of single-chamber windows
Such double-glazed windows do not have great heat preservation, but sometimes their installation is expedient and beneficial:
- Loggia or balcony. When there is no need to make the loggia warm, that is, take out additional batteries and conduct insulation, then it can be equipped with a single double-glazed window. In this case, between the main window and the loggia window will be directly its space, which will be an additional camera. Thus, regardless of whether the balcony / loggia is glazed in one or two glasses, the temperature will be the same.
- Summer house. Here they use single-chamber and two-chamber double-glazed windows. The difference when installing in a country house will be obvious. Plastic windows are priced no higher than wooden frames, and you can purchase them at the indicated sizes. Therefore, for cottage construction, such windows (single-chamber) are the most optimal option. In autumn, when the appliance for heating is turned on, they will retain heat no worse than wooden counterparts.
- Terrace. Often such a room, even in a major house, is not insulated and does not have heating, so a multilayer double-glazed window will be very useful. At the same time, plastic structures fit perfectly into the image of any room.
- It is advisable to install windows with one double-glazed window in the southern regions, where the most severe winters are accompanied by frost of at least 10 degrees.
Glass thickness
The thickness of the glasses plays an important role, while the standard is 5 mm, but it is better to choose a thickness of at least 6 mm. Then a single-chamber double-glazed window will become much more effective than a two-chamber. At the same time, you can save significantly, because the last option will always cost more, regardless of which glass to put. Single-chamber and two-chamber double-glazed windows, the difference between which is not only in price, but also in energy conservation, have different thicknesses.
When choosing a design to suppress external noise, the thickness will not play a big role, but this indicator is significant for maintaining heat. The best option for the city is considered a two-chamber mechanism.
Pros and cons of a single-chamber window
Let's look at a single-chamber and two-chamber double-glazed window. The difference, pros and cons of such designs are calculated based on the main characteristics. The advantage of the first design can be considered light weight. It is used in the arrangement of loggias, balconies and terraces, while not burdening them. In financial terms, this is also a big plus. The disadvantages include low noise reduction than that of two-chamber ones, as well as lower heat transfer resistance, which is insufficient when the climate is large in the country. The use of single-chamber double-glazed windows could be very limited. But all have changed the implemented energy-saving technologies.
Advantages and disadvantages of a two-chamber double-glazed window
A variant of this design is much stronger than a single-chamber counterpart. The main indicators of noise and heat insulation of a two-chamber window are much higher, therefore its application is most widely developed.
It has three glasses and two air chambers, and the thickness of the profile is not much more than the two-glass structure. Due to this, good noise reduction and heat conservation are formed. The cost of a double-glazed window does not exceed an additional 20-30 percent of the price of a single-chamber. Therefore, it has gained popularity among consumers. When installing a single-chamber and two-chamber double-glazed window (the difference and disadvantages of the designs are presented in our article) requires a lot of attention and accuracy. Therefore, it is better to resort to the services of professionals.
Selection tips
- The distance between the glasses in the bag should not exceed 20 mm. Otherwise, it will not satisfy the good characteristics of noise and heat insulation.
- The dimensions of a double-glazed window cannot exceed 3.2 * 3 m. A larger value will lead to the fact that during operation, a single-chamber and two-chamber double-glazed window can be deformed or completely destroyed. The difference in price here will not matter.
- Colored glass is installed only outside, while it is carefully hardened.
- The installation of a double-glazed window is carried out only at an outdoor temperature of at least -15 degrees, and an internal temperature of at least +5 degrees.
You need to carefully approach the purchase of a double-glazed window. When choosing a manufacturer, as well as buying a profile and accessories, you should not save, because the service life of high-quality windows is several tens of years.