mixing double/triple glazed windows

14 years ago

Oberon and the other window mavens - I hope you're out there!

What's the wisdom on having a mix of double- and triple-glazed windows? We're building in a particularly harsh environment - on the ocean in NH.

We're sold on the notion of using double glazing in the 3-season porch - no heat in there. And in the cellar; we have two awning windows there.

But . . .we're wondering about investing in triple glazing on the north and east sides and double on the west and south (where we are cheek-to-jowl up -- less than 20 feet -- against another house that blocks the wind).

We're going with Paradigm windows, a vinyl product made in Portland, ME, because of friends' recommendations. They were used in a LEED-certified home here. U-rating of the triple glazed windows, LowE with a blend of argon and krypton is .20. Their double-glazed are .28 (argon/LowE).

The rep and our designer argued about keeping the whole house at the same u-rating. What do you think?

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Comments (2)

spup345
14 years ago
I had a similar question....I suspect that mixing is fine, but it may be a question of visible transmittance. For example, if the triple-panes are a lot darker to your eye than the double-panes, would that aesthetically be displeasing?

If you walk from one room to the next and the windows look darker in one vs. the other, would that be annoying?

As for keeping everything the same u-rating, I'm just a consumer, not a windows expert, but that doesn't logically make sense to me. I don't see any reason why you couldn't have varying U-ratings around the house if it comes down to a budget issue.
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
14 years ago
Totally acceptable and basically undetectable if the windows are not side by side.

We have customers that blend usages all the time.
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mixing double/triple glazed windows

Comments (2)

spup345

Windows on Washington Ltd

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