Current Events > Are double pane windows really all that great? Seems like a scam.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Got quoted an estimate to do my whole house with double pane windows for $13k. He said in the long run the windows would pay themselves with savings on my energy bills. However I wasnt entirely convinced. My buddy can do solar screens for the whole house for just under $3k. Are double pane windows a good investment?
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Double the pane equals double the pain.
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They make a big difference to both sound and temperature - as well as house value- but how important that is will depend on where you live.

ArchiePeck posted...

They make a big difference to both sound and temperature - as well as house value- but how important that is will depend on where you live.

Well its not really noisy where I live in Texas but it does get hot. I figure the solar screens will take care of that. House is insulated pretty good too.
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if you live in canada, double plane isn't enough. get at least triple plane or those windows with inert gases to avoid cold air drafts
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Be a man and install it yourself. It's the year 2017 for gods sake.

That's 80% of your cost.

Double pane windows are fucking lit, son.
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Compare the thermal conductivity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_thermal_conductivities

AIr: 0.0262 (1 bar) [W·m%u22121·K%u22121]

www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html

Glass, window 0.96 W/(m K)

seems like a single pane will have about 37 times the heat flow into your house than double pane from a rough calculation?

CroDalmatinac posted...

Be a man and install it yourself. It's the year 2017 for gods sake.

That's 80% of your cost.

What a dumb post
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Generally, it'll take over 10+ years before you see the money back in investing in double pane windows. And there's quite a high failure rate of double pane windows (upwards of 10%, depending on the brand you get) over a 10 year period, where the seal will fail and condensation will get between the windows.

So if you're going to keep the house for "your life", you may want to consider getting double or single. If you're thinking of selling it sooner than 10 years, get single pane. The "resale value" will not make up the cost of getting new windows installed.

Alternatively, you can get window films to do a "poor man's" double pane window:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GKC2GW/

Or get more professionally done window inserts like these:
http://www.windowinserts.com/
http://indowwindows.com/

They are good but it takes 50 years to pay for themselves.
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You'll never see your money back at that price unless you love there a LONG time. On average, most houses only see 10-15% of their heat loss/gains through windows. Just get some nice curtains or do some landscape work outside to put shade on windows. Your solar gains from direct light make a bigger difference than switching windows.