A triple glazing unit is a similar construction to a double glazing unit but with an extra pane of glass and airspace. Triple Glazing helps to improve the thermal efficiency of windows while also reducing condensation due to the unit's extra cavity.
As the demand for more energy efficient buildings grows and requirements become increasingly stringent, there is a growing demand for triple glazing. In fact, some of the proposed future requirements suggest that triple glazing could be a standard requirement in new buildings within 5 years.
To maximize the insulating effect the optimum gap required between the panes is about 16mm - too close together results in radiant heat loss and too far apart leads to creation of gas currents which causes convection current heat losses.
Most glazed units use glass panes of the same thickness, but this is not a necessary requirement. Most commonly, a triple glazed unit glass specification is 4mm glass on the inner and outer panes and 4mm glass in the middle. Suppliers may also insist on using tempered glass on the middle pane to help the unit to cope with the increased stress on the centre pane that can be caused by deflection. Click 'next' to see a triple glazed unit construction drawing.