Are double-glazed windows with argon beneficial? Is it worth it to overpay for modern technology? What are the benefits of energy-efficient Rehau windows? Are they worth the money? There are many offers on the market for installing energy-efficient windows, but can everyone be trusted? How to distinguish a fake? These and many other questions worry a modern person who has started major repairs to his “eye” at home. Let's try to see how replacing the window with a high-tech package will help save energy, heat and money, and to what extent this is just a myth.
Old and new
Until recently, it seemed that metal-plastic is the best, most technologically advanced, efficient windows. They did not last long in the first place: less than five years later, when they began to be replaced by new, energy-saving plastic structures from the market. Manufacturers pay attention that such windows allow more light to pass through, retain heat better, which means that you only need to install them, and the old ones have to be changed urgently. Of course, replacing windows is a good idea, but it's not cheap, so a reasonable person will think twice how much such a waste of money is justified.
The main idea of the novelty among window technologies is the effective prevention of heat loss through the window opening. Studies show that, on average, almost half of all heat lost by a home goes into the environment through this section. According to manufacturers, as is also indicated in some reviews, energy-saving windows are one third more efficient than metal-plastic - which means that they are incomparably better than old wooden structures.
Losing heat: how?
Why do energy-saving glasses work? What is the logic of this design? Manufacturers pay attention: when installing a modern system, special attention must be paid to the glazing area, since the frame is no more than a fifth of the entire window area. Energy-saving glasses are effective due to the type of glazing used, the amount of glass used in the manufacturing process of the glass and the distance that separates them from each other. In addition, the heat storage efficiency is determined by the material from which the frame is made, and the gas medium filling the space between the glasses.
Modern double-glazed windows - ordinary double-chamber windows - with high tightness cannot be considered sufficiently effective in terms of energy conservation. This is due to the use in their design of conventional glasses that conduct heat well. In order for double-chamber windows to save energy indoors, the use of specific insulators is necessary. You can determine a window with low thermal conductivity in the cold season - from the inside it cools, and with increasing humidity, condensation quickly forms. All this indicates a low system efficiency.
What's the difference?
What are energy-efficient windows? Many ordinary people, buying ordinary metal-plastic constructions, have heard from sellers and managers that these are the real windows assembled using this technology. During operation, many were disappointed. When installing a conventional polyvinyl chloride design, the tightness will be at a height, but this greatly disrupts the normal air exchange, which negatively affects humidity, a dew point occurs and condensation forms, which is immediately visible on the cold glass of the window.
What are energy-efficient windows? These are such designs in which the inner surface does not cool even in severe frost. So, if the outside temperature drops to -26, and inside the room is warmed up to the standard 20 degrees Celsius, the window surface maintains the temperature at 13 degrees. Of course, if the room has very high humidity, even this will not save you from condensation, and yet its amount will be much lower than when installing PVC windows. A reliable manufacturer will tell you about the fact that these are energy-saving windows and explain how the design works. It must be remembered that efficiency is maintained only if integrity is maintained.
Features of different options
How to check whether the manufacturer offers energy-saving windows or conventional windows? You need to carefully study the specification for the proposed product. For example, if it is an ordinary window, then the frame is made of aluminum. In fact, it is a bridge of cold. But the effective window construction is made of composite polymeric materials. An alternative is plastic steel. Thanks to this addition, the thermal conductivity of the metal is greatly reduced, the efficiency of the structure as a whole is increased.
Which ones on the market are better, which are worse than energy-efficient windows? How to determine? The best option is two-chamber structures - they are always warmer than one camera. If the package consists of two glasses, this will be one camera. Some designs include as many as three cameras - the warmest of all. Considering that these are energy-saving windows, you need to pay attention that inside they are filled with inert gases that do not conduct heat.
Geometric parameters
In the general case, the design with one camera is two glasses, the distance between which varies from 6 to 16 millimeters. If the system consists of two chambers, the glasses are placed at a distance of 6-12 millimeters from each other. The specific value is determined by what kind of energy-saving windows are installed, what type of profile is used in the design.
It is believed that the best option is the distance of the glasses from each other by 14-16 millimeters. Both an increase in distance and a decrease in distance lead to a deterioration in heat conservation.
We save energy: how does it work?
Someone will justly think: only a couple of years ago they changed their windows, and here they offer another new product. Spending money on constant new things is still stupid, and it's not cheap. Why not buy a simple energy - saving window film , stick it on and live in peace? A variant, by the way, has a right to exist, although it cannot be recognized as its most optimal. However, before deciding to save, it is worth considering what features of thermophysics are used in the design of new window types - maybe the potential buyer will understand that he really does not need it, or vice versa - he will decide that the investment is worth the money requested for him.
It is worth remembering that the classical methods of warming floors, walls, are not applicable when decorating window openings designed to let in natural light into the house. The newest technologies for designing window structures are developments that make it possible to increase the percentage of light transmitted by glass while reducing heat loss.
Heat Energy: General
There are two options for the distribution of thermal energy - rays and convection. In the first embodiment, the source is considered as an emitter in the infrared spectrum. The radiation intensity is directly determined by the level of surface heating. Convection is direct heat transfer when the air warms up or cools down.
Ordinary glass does not constitute an obstacle to heat rays, that is, the infrared spectrum. That is why energy-saving films for windows can really bring some benefit - they do not allow this radiation to leave the walls of the house so easily. In production conditions, glass installed in energy-efficient double-glazed windows is coated with special components - colormet sulfides, silver plating. You can also use special films - they are also applied in an industrial environment. With high-quality surface treatment, the ability to reflect infrared radiation increases on average by 80%, which means that heat loss is significantly reduced. Using up-to-date technologies allows us not to harm the ability of glass to transmit light - up to 72% of the rays of the sun easily pass through the barrier, and 28% of the difference does not play a role for the level of illumination perceived by a person. If in winter such a window will retain heat, then in summer its use is no less relevant - it effectively reflects the radiation emitted by the sun.
Features of spraying
No matter how many cameras in the window system, spraying is done on only one glass and only on one side. In order for the service life to be longer, the treated side is usually placed inside the first chamber, on the street side. There are several varieties of layers used to save energy.
One of the most common options is k-coating. It is considered solid, as it has increased strength, resistance to mechanical damage. It is created using metal oxides. For application, the surface is first heated to a very high temperature, so the least resource-intensive spraying process is during the manufacture of a double-glazed unit.
An alternative is an i-coating of two layers. It is more degraded under the influence of aggressive mechanical factors, therefore it is classified as soft. First, a silver layer is sprayed, for which the glass must be fully prepared and placed in a vacuum. The second layer - protective - consists of titanium oxide.
Which is better?
Some experts draw attention to the fact that both described technologies have been used for quite some time and cannot be attributed to the most effective and reasonable options. In European countries in the last few years, selective methodologies have been actively applied, in comparison with the described ones showing the best parameters approximately three times. At the same time, new items are more economical for the buyer. So, the Swiss company Euroglass proposed the Zero option, which, with a difference in cost per square meter of glass, is only ten dollars more expensive, but it retains heat two and a half times better. However, at the present time it is not clear when the most advanced technologies will reach our state. Perhaps in the near future: it will be seen.
What threatens?
It is believed that the main advantage of k-technology is that the coating stably tolerates possible mechanical damage. At the same time, practice shows that in most cases these are characteristic only of the production process. When the double-glazed window is assembled, the coating is inside, in a protected hermetic chamber, where nothing threatens him, therefore there is no real difference for the user - unless, of course, the manufacturer is reliable and energy-protective glass is carefully made.
At the same time, polls showed that many do not see the difference between the two technologies. There is emission, but it is too small to be felt without the use of high-precision measuring instruments. If we take the base temperature outside to 26 degrees below zero, at the same time heating up to 20 degrees is supported in the living room, k-glass will cool to 11 degrees, and i-technology will show a level of 14 degrees. The real benefits and differences in the presence of condensate are usually not noticeable, so you can safely choose any of the options.
Is it worth doing?
As can be seen from the experience of numerous users, the installation of an energy-saving window helps to significantly reduce the amount of condensate released, it is easier to maintain air humidity at a comfortable level. The microclimate in the living room is significantly improved, especially in comparison with the classic metal-plastic constructions. When using an energy-saving window, the edge zone does not freeze, ice does not form. If at present the user is faced with such problems of the window system, it is worth seriously considering replacing the design with a more advanced one.
Inert gas: effect or beautiful words?
Typically, windows are filled with krypton or argon from the inside. In general, it is believed that such a gas helps reduce heat loss through the glass. Explaining the logic of this system, it is necessary to remember that the air inside the living room is warm, it constantly contacts the colder surface of the glass, transferring the accumulated heat. The lower the surface heating, the faster the heat is lost, but when using energy-saving technology, the indicator decreases. When the glass heats up, it gives off heat to the air filling the chamber. It transfers energy further - to the outer layer of glazing and to the outside world. The lower the temperature of each layer, the more intensive the heat transfer process.
In many respects, the efficiency of heat conservation depends not so much on the filler as on the distance by which the glasses are separated. If it is large enough, then the glasses are removed from each other, they can transmit, take a lot of heat. If the distance is small, then the energy is transmitted directly. A range of 6-16 millimeters is believed to be effective.
And why do we need gas?
If instead of ordinary air, an inert gas is pumped between the glasses, heat will be transferred at a lower speed, since these substances are characterized by low thermal conductivity. In addition, the glass pack filler will be completely devoid of water molecules capable of forming condensate. Water is an excellent conductor of heat, and the smaller it is, the more efficiently energy is stored.
Is it worth it to overpay for window packages assembled using this technology? It is believed that argon reduces energy loss by about one tenth, which in reality is very difficult for an ordinary person to notice. Most users note that they did not feel any significant difference. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that the use of special gases improves the performance of window systems and, with a high level of heat conservation, can provide further improvement. But when installing an ordinary plastic window, filling the cameras with argon or krypton does not bring any real benefits - the energy losses are large enough so that a tenth does not play any significant role.
And finally ...
It has long been believed that one of the leaders in the manufacture of energy-saving and simple plastic windows is Rehau. The price of its products is not the lowest, but many are willing to pay this amount to get a durable design. According to experts, one of the best products on the market is Geneo windows developed by this company. The design advantage is the presence of a well-designed ventilation system, due to which the humidity is not so high. As can be seen from the reviews, in cooperation with an authorized supplier, there will be no problems with the quality of the system. On average, the price for one window is about 25 thousand. Is it worth spending that kind of money? Each buyer can decide for himself: the amount is quite large, but these designs will retain heat better than most of the competitors on our market.