Will triple glazing stop condensation?
Triple glazing can help reduce condensation, but it may not stop it completely.
Condensation forms when moist air comes into contact with a cold surface, like a window. Triple glazing makes the inside pane of glass warmer than single or double glazing, so water is less likely to settle there. However, if your home has high humidity or poor ventilation, you might still see some condensation. To further cut down on condensation, try to improve airflow and manage moisture indoors.
It’s important to understand the reason before you decide if the upgrade is worth it. Triple glazing has a real effect on one kind of condensation, has no effect at all on another, and can, in fact, make a third type more noticeable. Only when you know which is which does the honest answer begin to make a lot more sense.
There are three different types of condensation
Although they appear to be the same, they are due to entirely different causes, and only one of them is actually concerned with the glazing itself.
- The surface of the glass which is directed into the room is the one generally referred to when someone says they have condensation; this occurs when warm, moist air from the room comes into contact with a glass surface that is cold enough to reduce it to its dew point.
- On the side of the glass that is exposed to the weather, this instance deceives people because it appears to be a flaw but generally is not.
- Within the panes, in the sealed unit itself. If you ever notice mist or staining becoming trapped between the layers of glass and cannot wipe it away, then that is not condensation in the ordinary sense; it is an indication that the seal of the unit has failed and has allowed moisture in.
What triple glazing actually changes
Triple glazing is useful when it comes to the first type. With an additional pane and an additional gap the window’s insulating properties are improved so that the inner surface of the glass remains closer to the room temperature rather than several degrees colder. The warmer the inner surface stays, the less chance there is of it reaching the dew point of the air in the room, and therefore you will notice less condensation on the glass in the morning than you would with double glazing.
It cannot control the moisture. Glazing acts as an insulator, not as a dehumidifier, and it does not add heat to a room nor does it remove water vapour from the air. Even if a room remains damp for a long time because of cooking, drying clothes indoors, taking showers without an exhaust system, or simply due to inadequate ventilation, triple glazing will reduce condensation on the glass but will not stop it completely. It is still ventilation and heating that carry out most of the work; the glazing merely makes this task easier.
External condensation is a sign of efficiency, not a fault
The one that causes people concern is this: a window that is well insulated, even if it has three layers of glass, allows so little heat to pass from the inside that the outer pane remains at a temperature close to that of the outside air rather than being warmed from within. On a clear, cool morning the outer pane may end up colder than the air surrounding it, in which case you get the same kind of dew that appears on a car windscreen or on the grass during the night. This is a completely natural phenomenon, and in fact it is proof that the window is carrying out precisely what it is meant to do, namely to keep the heat in rather than letting it escape through the glass and warm the outside.
Condensation between the panes always means a failed seal
If the problem is occurring within the sealed unit rather than on either of the glass surfaces, then it has nothing to do with whether the window is double or triple glazed; it is due to a manufacturing defect or a failure of the seal which is allowing moisture into the cavity that is supposed to remain sealed for the entire life of the unit. The situation won’t resolve itself and the solution is to replace it with a new sealed unit rather than making any adjustments concerning heating or ventilation.
Where that leaves you
When the main problem you’re experiencing is waking up to see condensation running down the inside of your windows, triple glazing does represent a real and significant improvement since it deals with the real cause of the issue. If you find dew appearing on the outside of your new triple glazed windows on a cold morning, this is not something you should report as a defect but is in fact proof that the windows are retaining your heat where it should be. And if you see misting trapped inside the glass itself, then even if the window has more than one pane, this should be treated as a seal problem and investigated.
Triple glazing is available as an upgrade for all of our windows; however, if the issue you’re addressing is condensation, it’s a good idea to discuss with us what is actually causing it before making a decision, since the appropriate solution will depend on which of the three issues you’re dealing with. If you’d like, get in touch or book in an appointment so that we can help you to determine which one applies to your home.