Is it Just Air in My Multi-Paned Window?

Very few houses around the nation have single-paned windows anymore.  Single panes don’t hold up very well in cold, and they definitely don’t have any type of energy efficiency to them.

Today the preferred choice is to use double-paned windows; there are even some homeowners that choose to use triple-paned windows.  These multiple paned windows do a better job in keeping the unwanted cold or heat out of the house and keeping the regulated air in the house.

But many people wonder just what is in between those windows panes.

No, There Isn’t Air in Your Multi-Paned Window

Instead of air, there are gases injected in between the two panes of glass in your multi-paned window.  In double-paned windows Argon gas is injected, and in triple-paned windows Krypton is injected between the panes of glass.

These gases help to prevent heat and cold from travelling through the windows.  So really they are acting like an invisible blockade that makes the windows themselves more energy efficient by about 6%.  These gases are naturally occurring also, so if your window ever does break you don’t have to worry about a toxic gas being released.

What Else is in Your Multi-Paned Window?

Other than gases swirling around between the panes of glass in your windows, there is also a spacer.  Many other companies use aluminum for their spacers, but the spacers in the replacement windows from Renewal by Andersen are made with stainless steel.  Stainless steel spacers resist heat transfer better than the aluminum spacers, so the heat from the outside in the summer or inside during the winter stays where it belongs and doesn’t go through the window via the spacer.

Where Did That Fog in Your Multi-Paned Window Come From?

Also between the glass of your multi-paned windows is a material that soaks up the moisture that collects between the panes.  By soaking up the moisture, this material called desiccant, is what normally prevents fog from developing between the panes.

Once the desiccant becomes saturated from soaking up moisture over the years, the moisture instead gathers on the glass and a fog develops.  If the desiccant is saturated enough and the windows become damaged you will need to have the window replaced.

The best thing to do is to call and talk to one of our window specialists about the situation.  They will be able to help you find the best solution for your window and your budget. Schedule a free in-home consultation with one of our team members to learn what options are best for you.