If you’re shopping for new windows for your house the odds are good you’ll hear about triple pane glass. You’ll probably be wondering whether or not triple pane glass is worth the cost. The answer is, it depends, and we’ll look at the factors to consider right now.
You may hear some grizzled old timer say, “that triple pane isn’t worth it” or some other blanket statement that doesn’t make any sense. Note, that advice isn’t worth much. We have no idea what it’s based on and the person saying it probably doesn’t either.
To start to understand whether or not triple pane glass is worth the cost you need to understand two things. First, what is the cost difference? Second, what are the other benefits? We’ll look at some real life examples from my company to see how it works.
What is the cost difference?
This is a critical piece of information if you’re going to decide whether or not triple pane glass is worth the cost. Historically companies would play games with the pricing for triple pane glass. This is likely what has formed some of the opinions out there.
As of today (this will change over time) my company charges $89 additional in most situations to add triple pane glass. So, let’s use that in our example. Say you have 20 windows in your house. $89 x 20 = $1780. The additional cost of triple pane glass in a 20 window project would be $1780 as of today, April 28, 2021.
Now we know what it costs lets look at what you get in return
There are three main advantages to windows with triple pane glass.
- Triple pane windows are more efficient. There are many double pane and triple pane packages out there so there isn’t one simple metric to illustrate the improvement in efficiency that you get in switching from double pane to triple pane, but it’s around 25% in most cases.
That means by spending the additional money you get windows that are around 25% more efficient for as long as you own the house. That’s a pretty measurable improvement. It’s also the sort of thing you only have one chance to buy. You can’t decide to add triple pane glass next year. Technically you can, but it would be much more expensive.
- Triple pane windows are quieter. Despite the claims made by some of the door to door salesmen out there triple pane windows will not eliminate all outside noise, but they do make the house quieter.
Sound transmission is measured by the STC rating. This stands for Sound Transmission Coefficeint. We have other posts on STC ratings so I won’t get into all of the details here.
Since we’re using my company as an example, I can tell you the STC rating for a popular model we offer goes from 28 to 32 by switching from double pane to triple pane glass.
Whether or not that’s a huge deal will depend on your house and your neighborhood, but a good night sleep can be very valuable.
- Triple pane windows carry more resale value. To be fair I’m sometimes a little skeptical when it comes to claims about resale value.
We had a reader of the site say that a Renewal by Andersen salesperson told her she wouldn’t be able to refinance her house if she didn’t have Andersen windows. Obviously that’s not true, but it’s a great example of the silly statements those commission salespeople will make to try to get a deal.
However, there is no doubt that triple pane glass is worth something to a buyer. It’s something that anyone can see and understand. There are many window upgrades that are virtually invisible to a future buyer of the house. Those will generally carry no resale value at all.
Triple pane glass is different. You can see it, a real estate agent can see it, everyone will know it’s there. You can also be confident that efficiency is only getting more important to buyers. If you think it’s important today it’ll be more important next year.
So, is triple pane glass worth the cost?
Well, now you know the price and you know the benefits. Only you can decide if it’s worth the cost. I tend to suggest that if it fits into the budget it’s a worthwhile option.
With triple pane glass you get a house that is more efficient and quieter and worth more money when it’s time to sell. In our example the cost difference for a 20 window project was $1780.
Triple pane glass is definitely not necessary for a perfectly nice result. If it stretches your budget and you want to skip it, skip it.
If it fits into your budget and you’re planning on being in the house a while I do suggest it. When my friends and family call me for new windows we often end up installing triple pane windows. It’s a great product and it provides for a great result.
My advice is to consider triple pane when you’re replacing your windows. Understand the cost difference and benefits and you can decide if it’s something you’d like to include in your replacement window project.
Other posts you might find helpful:
- Replacement window reviews
- How to get window prices with no salesman
- Alside Mezzo window reviews
- Why you should NEVER buy Simonton windows
To find our company or other recommended companies in your area check this section. You can also find window reviews here and information about the tricky window sales tactics that many companies uses here. We hope you enjoy the site!