A double-glazed window is a structure used in construction that is transparent to light, which consists of two or more glasses glued or fastened together. Glass sheets are connected using special dividing frames and sealants. Double-glazed windows are used as a modern and higher quality alternative to conventional single panes, as they have significantly higher thermal insulation characteristics.
Double-glazed windows can be installed in wooden or aluminum frames, but they are much more often used in the construction of plastic windows. It is in frames made of PVC profile that double-glazed windows are most widely used. This has led to the fact that ordinary people who are not particularly versed in building terms often call plastic windows themselves double-glazed windows.
The popularity of double-glazed windows and window structures with their use is explained by a number of advantages of this technology over other types of glazing:
The listed undoubted advantages of double-glazed windows and plastic windows, where they are used, were the main reasons for their popularity, widespread use and frequent choice as window structures. An equally important factor in favor of double-glazed windows is their diversity, which allows choosing the appropriate type of double-glazed window for specific operating conditions.
Rice. 1. Types of double-glazed windows.
A single-chamber (sometimes called a single) double-glazed window has two glasses in its design and an air gap between them, thus forming a kind of chamber. She gave the name to this type of double-glazed window.
A standard single-chamber double-glazed window has a width of 24 mm and consists of two glasses, each 4 mm thick, and a gap between them 16 mm thick. More recently, a couple of decades ago, plastic windows with such double-glazed windows were widespread. But after the introduction of new rules on heat engineering, they no longer meet modern requirements, and cannot be used for glazing in living rooms.
Therefore, the main field of application of single-chamber double-glazed windows at present is the glazing of balconies and loggias, as well as non-residential or industrial premises that are not heated. Quite often, single-chamber double-glazed windows are used in private housing construction for glazing verandas, terraces or country houses. The reason for this is obvious - this type of window construction has the lowest price, compared with two- and, even more so, three-chamber ones.
Rice. 2. Single chamber option.
The design of a two-chamber double-glazed window consists of three glasses that create 2 chambers. They are filled with air or other substances that affect the characteristics of the product. Most often, argon, carbon dioxide or xenon are used as fillers for double-glazed windows (regardless of the number of chambers). All of them have a lower thermal conductivity than ordinary air, as a result, the thermal insulation properties of a double-glazed window increase.
The thickness of double-glazed windows can vary from 30 to 58 mm. Most often, in domestic climatic conditions, a 38 mm thick variety is chosen, which consists of 4 mm glasses, the distance between which is 14 and 12 mm. Such a double-glazed window not only fully complies with all the thermal engineering requirements of modern building codes and regulations, but also has enhanced sound insulation characteristics.
A double-glazed window is actively used in the glazing of multi-apartment residential buildings, buildings and structures for public and industrial purposes, as well as private housing construction. It would not be an exaggeration to say that plastic windows with double-glazed windows are the most common window construction currently used in construction.
Rice. 3. The design of a double-glazed window.
Despite the high performance of two and three-chamber double-glazed windows, which fully comply with current standards in terms of heat saving and sound insulation, manufacturers of window structures are constantly working to improve and improve them. As a result of modern research and development in this area, energy-saving double-glazed windows have appeared.
They differ from conventional two-chamber ones in that their design provides for:
The effectiveness of energy-saving packages depends on the number of chambers, the thickness of the glasses and the gap between them, but, in any case, their use can significantly reduce heat loss, which is an important advantage in today's conditions of high energy prices.
Rice. 4. The principle of operation of energy-saving double-glazed windows.
One of the most important characteristics of quality housing is a high level of sound insulation of premises. The greatest amount of sound enters the house through window openings. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that manufacturers of window structures have developed special double-glazed windows with increased soundproofing qualities.
They differ from ordinary double-glazed windows in that they have one or more design features:
The use in the manufacture of one or more of these moments allows you to give the double-glazed window increased soundproofing properties. They are especially relevant in a modern city, when the noise level is very high.
Rice. 5. The principle of operation of soundproof double-glazed windows.
When performing work on the glazing of the lower floors of residential buildings, as well as commercial buildings and structures (offices, banks, shops, etc.), one of the necessary requirements for window structures is high impact resistance and strength. In this case, as a rule, armored double-glazed windows are used. They are of two types:
The cost of armored double-glazed windows is much higher when compared with conventional ones. However, due to their unique strength characteristics, they have become quite widespread.
Rice. 6. The principle of operation of an armored double-glazed window.
The main purpose of solar glazing is to maintain comfortable indoor conditions in hot and sunny weather. To do this, it is necessary that the window structure act as a kind of filter that allows the necessary amount of heat to pass inside, while providing a sufficient level of lighting. Adhesive films used as such a filter are ineffective compared to specially designed double-glazed windows.
They include factory-treated glass that can provide sufficient protection from excess heat, prying eyes, while letting in a sufficient amount of sunlight. There are several types of glass used in sun protection double-glazed windows:
Solar-protective double-glazed windows can provide a variety of levels of light and heat transmission, which allows you to get exactly the conditions that the customer requires.
Rice. 7. Principle of action of a solar control double-glazed window.
This type of double-glazed windows is in many ways a continuation of sun-protection ones, since manufacturing technologies are largely the same. But in the case of tinted double-glazed windows, their main purpose is to give the building an attractive and original appearance. It is achieved by using special tinted glasses in the manufacture of double-glazed windows, which can be obtained by using various technologies:
The scope of tinted double-glazed windows can be a variety of buildings:
The use of various types of tinted double-glazed windows can significantly improve the aesthetic characteristics of a building or structure under construction, making it visually more attractive and spectacular.
Rice. 8. Tinted windows.
A shock-resistant double-glazed window, in fact, is an analogue of an armored one, practically no different from it. Strictly speaking, the difference lies only in insignificant nuances. For an armored double-glazed window, the main requirement is resistance to penetration or cutting through and the ability to withstand mechanical stress by any objects. They are used mainly in commercial facilities.
For a shock-resistant double-glazed window, the requirements for strength and durability are somewhat lower, the based orientation is anti-hooligan and anti-vandal. At the same time, shock-resistant double-glazed windows are much cheaper than armored ones, so they are much more often installed in residential buildings.
Shock-resistant double-glazed windows are manufactured using the same technologies as armored ones:
In most cases, a variety of protective films are also glued to prevent fragments from scattering and increase the strength of the entire structure.
Rice. 9. Impact-resistant double-glazed window in action.
According to experts, almost 40% of heat loss occurs through window openings and structures installed in them. Therefore, it seems quite logical that window manufacturers pay considerable attention to improving the thermal insulation properties of their own products. As a result, heat-saving double-glazed windows were developed. In fact, this is another name for energy-saving plastic windows.
A feature of their design is a special coating, which is applied to the surface of the glass facing the inside of the room. As a result, this coating reflects the heat coming from the room, directing it back inside. A feature of the coating is that it is not visible to the human eye and absolutely does not prevent the penetration of sunlight.
Rice. 10. The principle of operation of a heat-saving double-glazed window.
The use of various heat- and energy-saving double-glazed windows can significantly reduce heat loss, which, in turn, leads to a significant reduction in heating costs. Savings as a result will allow you to quickly recoup a slight increase in the cost of heat-saving double-glazed windows compared to conventional ones.
Some features of heat-saving double-glazed windows are described in the video:
The use of mirror double-glazed windows in the glazing of buildings and structures, as a rule, has several main goals:
The mirror effect is achieved by using special mirrored glasses in the double-glazed window, which are a kind of tinted glass. They are made using the technologies listed in the corresponding section of the article.
The scope of mirrored double-glazed windows is also similar to tinted ones. Most actively they are installed on various commercial facilities (shops, shopping and business centers, office premises, etc.), public buildings (sports facilities, cinema and drama theaters, etc.). double-glazed windows began to be actively used in elite new buildings, as well as in private housing construction.
Rice. 11. The use of mirror glass.
