If you stand next to a single pane window on a cold winter's day you'll feel the chill radiating from the glass surface. In summer, the opposite happens. Heat from the outside air is transferred right into your home through the pane.
With a double pane window, the two panes of glass are separated by a void that acts as an insulating barrier. Sometimes this space is filled with an inert gas such as argon, which further heightens its insulation capabilities. An insulating spacer is used to keep the glass panes separated and then the entire perimeter of the unit is sealed in a tough, high-quality sealant meant to keep it airtight. Sometimes spacers contain a special material, called a desiccant, used for absorbing moisture.
Why Double Pane Windows Are Better
Insulated, double pane windows provide an impressive list of benefits when compared to inefficient, single pane windows. In a home fitted with IGUs, your utility bills for home heating and cooling should be reduced while, at the same time, occupant comfort levels in your living space should be noticeably increased. Not only will inside temperatures be easier to control but you should also experience a perceptible reduction in noise coming in from outside.
Because glass is a good conductor of heat and cold, a home's windows are the main avenue for the transference of heat and cold into your home's interior. Insulated windows, which contain two or more panes of glass separated by an insulating spacer and with an air space between the multiple panes, significantly reduce this temperature transference. What that means to you is that your home will stay warmer in winter, cooler in summer and that your heating and cooling equipment won't have to work as much to keep you comfortable. This translates out to:
