What Is the Benefit of Insulated Glass?

Insulating Glass is a combination of two or more panes of glass with a layer of inert gas, i.e. argon or krypton, sandwiched between them. The two panes of glass are further separated by an aluminum spacer with holes in it; a desiccant, which may be silica gel or zeolite, is used underneath the spacer material to absorb any moisture that may initially be present between the panes of glass. A primary sealant is used internally to secure the spacer to the inner side of the glazing panel, while a secondary silicone sealant is used externally to form an airtight seal along the continuous sides of the window.

This arrangement is generally known as an IG unit or insulated glazing unit. The thickness of the glass ranges from 5 mm to 12 mm and the inert gas layer between the panes is 12 mm thick.

Benefits of insulating glass

1. The main advantage of insulating glass is that it helps to insulate by reducing heat gain and heat loss. The addition of multiple layers of glass with a gas filler further protects windows and buildings from heat loss.

2. Another advantage of insulating glass is that it increases the energy efficiency of a building. The reduced heat transfer reduces the amount of electrical energy required to heat or cool a space. This significantly reduces electricity bills, especially in extremely hot or cold areas. The use of low-e glazing and reflective coatings can further improve the efficiency of windows by further limiting heat transfer.

3. Insulated glazing also contributes to sound insulation and improves the acoustics of the premises. The inert gas present between the two panes of glass does not allow noise to pass through and acts as a barrier between the noise present inside the building and that present outside the building.

4. The amount of direct sunlight and UV rays entering the room through the window is reduced. This prevents the fading of photographs, paintings, curtains, carpets and sofa fabrics not caused by the UV effect of the sun's rays.

5. Insulated glass windows can also be used as safety and security windows. Breaking insulated glass units is difficult and takes longer than with single pane windows.

How is insulated glass assembled?

Insulating glass, also known as double glazing, is assembled in the following steps.

Laminated or toughened glass having a thickness in the range between 3mm and 10mm is used to create a double glazed window opening. Two or three panes are used to create double or triple glazed windows.

Double or triple glazed panes are further separated by "spacers". Spacer is defined as a piece of metal that separates panes of glass in an insulated glazing system in order to create a seal in the gas space between them.

The spacers are drilled with holes and filled with a desiccant such as silica gel. The desiccant helps to absorb any type of water vapour that may be present in the gap. These holes are then sealed with a sealant.

The glass panes are now placed along the side of the spacer strip and pressed with an automatic pressing device.

The final step is to apply the sealant to the outside of the double glazed panels. The insulating glass panel is then ready.