Double glazing unit - glass specification?

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Hi Guys,

Quick question, I want to install double glazed units and the window company has priced for 4mm float/ 20 argon cavity/4mm float, however I would like to add a some level of security and I'm considering 4mm float/18mm argon cavity/6.4 clear laminate. My main question is would the laminate go to the exterior of the house or internally?

External seems more common but I feel this would leave the 4mm float prone to internal breakage resulting in jagged glass fragments.

All windows meet code of practice safety zones so teh laminated safety glass is my own preference.

What are your thoughts?

regards
 
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Generally the low emissivity coat is on face 3.

Therefore its cheaper to have soft coat on 4mm annealed or toughened than on 6.3mm lam.

My glazier did tell me recently that soft coat still works ok if positioned on face 2, but I think it reduces U value a bit ( I dont know for sure).

Im not sure but maybe you need toughened glass in safety zones anyway.

Elsewhere, I cant see the risk of injury from annealed glass that high -It is the fitted in millions of homes and accepted by BC, in non safety zones.
 
I have laminated glass on downstairs patio doors.

Perhaps one day it will annoy a burglar.

They like toughened because it is so easy to turn to fragments.

It did make the doors rather heavy though. The extra cost was not too bad.
 
Generally the low emissivity coat is on face 3.


My glazier did tell me recently that soft coat still works ok if positioned on face 2, but I think it reduces U value a bit ( I dont know for sure).

.

Yes just slightly less efficient but still acceptable to building regs.

Generally you fit the laminated to the outside.
I expect it is included but just make sure you are also getting warm edge spacer bars and not aluminum ones
 
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Why pay the extra for argon though - it'll all be gone within 3 years, i can see what gaz is saying that you can also have a warm edge spacer to go with your argon but I'd question why do you even need either, having one superior unit in your house won't make a blind bit of difference if the rest are just C rated
 
Why pay the extra for argon though - it'll all be gone within 3 years, i can see what gaz is saying that you can also have a warm edge spacer to go with your argon but I'd question why do you even need either, having one superior unit in your house won't make a blind bit of difference if the rest are just C rated

True yes Argon is pretty much pointless. I know some factory's don't even bother putting it in just charge extra for it.
Warm edge bars on the other hand I would say is a noticeable difference. You can physically see condensation and ice clear more quickly on non warm edge units as your heat escapes. Probably not a vast difference in mathematical U values but noticeable in the real world to some degree
 
Oh of course I agree with the warm edge but having another 20 odd inferior units in the house kinda negates the one good one, unless your doing them all doing one will make no difference to the feel of the house inside
 
I always specify argon and warm edge, although Ive heard the argon leaks out in a few years.

Also I have heard that there are instances where argon is specified but not actually done -maybe the plugs arent fitted either!

I have heard it mentioned that some very large double glazing manufacturers with automated lines dont bother to refills the argon gas tanks once they are empty.

Krypton used in slimlite units is expensive and I do wonder if thats done - who would ever know or test?
 

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