Did you go Euro for passive house windows or stick with local triple-pane?

- Totally get where you're coming from on the frame and seal impact. Seen this a lot—people focus on glass, but the "bones" of the window system play a huge role.

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those thick frames and seals seemed to do more for the temperature swings and noise than just adding panes ever did.

- Your point about old frames being in rough shape? That’s a big one. Even the best glass can’t make up for gaps or warped sashes. Sometimes people underestimate how much air leaks through those tiny cracks until they finally upgrade.

- The Euro tilt-turns are kind of a game changer, right? The way they clamp shut with multiple locking points—honestly, it’s impressive compared to most North American designs. I’ve noticed that even without triple glazing, they often outperform standard local windows just because of build quality.

- Noticed any condensation changes? Sometimes with better seals you’ll see less around the edges, but I’ve heard a few cases where indoor humidity has to be managed more closely after upgrading.

- Noise reduction is a nice bonus. Had one client who lived near a busy street—after switching to tilt-turns, she said it was like moving to the countryside overnight. Didn’t expect that level of difference myself until I saw it firsthand.

- Only caveat is install quality. Even with great hardware, sloppy installation can undo all those benefits... seen that happen too many times.

You’re spot on—frames and hardware matter just as much as glass, if not more sometimes. Makes me wonder why there isn’t more talk about that outside these forums...

You nailed it about the install quality—honestly, I’ve seen more headaches from bad installs than from the windows themselves. It’s wild how you can drop a chunk of change on fancy Euro tilt-turns, but if the guy with the caulking gun is having an off day, you’re still getting drafts and mystery condensation. Been there, sadly.

On the topic of condensation, I actually had less around the frames after upgrading to tilt-turns, but then my humidity shot up in winter...had to crack a window occasionally just to keep things balanced. Didn’t expect that tradeoff, but I guess that’s what happens when you actually seal up all those sneaky leaks.

And yeah, noise reduction is next level. My neighbor’s dog used to sound like it was in my living room—now it’s more like a distant memory. Still can’t believe more people don’t talk about frames and seals. Maybe glass just sounds fancier? Either way, glad to see someone else geeking out over the “boring” parts that make all the difference.

I get the hype for Euro tilt-turns, but I’m still not convinced they’re always worth the premium. Local triple-pane did fine for us, and honestly, I’m not sure the extra soundproofing justifies the cost in a typical neighborhood.

if the guy with the caulking gun is having an off day, you’re still getting drafts and mystery condensation.

I’ve wondered the same—how much of the Euro window performance is just about tight tolerances and hardware, versus the actual glass package? We did local triple-pane too, partly because I worried about service down the road. Anyone actually had to get parts or repairs for Euro imports? That’s one thing that made me hesitate.

We went Euro for the south side, mainly for the thermal break and air tightness. Hardware’s definitely a big part of it—those multi-point locks and gaskets do make a difference, but the glass itself is usually similar spec to high-end local stuff. Had an issue with a tilt-turn handle last winter. Took weeks to get the part, and the installer charged extra since it was a specialty order. That’s the tradeoff... performance vs. convenience down the line. If you’re in a remote area, I’d think twice unless you’ve got a reliable supplier nearby.