Swapped out two of our old drafty windows with these new super thin triple pane ones last fall. I was honestly skeptical—like, how can something that thin actually insulate better than the chunky double panes we had? But, weirdly, the living room stayed way warmer over winter, and outside noise dropped a ton (which is great since my neighbor’s got a motorcycle he loves to rev at 6am). Only thing is, the cost was... not small. Plus, the install took longer than expected since our frames are kinda old and apparently needed extra work.
Curious if anyone else has put these in? Did you notice a big difference, or was it more hype than help? And, uh, did you have sticker shock too or did I just get unlucky with my installer?
Had a similar experience here, actually. We replaced three front-facing windows with the ultra-slim triple panes last spring. Like you, I was a bit skeptical about the insulation claims, especially since the glass looked so much thinner than what I was used to. But the U-factor numbers on these are impressive—mine were rated at 0.18, which is a big step down from the old double panes (those were around 0.32 if I remember right). I’m in a 1970s split-level, so the original frames weren’t exactly square anymore, and that did add a few headaches for the installer. Ended up needing custom trim work just to get everything flush.
Noise reduction was probably the most noticeable change for us too. We’re near a busy street and it’s almost eerie how quiet the living room is now. Thermal comfort improved, but I’d say it’s more of a steady temperature rather than a dramatic jump in warmth—maybe that’s because we already had decent attic insulation?
On cost, yeah... sticker shock is putting it mildly. Between the windows themselves and the extra labor for retrofitting, it ran about 40% higher than standard triple panes I priced out. I think part of that is just new tech markup and part is our installer charging more for “unusual” jobs. Did you get any quotes from other companies? I noticed prices varied wildly depending on whether they’d worked with these slim profiles before.
One thing I’m curious about is long-term durability. The seals are supposed to be better, but with less material, I wonder if they’ll hold up as well over 20+ years. Anyone had these in for more than a couple seasons yet?
Man, the noise reduction is wild, right? I joked with my wife that the neighbors could throw a block party and we’d sleep through it now. I totally get the sticker shock, though—ours cost more than our first used car. I’m still not sure about long-term durability either. The seals look solid for now, but only time will tell. Wish they’d come with a crystal ball instead of just a warranty...
That sticker shock is real, right? I remember when we got ours put in, my dad joked that we could’ve bought a fishing boat instead. But honestly, the noise difference is wild—our place used to sound like a subway station at rush hour, and now it’s almost eerie how quiet it is.
I get your worry about long-term durability. I keep looking at those seals too, half-expecting them to just give up one day. Our installer swore up and down they’d last decades, but I’m still a bit skeptical. Stuff always sounds great in the brochure.
One thing I’ve noticed since we got them, though—our heating bill dropped more than I expected. Not enough to pay for the windows anytime soon, but it’s something. I guess time will tell if they hold up, but for now, I’m just enjoying not hearing the neighbor’s dog barking at 6am.
I guess time will tell if they hold up, but for now, I’m just enjoying not hearing the neighbor’s dog barking at 6am.
Honestly, the heating bill drop was the biggest surprise for me too—didn’t expect it to make that much difference, especially since our old windows were already double pane. I hear you on the seals; I keep checking ours after a heavy rain just in case. The quiet is nice, but I sometimes wonder if it’s almost *too* quiet, like I’ve lost track of what’s going on outside. Price-wise, yeah, it definitely stung. I’m still not sure if I’d do every window in the house, given how much it adds up.
Honestly, I get what you mean about the price. We did just the front-facing windows last fall because that side gets the worst wind, and I couldn’t stomach the quote for the whole house either. If I had to do it again, I’d probably stick with just the rooms we use most—living room and bedrooms—since that’s where we actually notice the difference.
I’m with you on the seals too. Every time there’s a big storm, I end up running my hand along the edges just to make sure nothing’s seeping in. So far, so good, but I don’t fully trust them yet either. Our old double panes were starting to fog up inside, so at least these look better for now.
As for the quiet, it’s weird, right? I used to wake up to traffic and birds, and now it’s almost like living in a vacuum. My partner loves it but sometimes I miss knowing when the mail shows up or if there’s a delivery truck outside. Guess it’s a trade-off.
If you’re worried about missing out on outside noise, maybe leave one window cracked every so often just to keep tabs on what’s happening. Or stick with a mix—triple glass where you want peace and regular ones where you don’t mind some sound coming through.
Anyway, glad to hear your heating bill dropped too. That surprised me more than anything. The upfront cost is rough but at least there are some perks you feel right away... even if it does take a while to break even.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing about the quiet—it’s almost too much sometimes. When we did our upgrade, I started with just the main living spaces, too. If anyone’s on the fence, here’s what worked for me: prioritize the draftiest rooms first (for us, bedrooms and the den), then check window seals every season—especially after a big temperature swing. It’s helped catch little leaks before they turn into bigger issues.
One thing I’d add—if you’re worried about losing touch with what’s going on outside, a simple doorbell camera or mailbox sensor might help. Not exactly the same as hearing birds, but at least you won’t miss deliveries.
Heating bill drop was a big plus for us, too. Still not sure it’ll pay off fast, but comfort-wise, it’s hard to beat.
Those mailbox sensors are a game changer, honestly. I didn’t think I’d care but after the 3rd “mystery package” incident, I caved. Not as charming as birdsong but at least you know when someone’s at the door.
I get what you mean about the quiet, though. After we swapped out our old windows for the triple glass ones last fall, it was almost… too still? Sometimes I miss the distant hum of neighborhood life. The first few nights, I actually thought my street had gone into hibernation or something. But man, the comfort is undeniable—no more drafts sneaking up on me while I’m watching TV.
We started with just the living room and master bedroom since those are the spots we hang out in most. My wife was skeptical about the price tag, and honestly, so was I. The install wasn’t cheap (and took longer than they promised), but our heating bill dropped more than I expected. Still not sure how many years until it pays for itself, but it’s nice not having to wear a hoodie indoors all winter.
One thing that surprised me: condensation basically disappeared. Used to get these little puddles on the sills every morning in January, now nothing. That alone is worth something to me—no more peeling paint or weird water stains.
If anyone’s on the fence about doing every room at once, I’d say start with where you feel the coldest drafts or where you spend most of your time. Bedrooms were a huge upgrade for us—sleeping through a windstorm without hearing a thing feels pretty luxurious.
Still kinda miss hearing birds in the morning though… Maybe time to invest in some fake birds or something?
sleeping through a windstorm without hearing a thing feels pretty luxurious.
That’s exactly how I felt after we did our upstairs—never realized how much outside noise I’d gotten used to until it was gone. The quiet is wild at first, but I’ve grown to appreciate it. I do miss the old creaks and distant traffic sometimes, but not enough to go back to drafty windows. Our condensation issues vanished too, which was a huge relief after years of repainting sills. As for birdsong, I’ve started cracking a window in the morning just to get a bit of that back... probably defeats the purpose, but hey, old habits.
Funny, I thought I’d miss the background noise more too, but now the only thing I notice is how much warmer the rooms feel. Triple glass made a bigger difference than I expected—especially in winter. Still, I do find myself opening a window for that “real air” feeling, even if it means letting in a bit of street noise. Old habits die hard, right?