kind of feels like chasing that perfect comfort level is never-ending with these old houses.
You nailed it there. I’ve put in both double and triple pane for folks, and honestly, even the fanciest window won’t solve every draft or cold spot in a place built before modern insulation was a thing. Vinyl’s fine, especially if you’re dealing with budget and weird openings—sometimes wood just means more headaches (and $$) down the road. If you’re noticing less draft, that’s already a win. Triple pane helps, but it’s not magic. Sometimes it’s just the quirks of an old house doing their thing.
I totally get that—my place is from the 1920s and even after swapping out all the old single panes for double pane vinyl, I still get those weird cold spots in winter. What made the biggest difference for me was actually air sealing around the frames with foam and caulk. Triple pane sounded tempting, but honestly, the price difference didn’t seem worth it once I realized how much heat was sneaking out through the walls and attic anyway. Sometimes it feels like these old houses just have their own climate, no matter what you do.
Sometimes it feels like these old houses just have their own climate, no matter what you do.
Totally hear you on that. I’ve got a 1940s place and after putting in double panes, the drafts didn’t really stop until I attacked all the gaps around the trim and sills. Did you try checking for leaks with one of those infrared thermometers? Made a huge difference for me. Triple pane always seems cool on paper, but yeah, if your walls and attic aren’t up to snuff, it’s kinda like tossing money out the window.
Triple pane always seems cool on paper, but yeah, if your walls and attic aren’t up to snuff, it’s kinda like tossing money out the window.
That’s exactly it. I did double panes and honestly, fixing the old insulation in the attic helped more than the windows alone. Did you notice any difference in noise reduction with the double panes, or was it mostly just about drafts?
When we swapped out our old single panes for double panes a few years back, I was honestly expecting more of a difference in noise. The drafts were definitely reduced, which was a relief during winter, but as for outside noise—like the neighbor’s mower or the garbage truck—it wasn’t as dramatic as I’d hoped. I think part of it’s because our wall insulation was still the old, patchy stuff from the ‘70s. Once we blew in new cellulose, the house felt quieter overall, but it’s hard to say if that was the windows or just finally fixing the insulation gaps.
One thing I did notice: double panes cut down on condensation a lot, especially in the mornings. That alone made them worth it for us. Curious if anyone’s tried triple panes in an older house and actually noticed a big jump in noise reduction? Or is it mostly just a comfort thing for cold climates?
- Triple panes are definitely quieter, but honestly, unless you live near an airport or have a marching band next door, the difference from double panes isn’t night and day.
- Had them put in my ‘68 ranch. Helped more with keeping the house warm in February than silencing my neighbor’s yappy dog.
- Biggest noise jumps I ever got were from sealing up weird old wall gaps and swapping out a hollow-core front door. Windows helped, but not magic.
- Condensation was way down for me too—triple pane is even better for that, but again, kinda depends if you’re dealing with crazy cold winters.
- If you’re after pure peace and quiet, maybe look at beefing up insulation or adding storm windows before springing for triple glass. Just my two cents...
I went down this rabbit hole last fall—spent way too many hours reading window specs. Ended up with double pane for my 1974 split-level. Honestly, the biggest improvement was fixing the drafty spots and adding more attic insulation. The new windows made a difference with drafts and condensation, but street noise is still a thing if a truck rumbles by. Triple pane felt like overkill for my area (not exactly Siberia here). If budget’s tight, I’d say focus on sealing up leaks before splurging on the extra glass.
When I swapped out my old windows a couple years back, I was convinced triple pane was the answer to all my problems—energy bills, noise, you name it. Ended up going double pane after realizing most of the cold was sneaking in through the gaps around the frames and attic hatch. Sealing those up did more than the glass ever could. Triple pane is nice, but unless your winters are brutal or you’re right on a busy street, I’d say it’s probably not worth the extra bucks. Anyone else find themselves crawling around with a caulk gun in January?
Anyone else find themselves crawling around with a caulk gun in January?
Been there, done that with the caulk gun. Honestly, before I did anything with new windows, I spent a weekend tracking drafts with a candle—found cold air pouring in around the baseboards and attic pull-down. Once I sealed those up, my old double panes felt just fine. Triple pane sounds great on paper, but unless you’re in Minnesota or right next to a highway, it’s probably overkill for most folks.
Triple pane sounds great on paper, but unless you’re in Minnesota or right next to a highway, it’s probably overkill for most folks.
That’s mostly true—air sealing and insulation usually get you more bang for your buck than swapping double for triple pane. I ran the numbers when we upgraded last year. Unless your winters are brutal or you’ve got constant road noise, double pane with good Low-E coating and argon fill hits the sweet spot. Triple pane is heavier, pricier, and the energy savings just don’t add up in milder climates.