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Thinking about triple pane laminated glass upgrade for Simonton windows
We moved into our current place about 2 years ago, and the windows are Simonton vinyl double panes. They're decent enough, but lately we've noticed some street noise creeping in more than we'd like. Also, winters here get pretty chilly, and summers can be brutal (Midwest weather is no joke, haha). Anyway, a neighbor recently upgraded their windows to triple pane laminated glass - same Simonton brand - and swears it's made a huge difference in comfort and noise reduction.
I did some quick googling and saw that triple pane laminated glass is supposed to be great for insulation and soundproofing, but dang...the price jump is pretty steep from what I see. We're talking a pretty noticeable bump in cost per window. I'm all for investing in home comfort, but I'm just not sure if the improvement is enough to justify the extra expense, you know?
Has anyone else here upgraded from standard double pane to triple pane laminated glass? Did you notice a big difference? Or was it kinda subtle and not worth the extra cash? I mean, if it's gonna make winters cozier and help me sleep better without hearing every car that passes by at night, I might bite the bullet. But if it's more of a "meh" improvement, I'd rather save that money for something else around the house.
Curious to hear your experiences or thoughts on this...
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4 replies
The price jump’s harder to judge from “triple pane” alone. Compare the proposed unit’s whole-window U-factor and solar heat-gain coefficient (SHGC) with your existing Simontons. U-factor indicates heat transfer; SHGC indicates how much solar heat gets through. A lower U-factor generally means less heat transfer, while the preferred SHGC depends on how much solar gain you want. Those ratings can help assess comfort, but they won’t tell you how much the laminated glass will cut street noise. I’d weigh the cost against the actual ratings and ask the supplier for sound-performance data for the specific window, not just the glass package.
Since street noise is the main reason you’re considering the premium, compare the proposed window’s STC rating with your current unit’s. A higher STC means better reduction of airborne sound, but the size of the rating difference matters more than the “triple pane” label. If the noise improvement is small, it may not justify a steep extra cost on its own; if it’s substantial, that gives you a clearer basis for weighing the upgrade.
Since passing cars are the noise you’re hoping to block, I’d ask for the proposed window’s OITC rating as well as its STC. STC summarizes sound reduction across a broad range of frequencies, while OITC puts more weight on lower-frequency exterior noise, which can make it a more useful comparison for traffic. Neither rating alone predicts the exact change you’ll hear at home, but comparing both for the specific window could give a clearer picture of whether the premium is worthwhile.
STC and OITC are useful for comparing units, but they aren’t a forecast of how much quieter the room will feel. Sound can also get in through air leaks around the window or through other parts of the exterior, so a highly rated replacement may disappoint if the glass isn’t the main path. That distinction matters when weighing the premium.