Just had a contractor out yesterday to quote replacing some windows, and he mentioned that our local building codes have changed recently. Apparently, double-pane windows aren't cutting it anymore, and now triple-pane is required for compliance. I mean, I get the energy efficiency thing, but um...ouch, my wallet. Has anyone else run into this yet or is my area just being extra picky?
Had a similar experience last year when we replaced ours—contractor mentioned triple-pane as the new standard, but after digging around a bit, turns out there were still some exceptions depending on the window location and house age. Might be worth double-checking your local codes yourself or chatting with someone at city hall. I mean, energy efficiency is great and all, but my wallet appreciates loopholes even more...
Yeah, ran into this a few times myself lately. Triple-pane is definitely becoming more common, but it's not always a strict requirement—depends a lot on your climate zone and even the orientation of the windows. South-facing windows, for example, sometimes get a pass because they naturally gain heat in winter. Worth checking out if you're looking to save some cash...plus, double-pane with good coatings can still perform pretty well in most cases.
Ran into something similar last month on a job. Inspector was pushing triple-pane hard, but after chatting a bit, turns out double-pane with a solid low-E coating was totally fine for the east-facing windows. Saved the homeowner some decent cash, and honestly, performance-wise, they're still plenty comfy. Triple-pane's great, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it's like buying a Ferrari when a Honda will do just fine...