IF YOU COULD UPGRADE YOUR WINDOWS TO A DIFFERENT GAS, WOULD YOU GO FANCY OR STICK WITH BASIC?

I looked into this a bunch when we bought our place last year. From what I found, the gas type (argon vs. krypton) barely changes sound reduction - most of the noise blocking comes from the glass thickness and if it’s double or triple pane. I ended up going with thicker double panes and argon, and honestly, street noise dropped a ton. Didn’t see a reason to pay more for krypton unless you’re in some crazy cold spot.

the gas type (argon vs. krypton) barely changes sound reduction - most of the noise blocking comes from the glass thickness and if it’s double or triple pane.

Couldn’t agree more here. We swapped out our old single panes for double with argon a while back, and the difference was night and day. I was tempted by the “fancy” krypton pitch, but honestly, unless you’re dealing with brutal winters, it feels like overkill. Spend the money on thicker glass or an extra pane if you really want quiet or better insulation. That’s where you’ll notice it most, at least in my experience.

Spend the money on thicker glass or an extra pane if you really want quiet or better insulation. That’s where you’ll notice it most, at least in my experience.

Right there with you. I geeked out over all the gas options when we did our reno, but at the end of the day, argon was totally fine. The jump in comfort and quiet from single to double pane was wild - felt like living in a different house. Krypton sounds cool (and expensive), but unless you’re trying to survive an Arctic winter or just really want to flex on your neighbors, it’s probably not worth it.

Honestly, I’d rather put that extra cash toward beefier glass or triple panes if noise is the main issue. Our street’s pretty loud, and the extra thickness made way more difference than the gas inside ever could. Maybe if I moved to Canada and wanted to turn my living room into a greenhouse, I’d reconsider... but for now, basic gets the job done.

I’ve always wondered if the fancy gases actually make a difference you can feel, or if it’s more of a “look at my high-tech windows” thing. My neighbor got triple panes with krypton and swears by them, but honestly, I just want to stop hearing every car that drives by at 2am. Seems like thicker glass is the real MVP for that. Maybe I’ll save the sci-fi gas upgrades for when I win the lottery...

I used to think the same thing - like, is krypton in your window really going to make your house feel like the Fortress of Solitude? My windows are just regular old double panes with argon, and honestly, I noticed more difference when I swapped out the flimsy frames for beefier ones. For noise, it's always been about the thickness and how tight everything seals up. My buddy put in those triple panes with all the bells and whistles, but he says his house still sounds like a racetrack when the windows are open... go figure.

If you’re mainly after peace and quiet at night, I’d say go for thicker glass or even laminated panes before splurging on gas upgrades. The fancy stuff is cool but feels more like bragging rights unless you live somewhere with wild temperature swings. Personally, I’d rather spend extra cash on blackout curtains and a white noise machine until I hit that lottery jackpot.

Honestly, I’ve always wondered if anyone can actually tell the difference between argon and krypton unless they’re living on Hoth. My old place had single panes and you could hear a squirrel sneeze outside... Upgraded to double panes with just the basic gas, but sealing up drafts and adding thick curtains made way more difference for me than anything fancy inside the glass. Unless you’re in Alaska or something, I’d say stick with the basics and save your cash for pizza.

- You nailed it - most folks won’t notice the difference between argon and krypton in everyday use, unless you’re somewhere with extreme temps.
- Proper sealing and insulation (like you did with curtains and draft fixes) almost always give more noticeable comfort and noise reduction than swapping gases.
- Argon is cheaper and covers most climates just fine. Krypton’s mainly for super-cold spots or if you’re going triple-pane.
- Honestly, unless you’re after every last percent of efficiency, your money’s better spent elsewhere... like pizza, as you said.
- Good call on prioritizing the basics first.

I’ve worked on a few retrofits where folks insisted on krypton, and honestly, unless you’re living in the Arctic or building a science lab, argon’s more than enough. I’d rather spend the extra cash on better weatherstripping or, yeah, pizza. Energy savings are great, but comfort’s mostly about sealing up those sneaky leaks.

- Krypton’s overkill for most homes.
- Argon gives solid performance without the price hike.
- Better to spend on tight seals and insulation - those drafts sneak up everywhere.
- Curious, has anyone actually noticed a comfort difference after upgrading to krypton, or is it just numbers on paper?

I get where you’re coming from, but I actually went with krypton in my upstairs windows last year. Honestly, the difference wasn’t night and day - maybe a slight improvement during deep winter, but nothing mind-blowing. If I did it again, I’d probably just stick with argon and beef up the weatherstripping instead. The cost jump just didn’t feel worth it for my 1970s house.