I swapped out my old single-pane windows for double-pane with argon a couple years back. Honestly, the biggest difference came from just having new, well-sealed windows, not the gas itself. My energy bills dropped, but I’m pretty sure that was more about fixing drafts and getting rid of the ancient frames. I looked into krypton, but the price jump didn’t seem worth it for my area—winters get cold but nothing extreme. I’d say, unless you’re in a really harsh climate or doing triple panes, argon plus good installation gets you most of the way there.
I've swapped out a lot of windows for folks, and honestly, you nailed it—proper install and tight seals matter way more than the gas inside for most homes. Krypton sounds fancy, but unless you're in Alaska or doing super high-end triple panes, it's just not worth the extra dollars. Argon plus solid craftsmanship gets you 90% there, especially if your old frames were leaky.
Yeah, I hear you—fancy gases sound cool, but honestly, argon’s done the trick for my place. I did a bunch of research before swapping out my old drafty windows last fall. The installer even said unless you’re in some extreme climate, it’s not worth sweating over krypton. I’d rather put the extra cash toward better insulation or just a decent dinner out.