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Window gas fills useless at high elevation?
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Anyone else kinda annoyed that window companies push these fancy gas-filled windows, but then you find out they're basically pointless if you live up in the mountains or somewhere high altitude? I mean, I spent extra thinking it would help with insulation and energy bills, but turns out the gas leaks out faster or something because of the elevation. Feels like throwing money out the window...literally. Wondering if anyone else ran into this issue or if I'm just unlucky.
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Honestly, I get your frustration - been there myself - but I'm not sure I'd call gas-filled windows totally pointless at altitude. True, the argon or krypton gas does leak out faster because of pressure differences at higher elevations, but the initial insulation boost you get can still last a decent amount of time, depending on window quality and installation.
When I replaced mine a few years back (living around 7,000 ft), the installer was upfront about it. He explained that while gas leakage is quicker here, the low-E coatings and double-pane construction still significantly improve thermal performance compared to basic single-pane windows. So yeah, maybe the gas doesn't stick around as long as advertised at sea level, but you're still getting better insulation overall.
That said...I do agree companies should be clearer about this issue upfront. Feels like they're banking on folks not knowing any better. Maybe next time just opt for high-quality double-pane windows with good coatings and skip the fancy gases altogether?
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