Thermopane or PVC joinery with insulating glass? | What should we choose?

Whether we’ve just built a house or are in the process of renovating our place, the main thing we think about is how to make it as comfortable, secure and welcoming as possible.

That’s why we want to choose the best building materials and we pay special attention to the elements that connect our home to the outside world. And these are the ideal windows and doors, because our ultimate goal is to create an oasis of tranquillity in the midst of daily chaos.

And then, we focus on windows and doors to provide protection, resistance, security and increased temperature and noise comfort. What do we call these? Thermopanes.

But is ‘thermopane’ a term that perfectly defines the optimal solution to our needs, or is it just a version by which we involuntarily limit our options, not fully enjoying the numerous benefits brought by the PVC joinery universe with insulating glass?
That’s what we wanted to talk about now.

What does the term ‘Thermopane’ actually mean?

“Thermopane” is an English term and is defined as the weather-resistant glazing that provides noise and heat insulation and is installed on windows and doors. If we adapt this definition to professional language, we will say that the thermopane is actually the insulating glass that is part of the windows and door units.

But we know there are many types of insulating glass, each of which has different features and roles. Putting them all under the term ‘thermopane’, we only limit their meaning and benefits, often leading to wrong choices.

‘Thermopane’ is actually a registered trademark that appeared in the US in 1941 based on Thomas Stetson’s initiative, who, as early as 1865, started manufacturing a primitive version of insulating glass. At that time, the thermopane consisted of glazing made of two panes of glass bound together and separated by a metal rod, the distance between the two panes being less than 1.3 cm.

Therefore, the technology underlying the production of thermopanes at that time differs significantly from the class of products this name is nowadays attributed to.

But, similarly to other brands that have become generic in time, defining certain product categories such as ‘Xerox’ or ‘Eugenia’, the thermopane has come to define the industry of PVC joinery with insulating glass, which is not technically correct from the perspective of an expert in this area.

Thermopane and PVC joinery with insulating glass are one and the same?

The answer is definitely NO.

We have already made it clear that insulation refers only to glass. When choosing our windows, although we must clearly consider the type of insulating glass, we should also be careful about the base on which the glass is installed.

Here, we are referring to the window or door profile, which, alongside the glass, is designed to improve the strength, durability, and noise- and heat-insulation capacities of the window.

Moreover, thermopane refers to the two panes of glass bound together and separated by a metal rod.

A reliable manufacturer of PVC joinery with insulating glass will offer you two- or three-pane options, separated by warm-edge spacers (warm-edge technology), which will help you increase the energy performance of your residence by reducing heat loss in winter and avoiding overheating in summer.

Furthermore, such a manufacturer will help you choose the best type of glass for your windows, depending on the area you live in, the type of climate and the direction the windows and doors of your home face.

Therefore, if you want your windows and doors to last for a long time and provide you with full comfort, protection and safety, do not just buy thermopanes, but consider the complete set of elements constituting the PVC joinery with insulating glass.

The QFORT team is here to guide you through the best choices and help you identify high quality.

We wish you good luck in future decisions on best equipping your home!