Argon gas in double glazing - good idea in practice?

I am getting DG windows in, and am shopping around.

One firm told me that they can give me argon gas as an optional extra (fair enough, I don't expect it for free) but they don't really recommend it as the gas gets depleted over time, and by year 10 it would be gone.

1. Is this true?

2. Can it be replaced (I guess not)?

3. Is the window with argon depleted worse than a 'normal' 10 year old DG window?

Hope someone can give real world advice.

Thanks.

most would come with argon as standard, i wouldn't be paying extra for it...i think that the reason he is knocking it with the above reasons is because he thinks you won't shop around. its standard to use an inert gas to increase the u value of the window in stopping heat loss, not sure about the rate of decrease but even if you got 10 years, the cost savings alone are worth it and as i said before i wouldn't pay extra for it, either he doesn't have the capacity to manufacture with argon or else he is trying to rip you off and make money on a standard practice...shop around

I assume if argon is in any unit, even as standard, then the customer pays for it one way or the other.

I wouldn't be so quick to jump to the 'rip-off' assumption. I told them I am shopping around and they do have the capacity to include argon. They may not be out to rip me off, its just not something they do as standard so its fair enough if they choose to charge me for it if I want it. Its up to them to decide on their standard product and pricing scheme, they told me that they will not be the cheapest anyway, and are well aware that I can go elsewhere if I choose.

Also, I don't think its an obscure reason - if you do a google on argon leakage double glazing you will see that this is a common enough concern, and one that other people take seriously.

IF argon is depleted VERY quickly, then it may not be there to achieve the lab-based U values.

If it doesn't leak, then I can compare the price of air fill vs argon fill and the likely savings, and make my decision.

I think the answer to q2 is probably 'No', and to q3 is probably 'No' as well.

Anyone in the know able to answer Q1 ?

PS my concern is not so much that I would only get 10 years out of the argon - it is that the argon would be significantly depleted long before 10 years, so that I would only have a short time at 100% function, and a sliding scale of argon content and function down to 0% argon at some point within 10 years.

eamonn123456 said:

PS my concern is not so much that I would only get 10 years out of the argon - it is that the argon would be significantly depleted long before 10 years, so that I would only have a short time at 100% function, and a sliding scale of argon content and function down to 0% argon at some point within 10 years.

Click to expand...

the u value certification of the window until will include the depletion of argon over time....

therefore, all comparisons are equal.

Very interesting! Thanks!

So, do they do lab tests on the unit, calculate the depletion as a function of time for the particular unit type, and base their U-value calcs on the average of the projected u-value over the 10 years?

Insulated glazing units certified to EN1279 should have argon leakage rates of approx 0.5 to 1% per annum. This means that starting with a minimum 90% fill even after 20 years you would expect to have at least 73% argon in the glazing unit.

The six parts of EN1279 are as follows:
Part 1 : Generalities, dimensional tolerances and rules for the system description.
Part 2 : Long term test method and requirements on moisture vapour penetration.
Part 3 : Long term test method and requirements for gas leakage rate and for gas concentration tolerances.
Part 4 : Methods of test for the physical attributes of edge seals.
Part 5 : Evaluation of conformity.
Part 6 : Factory production control and periodic tests.




Therefore look for windows that have been tested to EN1279...!!!!!!

Fantastic info, I am well impressed, thanks sydthebeat !

im going to muddy the waters a bit here eamonn, as ive just done a bit more research on this....

the new part L regs (energy conservation) requires that all u values of windows and doors be measured in accordance with BS EN ISO 12567-1:2000, therefore i would use that standard as the yardstick to beat suppliers with. Im sure somewhere this standard cross references the other one mentned above somewhere

along with the argon, what type of glass and spacer bars are they quoting you for, you should be looking for a soft coating to both panes of glass and a warm edge space bar (yes argon is free). Something like a 4mm optiwhite outer pane/tgi spacer/ argon/ 4mm opti shield inner pane

Up to about a year ago I would have been saying no to argon as on some elevations of the house you may have condensation on the outside of the window for a short period of time each day, but now following alot of research I would recommend argon considering the heat retention properties.

You should be looking at your glazing for solar gain. Worth spending a few extra quid for top glazing.