Comparing Argon And Krypton Windows
Argon and krypton windows have argon and krypton gas, respectively, in between their window panes. Both of these types of gases are denser than oxygen, which is found in traditional windows, providing better insulative qualities to your home than traditional windows. Understanding the differences between argon and krypton windows can help you choose the type of window that best suits your home's needs.
Argon Windows
Argon windows are the more common of the two types of insulative windows, because they are fairly inexpensive, only costing slightly more than regular air filled windows. This makes argon windows ideal for homeowners operating under a budget who are looking to cut down their energy bills. Additionally, argon gas works best in double pane windows, which are the most common type of window available, which again helps keep the costs low.
However, argon can leak out of the windows fairly quickly. While this is not a health issue, as argon is perfectly safe to breathe in, it does mean that your windows will start to lose their insulative advantage over time. This can be fixed by simply refilling the windows, but this represents a long term cost that mitigates the low initial price point that argon windows offer.
Krypton Windows
Krypton windows are better at insulating your home, as krypton gas is denser than argon gas is. This means that you will save more money on your energy bills. For this reason, krypton gas also leaks out of the windows at a slower rate, which means that you won't have to refill or replace your windows as often as you would with argon windows. Additionally, krypton windows are better at insulating sound than argon windows are, which is a huge benefit, especially if you live near a freeway, airport, or railroad track.
However, krypton windows are much more expensive than argon windows, because krypton is much more difficult to produce, and because krypton gas works best in triple pane windows, which have a smaller gap between panes. Triple pane windows are more expensive than double pane windows, simply by virtue of having more materials in them and being more complex to make. However, the high initial expense of krypton windows is offset somewhat by the fact that they don't need to be refilled as often as argon windows do, and also provide greater insulation and thus greater energy savings when compared to argon windows.
For more information about your options for insulated windows, contact a company like Simpson Windows and Doors.
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