Archive talk:2009 Brian Waddington hut renovations

Windows

If we're double paning the windows, would it make sense to use glass sealed units? These will have much better insulation and they will be UV proof. They will be more expensive, but perhaps it's worth it. The glass sealed unit windows at Brew have proven to be plenty durable.

Scott Nelson 12:53, 27 March 2009 (PDT)

At the very least I think we should do a cost comparison. My guess/understanding is that buying fancy plexiglas/Lexan sheets isn't really so cheap. Scott Webster

Yes, a cost comparison would be good. Scott N, you helped make the windows up at Brew - is that correct? Maybe you just bought them. Can you figure out what it would cost? The dimensions (without frame) are on the wiki - we could get "hole" dimensions before actually having them made.

Advantages:

• They won't fog up
• Better insulator (but by how much?)
• More "long-term" (maybe?)

Disadvantages:

• heavy to carry up
• more expensive (but by how much?)
• must do more work to install
• could get broken during carry-in

I believe the windows up there already are single pane glass - glass absorbs most UV, so Lexan put on the insides will last a long time before it starts to go opaque. The internet says that double-pane glass windows are filled with argon which conducts less heat since it is less dense than air. Of course, argon is actually heavier than air (that's why He makes your voice high, and argon makes it low), so should probably conduct heat better? Do they fill them with Argon (over, say, Nitrogen which would also not fog up but is way cheaper) for some other reason? Having windows which don't fog up is really nice when attempting to look outside, although actually going outside is always possible.