Eli5: what an “air gap” is in the context of storm windows and how/why it better insulates windows.

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PS: Is it still an “air gap” without using “noble gases” and just “air”? Thanks so much!

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18 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

I don’t know exactly how it works, but as someone who spent a weekend afternoon putting on/removing storm windows for years – I know that it does.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Still air is not a good conductor, so a good trick we have of insulating things is “trapping” air. The trapped air in between the windows acts like an insulator and the windows on either side keeps the air from being disturbed.

This trapped air concept are why things like aerogel and styrofoam are good insulators, they are essentially filled with air inside and the air can’t move.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Still air is not a good conductor, so a good trick we have of insulating things is “trapping” air. The trapped air in between the windows acts like an insulator and the windows on either side keeps the air from being disturbed.

This trapped air concept are why things like aerogel and styrofoam are good insulators, they are essentially filled with air inside and the air can’t move.

Anonymous 0 Comments

I don’t know exactly how it works, but as someone who spent a weekend afternoon putting on/removing storm windows for years – I know that it does.

Anonymous 0 Comments

I don’t know exactly how it works, but as someone who spent a weekend afternoon putting on/removing storm windows for years – I know that it does.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Imagine you’re wearing a sweater on a cold day. The sweater helps to keep you warm by trapping a layer of air between your body and the cold outside air. The trapped air acts like a barrier and helps to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.

Now, double-pane windows work in a similar way. There are two layers of glass with a small space, or air gap, between them. This air gap acts like the sweater’s trapped air, helping to keep the cold outside air from getting inside your home and the warm air from escaping. This makes your home more energy efficient and comfortable.

Sometimes, this air gap is filled with a special gas called argon. Argon is better at insulating than regular air because it doesn’t let heat pass through it as easily. So, by using argon in the gap between the two panes of glass, the windows become even better at keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s like wearing an extra warm sweater on a really cold day!

Anonymous 0 Comments

Imagine you’re wearing a sweater on a cold day. The sweater helps to keep you warm by trapping a layer of air between your body and the cold outside air. The trapped air acts like a barrier and helps to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.

Now, double-pane windows work in a similar way. There are two layers of glass with a small space, or air gap, between them. This air gap acts like the sweater’s trapped air, helping to keep the cold outside air from getting inside your home and the warm air from escaping. This makes your home more energy efficient and comfortable.

Sometimes, this air gap is filled with a special gas called argon. Argon is better at insulating than regular air because it doesn’t let heat pass through it as easily. So, by using argon in the gap between the two panes of glass, the windows become even better at keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s like wearing an extra warm sweater on a really cold day!

Anonymous 0 Comments

Imagine you’re wearing a sweater on a cold day. The sweater helps to keep you warm by trapping a layer of air between your body and the cold outside air. The trapped air acts like a barrier and helps to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.

Now, double-pane windows work in a similar way. There are two layers of glass with a small space, or air gap, between them. This air gap acts like the sweater’s trapped air, helping to keep the cold outside air from getting inside your home and the warm air from escaping. This makes your home more energy efficient and comfortable.

Sometimes, this air gap is filled with a special gas called argon. Argon is better at insulating than regular air because it doesn’t let heat pass through it as easily. So, by using argon in the gap between the two panes of glass, the windows become even better at keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s like wearing an extra warm sweater on a really cold day!