“Thermally Broken” Windows Explained – Westeck Windows
“Thermally broken” is a term used to describe a window’s construction in the windows and door manufacturing industry. The term refers to the fact that an aluminum frame is manufactured with an interior and an exterior side joined by a barrier. The barrier serves to reduce conductive thermal loss.
Thermal breaks are a component of the window frame, but they also influence how temperature is transferred to other components of the window, such as the glass. Most energy efficiency improvements are focused on the glass, as it is the largest part of the window’s surface and is not energy efficient in its own right. Thermal breaks are, however, one of the few energy efficiency improvements that do not directly relate to the glass.
In a thermally broken window frame, the reinforced polyamide strips will be made from a non-metallurgical composite material. When the window is manufactured, the strips are placed between the inner and outer profiles of the window frame to form an insulating barrier. The thermal conductivity of the strip will naturally be low to reduce the heat and cold transfer across the window frame, which can have a significant effect on the energy transfer of the window frame.
Thermal windows prevent heat loss in the winter. In older windows, up to 49% of a home’s winter heat loss goes through the windows. In addition, 87% of the home’s outdoor heat comes through cold windows.
Since thermal windows focus on thermal performance for energy efficiency in buildings, reducing heat loss in colder climates and reducing heat gain in hotter climates, help to lower the overall U-value of the window.
