Double-glazed windows Astana

Author: Arman Saparov, Chief Technologist for Translucent Structures in Astana

Double-glazed windows Astana price: what are you actually paying for?

Astana double-glazed windows are not just a wind barrier. Every winter I see heating bills in homes with ordinary triple-chamber windows. The difference reaches 35 thousand tenge per season for an apartment of 60 sq.m. Just numbers, no emotions.

Three years ago, a client from Nur-Sultan (as it was called then) came to me. In a new building, the window sills were flooded. Not the frame — the installation was to blame. But the problem showed something else: even an expensive profile won't save you if you don't understand the physics of the process.

What is a chamber in a window and why does their number change heat

A chamber is an air cavity inside the profile. Three-chamber windows have three such cavities, five-chamber windows have five. Each additional chamber increases thermal resistance. But not linearly. Switching from three chambers to five gives a heat protection increase of 18-22%. Figures from test reports of SPKB "Steklo".

Five-chamber windows are 10-14 mm thicker. For Astana with its temperature swings from -40°C to +40°C, this is justified. But for an old panel house with narrow piers, it's a problem. There, a three-chamber 58 mm profile may be the only option.

The main compromise is that to achieve low thermal conductivity, you have to accept a weight increase of the structure by 15-20%. This means reinforced hardware and more powerful hinges. Otherwise, after a couple of years, the sash will start to sag.

Expert advice from Arman Saparov, Chief Technologist for translucent structures in Astana: "Buyers often demand a five-chamber profile and a triple-glazed unit in one frame. This is overkill. In a living room with a five-chamber profile, double-glazed glass is sufficient. Otherwise, it becomes so heavy that even German fittings work at their limit. I have seen the consequences — sashes warped after a year and a half."

Three-chamber double-glazed window price and real efficiency

When people talk about the price of a triple-glazed window, they confuse two concepts: the number of chambers in the profile and the number of panes in the double-glazed unit. A triple-glazed window means three panes of glass with two air chambers between them. A five-chamber profile is different.

Plastic windows 5-chamber price consists of:

• profile (40-50% of cost)
• glass unit (20-25%)
• fittings (15-20%)
• installation (10-15%)

The average price in Astana at the beginning of 2024 is 85-120 thousand tenge per square meter with installation. Three-chamber — 55-75 thousand. The difference is 30-45 thousand tenge per square. For a standard two-bedroom apartment with two windows of 2 sq.m each — an additional payment of 120-180 thousand tenge.

Does it pay off? Let's calculate. Heating savings with these stained glass windows in Astana — 1800-2200 tenge per month for an apartment of 60 sq.m during the heating season (October-April). Multiply by 7 months = 12 600-15 400 tenge per year. Payback period for the surcharge — 8-12 years. Provided they last 25-30 years. But this does not account for tariff increases, which in Astana amount to 8-12% annually.

Comparison: five-chamber vs three-chamber profile

Table 1. Comparison of profile system characteristics for Astana

The downside of high thermal insulation is increased ventilation requirements. When a window is so airtight that no air passes through at all, humidity rises in the apartment. Without supply ventilation or at least micro-ventilation, you will get mold on the slopes. I checked — after a year of use in a bedroom with two adults and five-chamber windows without ventilation, humidity reached 65-70% at a norm of 40-60%.

Why five-chamber windows are more expensive and is it worth paying extra

Windows 5 chamber price is higher not only because of the number of chambers. The production technology is more complex. Extruders for five-chamber profiles work slower — more internal partitions, harder to control geometry. Tolerance for wall thickness is 0,2 mm versus 0,3 mm for three-chamber ones.

Fittings for five-chamber windows require greater opening force. Standard mechanisms have a resource of 20 000 cycles. On heavy sashes, this resource is reduced to 12-15 thousand. Therefore, manufacturers install reinforced hardware. Its price is higher by 40-60%.

Table 2. Specification of components for a five-chamber window in Astana

Plastic windows 5-chamber prices in different companies in Astana range from 75 to 150 thousand per square. Cheaper than 75 — is a reason to check the reinforcement. They often save on the metal insert inside the profile. They install a U-shaped one instead of a closed one. The frame loses rigidity. In strong winds (and in Astana gusts up to 25 m/s) the profile starts to 'play', the seals wear out in two seasons.

Triple-glazed unit: when it is really needed

Plastic windows with triple glazing cost 30-40% more than double-glazed ones. Triple glazing is justified in three cases: the house is located near a busy highway (noise), the windows face north (minimal sun), or the room is a corner room (two external walls).

Price of glass with triple glazing 1,5×1,5 m: double-glazed unit (4-16-4-16-4) — 35-45 thousand tenge, triple-glazed (4-10-4-10-4-10-4) — 50-65 thousand tenge. The difference is 15-20 thousand. Plus the profile must be at least 70 mm, otherwise it won't fit.

Triple-glazed window price in Astana per square meter of finished window: 110-150 thousand tenge turnkey. This is the top segment. It makes sense for private houses where openings face all sides and heating is gas (expensive) or electric (very expensive).

5-chamber double-glazed window Astana price — such a concept does not exist. A double-glazed window in Astana is measured by the number of chambers between the panes. The maximum for residential premises is two chambers (three panes). Five chambers is industrial glazing, thickness over 50 mm, it won't fit into a standard profile.

Expert advice from Arman Saparov, Chief Technologist for Translucent Structures in Astana: 'In a corner apartment on the 14-th floor in Astana, I recommend a combination: five-chamber profile + double-chamber energy-saving glazing unit + argon filling. Argon increases thermal resistance by another 8-10%. The price is higher by 12-15%, but the dew point shifts to the outer glass — frost disappears even at -35°C.'

Table 3. Real savings on heating over 7 months of the season

Calculation for an apartment of 60 m², gas heating (18 tg/kWh), average seasonal temperature -12°C

Expert advice from Arman Saparov, Chief Technologist for translucent structures in Astana: 'Before ordering a double-glazed unit, do a thermal imaging survey of the existing windows. Often the problem is not in the profile, but in the slopes and installation joints. I was at a site where the owner replaced windows with five-chamber ones for 500 thousand tenge, but it was still drafty. It turned out the gaps between the wall and the new frame were only filled with foam without insulation. 30 thousand on redoing the joints — and the windows worked. First diagnostics, then purchase.'