Core conclusion
Insulating glass: Its main functions are heat insulation, energy conservation and sound insulation. Almost all modern buildings use insulating glass for their doors and Windows.
Laminated glass: Its main functions are safety, explosion-proof and anti-theft. It is mainly used for skylights, curtain walls, sunroof roofs, railings, doors and Windows with safety requirements, etc.
The primary purpose of the ordinary Windows in your home is to keep warm, insulate and soundproof, so the first choice is double-glazed glass. If you have special requirements for safety, you can choose "insulating laminated glass".
How to choose? Combined with the usage scenarios
Ordinary residential Windows (bedrooms, living rooms, studies) :
Recommendation: Insulating glass.
This is the absolute mainstream choice, which can well meet the demands of heat preservation, heat insulation and sound insulation. For instance, the common "5+12A+5" insulating glass (indicating 5mm glass +12mm gas layer +5mm glass).
Windows with extremely high requirements for sound insulation (such as those facing the street, near airports/railway stations) :
Recommendation: Insulating glass (Upgraded version).
Triple-pane double-cavity (three pieces of glass and two cavities) insulating glass can be adopted, or laminated insulating glass (combined products) can be used. By utilizing different materials and structures, noise of different frequencies can be offset, resulting in better sound insulation effects.
Sunroof, skylight
Laminated glass must be used.
This is due to mandatory safety requirements. If ordinary insulating glass breaks, it will fall off as a whole, which is extremely dangerous. Even if laminated glass breaks, it will stick together and will not fall and hurt people. Laminated insulating glass is usually used to simultaneously meet the requirements of safety and insulation.
Areas with safety requirements (floor-to-ceiling Windows, glass doors, children's rooms, low-rise Windows) :
Recommendation: Laminated glass or laminated insulating glass.
It can prevent injuries caused by accidental impacts (such as children running and hitting them), and also enhance the anti-theft performance (making it more difficult to break through).
Shower partition, indoor glass partition
Strongly recommended: Laminated glass.
In a slippery environment, it is easy to slip and hit the glass. Using laminated glass can greatly enhance safety. It is usually tempered to become "tempered laminated glass", providing double safety guarantees.
Combined product: Laminated insulating glass
Modern technology can combine the two to produce "laminated insulating glass". The usual structure of this kind of glass is:
Outer layer: Laminated glass (two pieces of glass +PVB film) + insulating spacer layer + Inner layer: one piece of glass
Advantages: It simultaneously takes into account multiple properties such as safety, heat insulation and preservation, sound insulation, and UV protection.
Application: High-end residences, places with comprehensive requirements for safety and performance.
Summary
To save on electricity bills, keep warm in winter, insulate in summer and block out outdoor noise - choose hollow glass.
For safety, to prevent breakage and injury, for overhead glass (skylights), and to protect privacy - choose laminated glass.
For both safety and thermal insulation and soundproofing (not short of money) - choose laminated insulating glass.
For the ordinary Windows in your home, double-glazed glass is the standard and correct choice. If your home has large Windows or floor-to-ceiling Windows and you are concerned about safety issues, you can consult the door and window merchant to upgrade to "laminated insulating glass".
