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Krypton Gas Filling
Woodland has introduced krypton gas filling as an option across our range of windows and doors.
This exotic sounding gas is an excellent insulator, especially in timber windows and doors with narrow cavities (the space between the two panes of glass). Krypton is therefore ideal for use in heritage windows, or when very narrow cavity double glazing is required. For example, sealed units with a 4mm cavity are often acceptable in listed buildings where previously double glazing would not have been suitable. Because the units are so slender, the traditional appearance is maintained and it is even more difficult to spot a double glazed unit.
What is Krypton?
Krypton is an inert gas, heavier and denser than Oxygen. It is colourless, odourless, tasteless and harmless. The Earth’s atmosphere is made up of approximately 0.00011% krypton. It is obtained by separating air into its constituent components by fractional distillation. Nitrogen is obtained in the same process, but Nitrogen is far more prevalent.
Why use Krypton in glazing?
Woodland has been using Argon gas filling in our sealed units as a matter of course for a number of years. This helps bring down the U value as it is a better insulator compared to air filled units.
Krypton, like Argon, is an excellent insulator as it doesn’t conduct heat well. In fact it is even more effective than Argon, especially when used in a double glazed unit with a narrow cavity. For this reason it is often specified in heritage windows, listed buildings, conservation areas and anywhere the appearance of double glazing needs to be kept to a minimum.
For example, double glazed units with a cavity of 10mm filled with krypton will have a similar U value to a 12mm argon filled unit or 16mm air filled unit. So, a slimmer window is even more effective!
We have also found that units filled with Krypton are much better sound insulators, so when acoustic glazing is specified, Krypton is often incorporated into the design.
How is Krypton used?
The gas is pressurized and pumped into the double glazed unit during production. Two probes are inserted into the unit cavity, one dispenses the gas and one detects Oxygen. Because the gas is so heavy it fills the cavity a bit like a liquid would, displacing the air as it goes. When the second sensor stops detecting Oxygen, the unit is full and it is then sealed.
Is it safe?
Krypton is non-flammable, non-toxic and harmless. It is odourless, tasteless and colourless. It is perfectly safe to be used in glazing, and it doesn’t glow green like in the movies!
How do I know I have Krypton in my glazing?
You can’t tell by looking whether Krypton has been used – this is generally a good thing as people don’t usually want to see gas floating about their windows! However, the presence of small plugs in the corners of your glazed unit may give an indication that the unit was filled with some kind of gas, but without destructive analysis or the purchasing of expensive test equipment it is not currently possible to tell if a unit is filled with Krypton.
However, Woodland Products is a reputable local company with a long-standing reputation to uphold. We are well aware this reputation depends entirely providing a service in the correct way at all times. We use an independent auditing company to audit our manufacturing process. Periodic testing and calibration ensures a gas fill level of around 95% at all times. Furthermore, every member of Woodland takes great pride in the work they do and subscribes to the ethos that if it wasn’t good enough to put in their own home, it’s not good enough for Woodland. We like to think this sense of pride and care is worth a great deal to our customers.
What does it cost?
Because it is difficult to obtain, Krypton costs more than traditional air filled and Argon filled units. That said, it is not excessively expensive for the benefits it provides.
Out with the Argon?
Argon has been the primary gas used by Woodland for a number of years. It is relatively inexpensive and still very effective in many circumstances, especially in double glazed units with cavities of 10mm – 16mm. Krypton is much harder to produce than Argon, so it costs more. For these reasons Woodland will most likely continue to offer both gases for the immediate future, giving our customers the widest possible choice of performance, and specifying the correct gass for each individual circumstance.
If you would like to know more, please email us or call on 020 8547 2171 to discuss your requirements.
Mrs T, Isleworth