True Triple Glazing

1-4. Wide Glazing Cavity with Thick Glass

The Defender 76TS System features a wide glazing cavity with thick glass.

Many times, manufacturers will squish a third piece of glass into a window or door system that was intended for a two pane insulated glass unit (IGU). To do this, they use thin pieces of glass and/or decrease the air space between each piece. Thin pieces of glass offer less thermal, sound and structural performance, while small air gaps decrease the thermal and sound performance. It may look like a triple pane window or door, but it falls short.

The Defender 76TS System features a 37 mm (1.5″) wide glazing cavity that is engineered for a triple pane IGU. The wide glazing cavity allows us to use an insulated glass unit with three thick pieces of glass and the ideal space between each piece. The result is a triple glazed window that delivers superior thermal performance and durability.

Our standard glass thickness is a min. 4 mm – 4 mm – 4 mm (~ 5/32″ – 5/32″ – 5/32″). And depending on the size and project requirements, thicker pieces of glass will be used to meet the necessary performance and project criteria.

Triple glazed insulated glass units are also heavy. More weight means a stronger frame and sash is needed. If the frame or sash hasn’t been designed to hold the weight of three panes of glass, low-quality triple pane windows will also encounter operating issues (the hardware isn’t designed for the extra weight), diminishing performance over time, and potentially costly structural problems.

5. Stainless steel warm edge spacer

The function of a spacer is to seal, insulate and provide structural support for the sealed glass unit. Aluminum spacers provide structural support but inefficient insulation. Non metal spacers offer good insulation but limited structural support.

The Defender 76TS System features a stainless steel warm edge spacer. The Cardinal Endur IG® spacers provide the best combination of sealing, insulating and structural support. In addition, our deep glazing cavity provides additional insulating properties for the sealed glass unit.

6-8. Wide multi-chamber profile with thick uPVC outer walls

The Defender 76TS System features a 76 mm (3″) deep profile with six insulating air chambers and thick uPVC outer walls. The profile is designed to provide exceptional thermal performance: it reduces the negative effects of thermal bridging, while the multiple chambers eliminate convection currents. The multiple chambers and thick walls also provide excellent torsion control, structural support and overall durability.

9. Reinforced with galvanized steel

The Defender 76TS System is made with our Hybrid Framing System. Performance grade steel is inserted into mullions, sashes and frames to provide important structural strength and control thermal expansion.

The quantity and quality of the steel reinforcement is an important factor; insufficient amounts and/or poor quality steel can result in the deformation of the mullions, sashes and frames. Once deformation occurs, windows are doors are no longer airtight, watertight or smooth to operate; after a few years, deformation may cause the entire system to fail.

10. Three weather seals

A high-performance window and door must have a superior sealing system. Without it, the windows and doors will not provide the necessary energy savings, indoor air quality and interior comfort.

The Defender 76TS System features three flexible weather seals. The first seal is located on the exterior of the frame, the second seal is located on the interior of the frame and third flexible seal located in the center of the frame. This center seal is a continuous seal that is designed to remain in contact under all environmental conditions. The center gasket also protects the multipoint hardware system from corrosive exterior air and improves the thermal performance by dividing the sash-to-frame gap in two to reduce convection.

• Learn more about our weather seals here.

11. Pressure equalized rainscreen system

The Defender 76TS System features a pressure equalized ventilation and draining system to provide effective moisture control. Our pressure equalized system relies on our continuous seal technology to effectively redirect water flow through a scientifically engineered and performance tested drainage system.

Many windows are sealed using the face seal method. The face seal method provides ineffective, long term protection against water intrusion. Face seals are not durable because they are exposed to heat and cold, expansion and contraction of windows, and degradation caused by UV rays. Face seal failures are difficult to detect and maintain; as a result, water penetrates through the window to the interior causing water damage to the finishes and structure of the building. Simply drilling intermittent holes into the frame or sash does not ensure water will exit.

12. Fusion welded corners

The frame and sash joints are mitered and heat welded to guarantee a highly durable product. The combination of the welded frames and the heavy walled extrusions allows the Defender 76TS System to successfully withstand rigorous strength testing – an important factor for heavy triple glazed insulated glass units.

13. Dry glazed assembly

The Defender 76TS is made with a hybrid frame: uPVC with steel reinforced frames and sash. It is engineered to keep movement due to thermal expansion to a minimum without risk of damaging the weatherseals. The dry glazed system (no tapes or sealants) manages all potential water ingress through pressure equalization and ensures that any moisture that may enter has a way to exit.

• Learn more about the benefits of a dry glazed system here.

14. Adjustable Operating Hardware

The hardware is all of the parts needed to open, close and lock the windows and doors. For operable windows and all doors, the hardware is also a critical component in its ability to resist air, water and sound infiltration. The hardware is thus not only critical for the window and door’s everyday function, but also for its overall performance.

The Defender 76TS System is equipped with high-quality operating hardware that has been tested for thousands of hours of operation. It is also appropriate for the most extreme site conditions, such as strong wind loads and corrosive salt spray, and it is designed to operate smoothly for small, extra large and triple glazed (heavy!) windows and doors.

Our operating hardware is also fully adjustable and can easily be replaced. The operating hardware is not only adjustable up, down, left and right, but it is also possible to adjust the locking pressure. The ability to adjust and replace the operating hardware ensures your windows and doors can do their job – prevent air, water, sound, smoke or other air pollution, and intruders from entering – for many decades.