While a majority of buyers are aware of the different types of windows on the market, a large number of consumers are unfamiliar with types of glass. Since a massive amount of energy loss can be attributed to inefficient windows, it’s important to be familiar with various kinds of glass coatings such as low e replacement windows that can be utilized to help you save money on your utility bills.
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What Is Low-E Glass?
Glass continues to play a big role when it comes to improving solar and thermal performance. A reliable way to achieve this is to apply Low-E coatings on replacement windows. These coatings help reduce the amount of UV and infrared light that passes through the glass without affecting the amount of visible light that passes through it.
How Does Low-e Glass Work?
Low-E glass windows are designed to filter ultraviolet and infrared light to protect your furniture, electronics, and clothing from the negative consequences of the sun’s rays. Low-E or low-emissivity glass is manufactured with a slim clear coating that is engineered to block heat. To help you choose new windows for your house, we have compiled a list of the types of Low-E glass coatings. In addition, we have created an outline of the benefits of low-emissivity windows.
The effectiveness of Low-E glass is measured by the following factors:
- U-Value: This represents a window’s rating based on the amount of its heat loss.
- Visible Light Transmittance: This refers to the amount of light that passes through a window.
- Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: This refers to the portion of solar radiation that passes through and is absorbed by a window. The lower a window’s solar heat gain coefficient, the less heat it emits.
- Light to Solar Gain: This is the ratio between the window’s Solar Heat Gain Coefficient and its visible light transmittance.
Advantages of Buying Low E Replacement Windows
Blocks Dangerous Ultraviolet Light
Low-E windows are designed to reduce the amount of ultraviolet (UV) light in your house. Purchasing low-emissivity glass windows will stop your carpet, furniture, wood floors, curtains, and paint from fading when they are exposed to ultraviolet light. In addition, this type of glass can be used to prevent your skin from getting burned by the sun while you are indoors.
Does Not Filter Natural Light
Although low emissivity windows are designed to block ultraviolet and infrared light, this type of glass does not filter natural light. Low-E windows only filter a small amount of sunlight before it reaches the rooms in your house. Low emissivity glass allows a majority of the natural light from the sun to be illuminated in your rooms.
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Reduces Your Utility Bills
Low-E windows help prevent infrared light from entering your living and dining rooms. In addition, low emissivity glass is designed to insulate warm air during the winter months and cold air during the summer season. Investing in windows with Low-E glass will help increase the energy efficiency of your home while reducing the amount of money it costs to operate your furnace and central air conditioner.
Glare Reduction
Replacing your old windows with low emissivity glass will help reduce the amount of light on your TV screen by redirecting dangerous infrared or ultraviolet light from entering your house. In addition, this type of window will stop the photographs on your wall from fading.
Offers Superior Insulation Over Tinted Film & Glass
A large number of homeowners choose to install tinted film on their old windows instead of purchasing new energy-efficient low e replacement windows. While you may have heard from a friend that Low-E glass windows reduce the amount of heat in your home, this is a myth that has been debunked. Although tinted glass and film can block excess light, it cannot block heat energy, ultraviolet rays, infrared light. The easiest solution to combating your high electricity bill is to purchase new Low-E windows for your house.
Efficiency of Low Emissivity Glass
Windows with LoE glass are designed to help maintain the temperature in your house by reflecting the interior temperature back to your living space. The efficiency of low emissivity glass can be determined by analyzing the U-Value. This metric is utilized to measure the total quantity of heat loss in a window.
In addition, the Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) rating of a window is used to determine how much natural light is distributed through the window. The efficiency of Low-E windows is also measured by analyzing the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) value of glass. This is the amount of solar radiation that is dispersed through the window. Solar radiation can be precisely transferred and absorbed or dispensed inward.
Types of Low Emissivity Glass
Passive Low Emissivity Glass
Passive low emissivity glass is assembled with a pyrolytic layer that is embedded in the glass while it is being developed on the assembly line. The pyrolytic layer is durable because it’s blended into the passive low emissivity glass. The pyrolytic layer is referred to as a “hard coat” in the industry.
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Solar Control Low Emissivity Glass
Solar control low emissivity glass is manufactured by applying a microscopically thin coating to glass window panes in an insulated chamber. This type of coating is called “soft-coat” and it needs to be secured in an insulated glass unit. An advantage of purchasing solar control low emissivity glass is excellent solar control and low emissivity.
We offer multiple LoE glass options that include one, two or even three layers of performance. Probably the most popular option for most climates is LoE glass with two layers of silver. It provides great performance and comfort. If you are looking for something even better, we do offer LoE glass with three layers of silver with amazing thermal insulation, blocking 95% of UV infiltration at the same time keeping high Visible Light Transmission.
There are few more options that theoretically outperform Low E1, Low E2 and Low E3 however because of glass temperature in those products you can see a bit more condensation especially during colder days. And depending on the glass type, abrasive cleaning products should be absolutely avoided.
How Do I Know If I Have Low E Windows?
Wondering if you already have Low E windows in your home? If your house was built or renovated in the past couple decades and your windows have been replaced, you may already have low E windows installed. Fortunately, there is a very simple way to ascertain whether or not your windows are made of Low E glass:
- First, light a match or lighter and hold it in front of the window
- If the window contains low E glass: one of the four flames in the reflection will be a different color than the rest of the flames in the reflection
- If the window does not contain low E glass: The four reflections of the flame will all be the same color
Are Low E Windows Worth It?
While the initial investment for Low E glass may be slightly higher than standard glass, depending on where you live, it can reduce energy costs over time. According to Energy.gov, heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25%-30% of residential heating and cooling energy use. When you consider that Low E windows are only a few dollars more each than traditional glass, it is easy to see how they will pay for themselves in reduced heating and cooling bills over time.
Does Low E Glass Keep Heat Out?
Low E glass is specially designed to reflect infrared heat, effectively keeping heat out of your home during warm weather while insulating the cool air in your home. Likewise, low e glass will help insulate warm air in your home during the winter months. It does this by allowing visible light to pass through the glass while blocking the majority of the heat-producing infrared energy. Additionally, low e glass can provide protection against harmful UV rays and help preserve your home’s flooring and furnishings.
Low-e Glass Window Replacement
Our team offers a large selection of Low E replacement windows for homes by brands such as Marvin and Sunrise. We offer dependable window installation and replacement services to homes in the Chicago area. In addition, our staff offers reliable door replacement solutions to enhance the curb appeal of your house. We offer door and window replacement services in areas such as Naperville, Arlington Heights, Burr Ridge, and Madison, WI. Give our team a call at (630) 280-2748 to become familiar with our massive selection of doors and windows.
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