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New windows and doors are an
investment in your home,
which, if made wisely,
increases its value. At the
same time, new windows cut
your energy bills, increase
your comfort and reduce
maintenance cost.
Since most of the window
area is glass, its
performance obviously has
the biggest impact on energy
savings. Glass technology
has made tremendous strides
over the last few years.
Things like low conductivity
spacers, low emissivity, or
Low-E coatings and gas
filling have drastically cut
the amount of energy that
flows through the glass.
Everyone knows that two
pieces of glass separated by
an air space, and properly
sealed on the edges, have
more insulating value than a
single piece of glass.
However, today’s window
glass can offer so much
more. Low-E coatings
represent the greatest
advancement in glass
technology since the use of
two pieces of glass.
Many people believe that the
purpose of the coatings is
to reduce the fading of
furniture and carpeting.
While Low-E coatings can do
that, the significant
advantage that they offer is
a drastic reduction in
energy loss. Low-E glass has
metallic coatings that are a
few atoms thick.
Technically, these coating
lower the emissivity of the
glass, thus the name, Low-E.
In homeowner terms, it
serves the role of a heat
reflecting mirror that
reflects heat energy from
the warm side of the glass
back out. In the wintertime,
Low-E glass reflects the
heat from your home back
into the room. In the
summertime, it reflects the
outdoor heat back out. As a
result, its effect on energy
consumption is significant.
You should never settle for
products made with regular
clear glass. It’s like
buying a car that gets poor
gas mileage.
More efficient glass units
also use inert gases, like
argon and krypton, to
improve the energy
efficiency of the glass.
They are less conductive
than normal air, reducing
energy losses across the air
space between the two panes
of glass. It is important to
understand that the methods
used to trap the gas between
the two pieces of glass have
a big impact on its
insulating abilities and
longevity.
Another important parameter
that affects the energy
savings of an insulating
glass unit is the type of
spacer that is used between
the two pieces of glass.
Today’s better products have
foam spacers and low
conductivity metal spacers
in place of aluminum spacers
that are fading in
popularity.
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The latest in glass
technology also helps you
save energy – physical
energy. Special treatments
on the outside surface of
the glass drastically cut
down the frequency of how
often you have to clean it.
The better performing units
do this by using the
combination of a
photocatalytic effect and a
hydrophilic effect.
Marketing as “Neat” glass,
it has an invisible, durable
and permanent coating of
silicon dioxide and titanium
dioxide bonded to the glass.
The titanium harnesses the
power of the sun’s UV rays
to loosen dirt. The silicon
makes the glass much
smoother than ordinary glass
so rainwater sheets off
evenly and evaporates
quickly, taking away the
loosened dirt while
virtually eliminating water
spots.
The last thing, but
definitely the most
important component to
evaluate is the
sealant/adhesive that holds
the glass and spacer
together. Higher quality
units have a dual seal. The
one seal keeps the moisture
out while the other, which
is a better adhesive, bonds
the unit together. Dual seal
units outperform single
seals, significantly
increasing the life
expectancy of the assembled
unit
Obviously, there is a lot
more to the glass in your
new windows than what you
see. In addition to all the
glass enhancements, there
are many other factors to
evaluate when considering an
investment in new windows.
That is why it’s important
for a homeowner to work with
someone they trust who walks
them through the various
options so they can make an
educated buying decision.
Bottom line: Take the time
to understand what you’re
getting for your money. Take
the time to look for the
investment that gives you
all the things you need at
the greatest value, not the
lowest price. Paying too
little can be a waste of
money if you don’t get all
the things you need and the
benefits you want.
Good resource information:
-
“The Dozen Things to
Know Before Investing In
New Windows”, ESW –
(724) 387-2991
-
“Window Fact Sheets” and
“Residential Windows: A
Guide to New Technology
and Energy Performance”,
The Efficient Window
Collaborative
(202)-530-2231
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