Find a Dealer in Your AreaBreaking News: Texas Is Hot!
Okay, so that’s not really Breaking News. If you live in Houston or Dallas-Fort Worth Metro areas, you already know first hand. The bright hot sun is challenging your HVAC system. Which one will win depends largely on the quality of windows you have.
In this video, The Window Experts will use scientific evidence to show you exactly how low-e coatings and dual pane glass gives your HVAC system the edge it needs to win the battle of heat gain.
Important Solar Reflecting Topics Covered:
- Clear Single Pane Glass: As you’ve witnessed in the demonstration, single pane clear glass is ineffective at blocking infrared heat energy. The temperature passes through easily and the solar motorized light bulb spun unimpeded.
- Double Pane Glass: Two panes of clear glass with an air gap offers double the efficiency of single pane glass. The air gap acts as a barrier to slow down heat transfer raising it’s insulating properties. This also reduces the sound transmission class (acoustic insulation) by about 25%. However, it does not reduce infrared and UV light to a measurable degree.
- Two Coat “2/70” Glass: Glass know as 2/70 glass will get two coats of microscopic silver dioxide layers which will significantly reduce energy transfer and improve thermal performance over clear glass. All the benefits of double pane insulation and acoustic benefits are also retained. The “70” refers to how much of the natural sunlight still enters the home. 70% (30% less natural light) means your windows will appear slightly tinted.
- Three Coat “3/66” Glass: The most popular choice for heavy sun exposure sides of your home is the Cardinal Glass 3/66 glass. With three coats of low emissivity layers, you’ll gain maximum protection from the suns radiant heat. A visible transmission (VT) of 66% (33% less natural light) means your windows will appear to be slightly more tinted than 2/70 glass. Windows with 3/66 glass are the Best Solar Heat Reflecting Windows.
- Argon and Krypton Gas Fill: Over the past several years, krypton gas has risen in price so much that window companies are not really using it any longer. Argon is the popular and affordable choice to fill the air gap between multi glass pane windows. Since argon gas is heavier that air, it offers higher insulating performance (a lower U-Factor) than glass units filled with air. An added benefit is a boost in sound transmission class (STC), or acoustic performance. Resulting in a quieter home.
The Window Shoppers’ Bottom Line
There is no such thing as the perfect window for every home in every climate. The best performing window choice depends on the window’s exposure to the sun. Shade from trees or overhanging eaves vs. windows with a western facing brutal afternoon sun are important factors that go into consideration.
For example, on the Western facing side of your home that gets full sun for several hours per day we will probably recommend windows with three layers of low-e coatings along with an argon gas fill for the best solar heat reflecting window. If the North facing side of your home gets little direct sunlight due to trees and a patio cover or porch, glass with 2 coats of low-e would normally be our recommendation.
As Jeff pointed out in the video, some window companies might attempt to pad your window order by always recommending the best specification window for all windows in your home. In reality, you may not need them. For another example, window companies selling triple-pane windows in Texas is an unnecessary expense. Triple-pane windows perform best in areas of the country with long cold winters. Typically, triple pane windows offer superior U-Factor (insulation) and a negligible gain in SHGC (heat reflecting) properties.
Learn More About Double-Pane Windows
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