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Insulated Glass( Part 2 of a Four-Part Series)
Welcome back to my series on windows and doors. I am hoping to give you the basic info needed when it comes time to replace your windows. For this article I would like to talk a little bit about insulated glass.
One of the biggest reasons for people to replace their windows is to reduce their energy bills and make their homes more comfortable. In order to maximize the energy savings, it is important to understand the options that are available for glass. Considering that glass makes up a large part of a window, it has a huge impact on how well a window will perform.
Most windows made today have two panes of glass with a sealed space between them. This is known as an insulated glass unit. The sealed space forms an insulating barrier that helps to keep the weather out of your home. The effectiveness of this barrier depends on the technology that is incorporated into the glass unit.
The most basic insulated glass unit is simply clear glass with normal air sealed between the panes. While this is better than a single piece of glass, it still allows a lot of heat to escape in the winter months and falls far short of modern efficiency standards. Window manufacturers use several methods to improve on this basic glass package. Understanding these options is critical to making good choices when it comes to buying new windows.
1. Glass coatings – Good-quality insulated glass should have a Low-E coating. Low-E, which stands for low emissivity, reduces the amount of heat energy that is able to pass through the glass.
2. Argon gas – By filling the space between the glass with argon gas, the insulating value of the space between the panes increases. This is because argon is denser than regular air and therefore slows down the transfer of heat more effectively.
3. Spacer system – The spacer used to construct an insulated glass unit makes a big difference in how well it performs. This is the piece that goes around the edge of the glass between the two panes. A good-quality spacer system helps to reduce the transfer of heat energy through the glass and also helps to prevent seal failure.
So how do you know if you are looking at a quality glass unit? The effectiveness of insulated glass is measured by the U-value, or rate of heat transfer. Additionally, the overall tightness of a window is measured by the air infiltration rating. By comparing these numbers between products and against standards such as Energy Star, you can get a pretty good idea of how well a window and its glass unit perform. Look for ratings from neutral parties such as nfrc. org to help you see how different products stack up against each other.
Jeff Moeslein is the president of Legacy Remodeling, a local and family-owned business focused on premium window and exterior door replacements since 1987. Moeslein is a 1999 Penn State graduate.
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