Choosing new or replacement windows for your home involves more than simply getting the look right – you need to select the right glass for your climate.
Window glass treatment, known by professional contractors as ‘glazing’, makes a huge difference in how comfort your home feels, as well as the size of your electric bill. Gone are the days of the single-pane windows, these days experts stress the importance of installing higher-efficiency windows to homeowners. When you understand the different types of window glazings, you can better choose the right windows for your home.
Double-Pane Insulated Glass: This is the most common type of window installed. It is constructed by sandwiching a layer of inert gas between to window panes. Since inert gas is a poor thermal conductor, double-pane insulated glass windows keep interiors more comfortable.
Triple-Pane Insulated Glass: If two layers of window panes are better than one, three layers must be better still. Triple-pane insulated glass provides excellent insulation for extreme temperatures as well as reducing exterior noise, but it comes at a price. This type of window glazing is heavy, thick, and more expensive.
Whether you choose single-, double-, or triple-pane windows, there are more ways to lower your home’s energy use.
Low-emissivity Coating: This invisible coating of metallic oxide comes standard for most of today’s new windows. Low-E, as it is more widely known, can cut energy costs by as much as 25%. Customers have the option to customize the low-E coating to best suit their climate.
Heat Mirror Glass: This type of glazing fills the space between a double-pane window with a thin film of low-E. This high-tech window glazing provides the same, or even better, energy saving provided by the triple-pane insulated glass, without the weight and thickness.
