Today’s windows and glass enclosures in homes and other buildings are energy efficient and designed to optimize thermal performance. That is, they are designed to keep warmth in during the winter and heat out during the summer. Windows in many older structures, however, do not even come close to providing the energy efficiency and protection from the sun that is commonplace in today’s windows.
Natural light pouring in through windows make a living space feel cheerful and inviting. This natural light comes with a cost, however. On the one hand, the sun’s infrared rays provide heat and can even help lower energy bills, but ultraviolet (UV) rays are harmful and can cause skin damage, fade rugs and carpets, and harm furniture.
These problems can be resolved by using low-e (low emissivity) glass windows.
What are low-e windows?
Low-e glass windows are windows that have a special, microscopic coating designed to minimize the UV and infrared rays that pass through the glass. These windows provide several benefits. From a visibility standpoint, your ability to see clearly through a low-e window remains high, as does the amount of natural light that can still get in.
From a temperature standpoint, a low-e coating on windows serves to reflect interior temperatures – whether they are warm or cool – back into the living space. So, where heat escapes through traditional glass windows during cold winter months, a low-e window coating reflects heat back into the living space. This means that less radiant heat is lost through the glass and energy efficiency increases.
Likewise, during warm summer months when you want indoor temperatures to remain cool, low-e windows reflect those cooler interior temperatures back inside, which helps keep air conditioning use and charges down. In regions of extreme heat, low-e window glazes are now being used to keep homes cooler by cutting down on the number of infrared rays allowed to pass through the glass from the outside.
Low-e window options
Most windows today are double-paned. The low-e coating, or layer, is commonly located between the two panes. It acts, in effect, as a third pane of insulation and provides a side benefit of even more protection in terms of regulating interior room temperatures. If you are building a new home or considering replacing windows altogether, low-e windows, though they may cost a bit more, can ultimately provide a good return on that investment in terms of lower energy bills over the life of the windows.
Other options include having a low-e glaze or film applied to existing windows. These products all vary in terms of how they are applied, how durable they are, and their cost and long-term efficiency. Given these variables, the different climates across the United States, and the different efficiency codes that apply in each, talk with a professional who understands these differences and can explain the necessary and best choices available for your situation.
Everyone loves natural light to brighten their living space. Low-e windows let you enjoy the natural light that pours in from windows while also living comfortably in every season and keeping energy bills under control. To learn more about low-e glass and low-e windows, contact Sovereign Construction Services. Owner Steve Rush is available to explain all your options. He can be reached at 610-639-2986!