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Saving Energy with Low-E Glass
Low-E Glass Windows Will Keep Your Home Cooler
During the Summer and Warmer During the Winter
By Mark J. Donovan
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All glass panes in windows are not the same. Just because a
new window is double pane doesn’t mean you’re necessarily buying the most
energy efficient window. Yes, a double pane window is a step up in saving
energy and keeping your home more comfortable during the cold winter months
due to increased insulation performance. By itself, however, a double pane
window doesn’t help to keep your home cooler during the summer. By selecting
windows with energy savings low-E glass, that are also double pane, you can
ensure year round energy efficient windows. |
Low-E glass, or low emittance glass, is a special type of glass that has
spectrally selective coatings applied to it. The thin film coating is
specifically designed to allow only certain wavelengths of the solar
spectrum to pass through the glass and enter the home, while restricting
others. More specifically Low-E glass prevents solar ultraviolet wavelength
energy from entering the home. The ultraviolet light is what actually warms
the surface of objects that it comes in contact with. Ultraviolet light also
causes furniture fabric, carpeting, and wood floors to fade over time.
Low-E glass is unlike the dark shaded glass that was produced decades ago.
The energy saving Low-E glass of today has so fine of a film coating on it,
it is nearly imperceptible to the naked eye. Low-E glass appears effectively
clear, thus it will not reduce the amount of natural light into your home.
Moreover, today’s low-E glass film coatings are specially designed and
applied so that they help keep homes cooler during the summer months and
warmer during the winter months. As a result, when combined with double pane
window technology, Low-E glass windows provide the maximum in energy
savings.
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When purchasing energy saving Low-E glass windows make sure
to select ones appropriate for your climate region. Not all Low-E glass
windows are the same. There are several types of spectrally selective Low-E
film coatings, and none are ideal for all climate regions. For example,
there are some types of Low-E glass coating windows that are more
appropriate for the southwest United States, while there are other types
more appropriate for the northeast. As a matter of fact, the Energy Star
program identifies four unique climate zones in the United States. |
With each climate zone, they recommend a specific type of Low-E glass to be
used in the windows. As a result, for those homeowners and builders
participating in the LEEDs program to build energy efficient rated homes,
they must use the specific type of Low-E glass windows for their region, as
recommended by the government.
For example, the Energy Star program recommends homes built in the North and
Central regions of the United States to use “Moderate Solar Gain Low-E Glass
Windows”. These types of windows are specially designed to screen out a high
percentage of the sun’s ultraviolet light during the summer months, and a
lower percentage during the winter months when the added solar heating is
desired. In the southwest portion of the country, however, the government’s
Energy Star program recommends using “Low Solar Gain Low-E Windows”. These
windows let in even less ultra-violet sunlight and heat during the summer
months.
To learn more about spectrally Selective Low-E glass, and other ways to make
your home more energy efficient visit EnergyStar.gov.
For more information on
Installing a New Window, see the
Installing a New Window Ebook from
HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Installing a New Window Ebook provides easy to
understand, step-by-step instructions, on how to remove an old window and
install a new one. Pictures are included for every key step in the process.
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