With all the additional options and features available in modern windows, it is often difficult to discern exactly what is right for your replacement.
But one of our upgrades, in particular, is the most popular with customers getting vinyl replacement windows. It protects your home from bad UV radiation and keeps the temperature of your at a balanced level. The latter is especially important in keeping your house warm at night during the colder months.
Of course, as you have already guessed, we’re talking about Low-E glass coatings on glass.
But what is Low-E, and how does it improve the energy efficiency of your windows?
We’ve discussed how Low-E is made in our previous posts, but it will suffice to know that it is basically an additional layer of particles that is added on top of the glass.
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Double Benefit of Low-E Coating
And as it has already been mentioned, this layer has a dual benefit. Clear glazings in modern windows tend to significantly overheat a room, especially if it is facing south or west.
Low-E coatings on windows reduce the amount of bad UV radiation that is allowed to pass through. As a benefit, the living area doesn’t overheat during the daytime. Surfaces and furniture in the room are also protected from fading and yellowing over time.
The inner side of the coating also prevents radiant heat escaping from your home. While you benefit from the room being warmed up by the sun during the day, you want to keep that natural heat in as much as possible after the sunset. The Low-E coating helps new windows reflect that energy back into the room. As a result, the temperature in the house stays more balanced over a 24-hour period, meaning you have to run your HVAC system less.
Because it physically looks like a tint, the coating also has a benefit of affording your rooms more privacy, as it reduces visibility through the pane.
Definitely consider this upgrade for bigger windows, windows facing the street, or ones on the sunnier sides of the house.
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