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Article:
Low-E (Low-Emissivity/Low-Emission)
and Home Replacement Windows
All but the very
cheapest replacement window glass will have some kind of coating on the
glass (applied to the inside of the glass of the double panes so it
doesn't come off in weather) called Low-E, or a variation of that.
Low-E coatings
provide insulation qualities to the window. It helps to send heat rays
back outside during the summer keeping a house cooler in summer and keep
heat rays inside the house during the winter helping to keep the house
warmer in winter.
Windows with no
Low-E coating can cause up to 30% of a home’s heating and air conditioning
bill going right out the glass.
There are
different kinds of Low-E coatings. Some kinds provide a little bit of
insulation and reflective properties and other, more advanced types,
provide a lot. The best home replacement windows, vinyl or other type,
should have the advanced Low-E coating.
Regular "tint" is
not Low-E. It is coloring like gray, or bronze that can block some sun
heat but is used to cut down glare.
There are
however, SPECIALTY TINTS that have Low-E components built in-- to then
block glare as well as perform the reflective insulating qualities. The
glass will have a light bluish color to it. This kind of Low-E coating is
great for homes in sunbelt areas like Phoenix or South Florida.
More than 2
coatings/layers of Low-E does not provide any greater insulation.
However,
"type" of Low-E (made with specific materials like silver or titanium)
made with the correct silver/titanium sandwiched between multi-layers of
anti-reflective metal oxide coatings and scratch resistant material could
definitely be more energy efficient over cheaper coatings.
Hard coat Low-E
means a single layer of silver, bronze or titanium oxide. It is fused to
the inner glass surface.
Sputter coated
Low-E is considered a high-end Low-E because it is multiple layers of silver
that is electrostatically applied to the inner glass surface in a vacuum
chamber. It is also known as soft coat. Silver and/or titanium, as well as the
sputter coating provides a better effect.
The BEST Low-E
has the multi-layer sputter coat (not multi-coat) technology AND is
virtually invisible to the eye-- no tint-look through the installed
window-- one only sees a hint of it upon close-up evaluation.
Some homeowners
falsely believe that buying "clear glass" replacement windows without a
Low-E coating are better for their house because they think more heat will
come through the windows in the winter. They are right! AND, more heat is
also GOING OUT the windows in winter causing their heating bills to go sky
high as their furnace works harder to replace the heat going
out the windows. Summer
speaks for itself here! (Very hot in summer!).
Michael Dennis
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About the author
IPS Group,
Inc. Board Member and Director of their Home Improvement Division,
Michael Dennis is an avid real estate fix and flip investor, a former
long-time replacement window salesman, and the
author of several books and websites on home replacement windows including
How to Save Thousands on Replacement Windows: The Homeowner's Insider
Secrets Manual, and the tell-all report on the big-brand home
improvement centers, The 7 Myths The Big-Brand Home Improvement Centers
Want You to Believe About Replacement Windows. Visit
their website at
www.vinylwindowmanufacturer.com to get your copy TODAY.
Copyright © 2006-2009. All Rights Reserved.
www.vinylwindowmanufacturer.com
IPS Group, Inc.
191 University Blvd Ste 860
Denver, CO 80206 USA
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