Energy Efficiency and Glass
Perhaps it is obvious that glass is an important factor in energy efficiency. But what may not be as obvious is that the right glass is by far the most critical factor in your new window’s ability to reduce your energy costs. The differences between wood, vinyl and aluminum frames are minor in comparison to the glass used! And just for the record, ‘gas fills’ between the panes are virtually irrelevant to Houston’s energy usage!
The obvious characteristic of glass is that it allows natural light to come into the home. But there is more than just the visible light that comes from the sun. Solar radiation includes two other invisible components:
- Ultraviolet radiation: Although you cannot see UV rays you can see their effects! UV radiation causes fading of drapes, furniture and carpets.
- Infrared radiation: The IR component of the sun’s rays is what we feel as heat. We also feel it in the wallet when the summer electricity bills arrive!
The goal of modern glass and windows is to significantly reduce both UV and IR radiation without reducing the natural visible light. This is precisely what Low-E glass has been developed to do! Of course, there are many types of Low-E glass available, with some clearly superior to others. And glass technology changes every year, with glass manufacturers continuing to deliver new and innovative improvements.
Where nationally distributed windows are locked into glass packages that they can distribute to all markets, Custom Windows is focused exclusively on the gulf coast climate so we work with many major glass manufacturers to provide the latest and best solutions that are tailored specifically to Houston’s energy needs.
This allows us to bring to market glass products that resellers simply cannot offer, such as Cardinal’s innovative 366 Low-E (significantly better SHGC than standard Low-E but without the penalty of significant reductions in natural light that is true of other ‘high efficiency’ Low-E packages). When combined with Cardinal’s remarkable NEAT glass surface, you have an extremely high efficiency window that virtually cleans itself!
We would love the opportunity to work on a solution for you!
Next: Decorative and Patterned Glass.
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