Choosing the Right Glass | Tucson Window and Door Company

04 Dec Choosing the Right Glass | Tucson Window and Door Company

Choosing the Right Glass

Low-E Glass vs. High-Performance Low-E Glass

Low-E (low emissivity) glass is heat reflective glass. Most glass under this category was developed on the east coast, where solar heat gain is desired in the winter. However, the low-E glass also allows solar heat gain in the summer. For the west coast, high-performance low-E glass was developed. This type of low-E glass minimizes the amount of infrared and ultraviolet rays that comes into your home without reducing the amount of light.

Double Pane vs. Triple Pane

Double pane glass windows are made from two panes of glass separated by a spacer that holds trapped gas, which holds the panes in place in the presence of pressure. The benefit of double pane windows is that they slow the transfer of heat, resulting in energy efficiency. Triple pane windows are built the same way as double pane windows but have an extra pane of glass. While some believe that more panes mean more efficiency, it may not matter in some cases. The right kind of double pane window can reduce the same, and even more, amount of heat that enters a home without increasing the weight of the window.