What Should You Know About Different Types of Window Glass?

Many people don’t realize it, but there are choices when it comes to choosing the type of glass for the windows you’ll have installed in your home if you’re building a home or replacing windows in your current home. If you’re buying an existing home, understanding the glass can play an important part in your home buying search and decision.

The things you will be most interested to know about is:

• The strength
• The energy efficiency
• The appearance.

 These are the most common home window glasses:

• Low-Emissivity Glass (Low-E)
  • This glass has had a special coating applied to it that reflects the infra-red (heat producing) portions of light away, while at the same time allows the light spectrum to enter. The nice thing about how this works is that in the summer, the infrared light is reflected away from your home, thus helping to keep it cooler. While in the winter, the warm infrared heat that is inside your home is reflected back inside, not allowed to escape, helping your home to remain warmer. Glass that has been coated with Low E coatings often takes on a blue-green look.
• Reflective Glass
  • Reflective glass is typically used in warm, sunny areas. Because it has a reflective coating on the outside, it is a type of safety glass, and solar radiation can be minimized and kept outside your home. This glass is particularly interesting for its reflective qualities, on the outside appearing as mirrored glass. Though limited, it also provides some insulation to your home.
• Impact Resistant Windows
  • This glass, which will most often hold together if shattered; if it does falls apart, it will be in small pieces of glass that are relatively harmless. It is most often installed in areas of the country that experience such things as hurricanes and tornados. And while it’s good for extreme weather, it will also provide you with security from prowlers and intruders. It is also coated to provide UV protection and some sound proofing.
• Gas Filled Windows
  • These windows offer homeowners great insulation benefits.
  • Are a more soundproof choice of glass
  • Don’t allow frost to form at the bottom of the windows
  • Can be used  together with Low-E coatings for even better insulation
• Insulated Windows
  • These windows, much the same as the gas filled windows provide great energy efficiency, and consist of double or triple panes (Also known as double or triple glazing). The panes of glass are separated by a spacer and filled with either air or a harmless gas which creates an insulation. Not only are they great insulation, they also provide some sound-proofing benefits.

No matter which type of glass is in your windows, they still get dirty and need to be cleaned. That’s where I come in, not everyone likes cleaning their own windows, so don’t do it…

Give me a Call or Contact me for a Free quote!

 I’ll be happy to come out and make your windows shine so you don’t have to.