Low Emissivity Glass Coatings: What You Need to Know

Your windows play an important role in your home’s energy efficiency and comfort. If you have old or damaged windows, we can replace them with more energy-efficient products. They have low-emissivity glass coatings that reflect heat and minimize the effect of outside temperatures on your home. Here’s how low emissivity coatings work and how you can check the performance of an energy-efficient window:

How Do Low Emissivity Coatings Work?

Our windows in Greenville SC, and the surrounding areas, feature low emissivity or Low-E glass coatings. Low-E glass minimizes the infrared and ultraviolet light that can pass through while allowing the transmission of visible light. It does this through a transparent and microscopically thin coating that reflects long-wave infrared energy, or heat along with ultraviolet energy. This coating is present on both sides of the glass. When heat tries to escape in winter or when it tries to enter in summer, they both bounce back.

As an expert in windows and window replacement in Columbia SC and the nearby areas, we can give you a simple analogy of how our windows work. A window with Low-E glass is like a thermos bottle. Thermos bottles have a silver lining that reflects the temperature of the drink it contains. The constant reflection maintains the drink’s temperature.

An air space between the outer and inner shells further improves the thermos’ insulation. This air space is similar to the insulating gases present between our windows’ glass panes. Our energy-efficient windows work just like a thermos and can keep your room warm or cold.

What Do Window Ratings Mean?

As a specialist in windows in Chapin SC and the surrounding areas, we can provide your home with windows that are among the most energy-efficient in the market. You can check this by examining their National Fenestration Rating Council label. The NFRC independently rates the performance of energy-efficient windows and makes their results visible through the label.

Here’s what the ratings mean. The U-factor measures the heat that can escape the room through the windows; the lower the number, the better. The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient measures the amount of outdoor heat that can enter your home through the windows. Lower numbers are better here, as well. Finally, Visible Transmittance measures how much visible light can enter a room through the windows. You’ll want higher numbers in this case.

Our replacement windows can reduce your energy bills and increase your home’s comfort levels. In addition to low emissivity coatings, they also feature an insulated frame for increased thermal performance. If you need more information, HutchCo Home & Bath.