August TIP: Differences in Glass for Windows

With all the advertising hype between this glass and that glass, it’s easy to get confused over what is really the best choice for you. The biggest difference isn’t even the glass itself, but the window that the glass is in!

Nearly all windows today come with a minimum of clear insulated glass. The center of glass U-factor, according to Cardinal Glass, is 0.48, with the lower the number, the better the insulating value. However, depending on what kind of WINDOW that glass is put into, the rating changes from a high of 0.81 in an aluminum window, to a low of 0.51 in a wood clad window. Other factors involving the rating include the effectiveness of the weatherstrip, the quality of the installation, the quality and thickness of the window material, and the weather tightness of the caulk used to seal the window in the wall.

So when shopping for windows, KelMel recommends choosing a window that comes with Low 'E' glass AND offers the inside airspace filled with Argon. This improves the insulating value of the glass itself from a 0.48 U-factor, down to a 0.25 U-factor. This also reduces harmful color fading UV rays from entering the house. From 58% for clear insulated glass down to 16% for windows using Cardinal LoE2 glass. And this helps improve the overall efficiency of our best aluminum-clad wood casement windows down to a U-factor of 0.32 overall. Of course, size, style and direction the window faces can also impact these numbers up or down.

In recapping:

1)Make sure you are comparing insulating factors for the ENTIRE window, not just the center of the glass.
2)Have a qualified professional install the window.
3)Choose a window specialist who is trained to understand the effects of wind and weather on your window, as well as the style to enhance your home.

For further questions, call the experts at KelMel at (708)403-8746.