Thoughts on Low-E coatings on windows?
Yolanda
13 days ago
last modified: 13 days ago
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oberon476
13 days agolast modified: 13 days agomillworkman
12 days agoRelated Discussions
Difference between low-E low-E4, SunCoat low-E
Comments (3)There are basically five types of LowE coatings currently on the market. Three are "sputter" or softcoats and two are "pyrolytic" or hardcoats. Of the three softcoat products, basic LowE would be considered a high solar heat gain product. LowE2 would be considered a low solar heat gain product, and LowE3 would be considered an even lower solar heat gain product. Andersen's LoE4 has a standard LowE2 coating between the lites and argon gas for energy performance, but it also includes a titanium dioxide coating on the exterior of the window that makes the glass "self-cleaning". Although some folks might cringe at the term self-cleaning, the coating does work quite nicely and you will notice a difference in how they look and in how often you will have to clean the glass. Finally, the "4th" feature of the LoE4 is a plastic film that is applied to the glass in the factory that protects it from dirt and debris and even minor scratches during shipping and handling and install. Andersen's SunII glass is a tinted LowE2 that has very nice solar heat gain blocking ability and also it is nice because it cuts down on glare as well. Milgard's SunCoat is a standard LowE2 product - much the same as the LowE2 that Andersen offers as their standard. SunCoatMax is a LowE3 product. The LowE3 product is very new and has only been around for maybe 3 or 4 months - this doesn't mean avoid it because it is new - it means that it is an advancement of a proven technology and it works really well. LowE3 has the same heat blocking ability as a tinted LowE2 (such as SunII), but with visible light transmittance very similar to a standard LowE2 product - without tint. In the case of a west-facing door that has both heat and glare issues, then you may prefer a tinted LowE but with the understanding that the view thru the door will be less. SunII has either 38% or 40% visible light transmittance (I forget which version they use) and SunCoatMax has 66% visible light transmittance - again with very comparable solar heat blocking capability. Standard LowE2 (including SunCoat) has about a 70-72% visible light transmittance. Standard LowE has about a 78% visible light transmittance, but it also passes significant solar heat which is an advantage in places other than where you live. I didn't mention anything about hardcoat coatings because none of the products you mentioned use them. Also, they are much less appropriate in your environment (primarily cooling) than are sputter coats. No LowE coating has an affect on sound propagation thru the glass....See MoreLow-e vs solar gain vs window treatments
Comments (22)Hi ZIns, Oberon offered professional technical details so I will chime in with homeowner experience. Yes, even with Low-E, there will be fading. Depending on the amount and intensity of exposure and the finish, it is a matter of how much and how soon. In a situation where the sun is very mild and light, by the time fading is noticeable, it may also be time to refinish the floor. My guess is the floor is not receiving year-round exposure, true? The sun is stronger and deeper during some time of the year and weaker and less intense at other times, is that so? We have seasonal sun intensity problem too and solve it with a combination of solution. We use rugs to protect several sections of our floor during mid-Spring through late Summer. The rugs are removed to prevent tripping when we have visitors. The rugs are also removed around Autumn when the sun is low and the exposure is much less intense and shortening each day. We have old furniture in one area by our French doors and my wife made knitted coverings to cover the furniture. As necessary, we remove the covering when appropriate. Outside the French doors, we installed retractable awning so that during extremely hot summer days, the awning extends to provide cover without blocking natural light. Our goal is to not use any window treatment because we enjoy natural light and the views. Hope this helps a bit....See MoreLow-E-coated storm windows?
Comments (3)Happy to answer your questions! Oberon: We're looking at single pane storms. The local glass company says Harvey doesn't make dual pane storms and they are unaware of such a product. Can I get them elsewhere? And what other suggestions might you offer? Should we get rid of the sash weights (using those snap-in sash guides?) and fill the weight cavities? Premier: Here's the Harvey Industries web site: www.harveyind.com. Their products are highly rated. My brother put a Harvey storm door on our vacation home last year and said it was the easiest installation he'd ever done! Price for a storm window (excluding installation): $198 - $230, depending on size. LowE coating costs $36/window. Thanks so much for your input!...See MoreLow-E 366 or just Low-E or nothing?
Comments (7)My LoE 272 windows replaced Pellas that had no UV coating (as an aside, don't get Pellas, avoid). I have not replaced all my windows (too expensive), but am replacing them a few at a time. So I can compare them since I currently have both. I have several very large windows that let in a lot of light, and there is no problem with that. I do not see that the glass is darker. I definitely notice less burning and sun bleaching my furniture and no longer overheating my south-facing rooms. I will say that my house plants that need a lot of sun have not flowered or grown, even though I was assured the LoE 272 would not affect them. My plants that need less sun like my African Violets are doing well. You should really speak with your contractor too since it sounds like he has proposed LoE 366. My contractor told me our climate doesn't need that though he would have ordered them if I asked....See MoreWindows on Washington Ltd
12 days agoWilliam Rossman
12 days agochispa
12 days agoBeverlyFLADeziner
12 days agochloebud
12 days agoYolanda
11 days agoYolanda
11 days agoShadyWillowFarm
11 days agooberon476
11 days agojane__ny
11 days ago
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