Low E glass for old house's window advices
sapote
16 years ago
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hendricus
16 years agosapote
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Low E window glasses for old house
Comments (6)I posted this reply in the windows forum - I will leave it here as well. Sapote, I would suggest that simply changing the glass to dual pane LowE does not make a great deal of economic sense. Insulating Glass (IG) windows make the most sense when you don't have small panels such as you have. In addition, you have steel frames that will pass heat quite readily no matter what you do with the glass. Steel frame windows are not particulary efficient and never have been. Adding money to them in the form of insulating glass is not likely to improve their efficiency enough to make the change worthwhile. I would suggest you have two options - first, if your primary concern is with energy efficiency, then replace them in full with new windows. This would completely change the look of your home and I would think not for the better. The other option is to bring the existing windows (single pane and all) to the highest level of energy efficiency yhat you can by resealing the panes and bringing them at least to the level that they were at when new. I would probably have trouble suggesting that option to someone in northern Minnesota, but then in northern Minnesota anyone who would put in windows like those needs a bit of head-work I suspect. But you live in a moderate climate in a home that was designed for that climate. You have the option of bringing the home back to what it was designed to be. Would there be times when the home might be less comfortable if you stay with the current design? Probably, but it is up to you to decide if it is worth preserving the character of the home. Good luck and I hope whatever you chose works out well for you....See MoreWindow World, argon & low-E windows?
Comments (21)earthwormies, Heat enters and leaves thru your windows in three different ways - conduction, radiation, and convection. When dealing with west-facing windows that are cooking you when the sun is shining on them your primary concern is radiation. You need to block the direct solar gain. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient or SHGC represents the percentage of solar heat that is directly passed (radiated) thru your window when the sun is shining directly on it. The lower the number the less direct solar heat gain. In your case you need a very low SHGC number. When the windows arrived they should have had an NFRC tag on the glass that listed the SHGC (as well as U-value and other ratings). Do you still have the tags or did anyone note what the ratings were? Using argon, or krypton, or any other gas between the two lites of glass does nothing to block solar heat gain; you need a low solar heat gain LowE coating to block radiant heat. I am very curious about Window World's claim that they couldn't gas-fill one window because it was too big? How big is that window? Do you know if your windows were manufactured using LowE glass?...See MoreShould I replace glass in older windows with low-e?
Comments (1)If the windows are otherwise okay, put a solar control film on them and send the differential check to.... Windows on Washington... Just kidding. But seriously, there is no reason (where you are located) to change to Low-e if the windows are otherwise okay. Put a good 3M solar control film and you are done and done....See MoreShopping replacement windows..Low E glass and houseplants?
Comments (2)Here's some info about the effects of Low E glass on houseplants. http://www.pilkington.com/resources/ats148swplantgrowthbehindlowe20050725.doc What state do you live in? I haven't heard of a state requiring Low E Glass and would like to research it. There are much better quality windows out there for considerably less than Andersen. I'd shop around a little and get some more estimates....See Moreron6519
16 years agosapote
16 years agosapote
16 years agosapote
16 years agosapote
16 years agooberon476
16 years agoDebra Belton
6 years agomillworkman
6 years agoDebra Belton
6 years agomillworkman
6 years agoDebra Belton
6 years ago
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