Residential Window and Glass Specialists
(425) 427-5060Residential Window and Glass Specialists
(425) 427-5060
Your complete satisfaction is our goal
Not just an empty tag line but a promise of commitment to provide you with an honest value. In order to meet that goal we strive to be respectful with your time and money knowing that they are a precious resource not to be wasted. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and keep you as a long time customer and earn your referral. It is ultimately your repeat business and referral that tells us we are doing our job well.
Low-e Insulated Glass Unit (IGU)
Low-emittance (Low-E) coating are microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window or skylight glazing surface primarily to reduce the U-factor by suppressing radiative heat flow. The principal mechanism of heat transfer in multilayer glazing is thermal radiation from a warm pane of glass to a cooler pane. Coating a glass surface with a low-emittance material and facing that coating into the gap between the glass layers blocks a significant amount of this radiant heat transfer, thus lowering the total heat flow through the window. Low-E coatings are transparent to visible light. Different types of Low-E coatings have been designed to allow for high solar gain, moderate solar gain, or low solar gain.
This figure illustrates the characteristics of a typical double-glazed window with a high-transmission, Low-E glass. These Low-E glass products are
often referred to as pyrolitic or hard coat Low-E glass, due to the glass coating process. The properties pre-sented here are typical of a Low-E glass
product designed to reduce heat loss but admit solar gain. High solar gain Low-E glass products are best suited for buildings located in heatingdominated
climates. This Low-E glass type is also the product of choice for passive solar design projects due to the per-formance attributes relative
to other Low-E glass products which have been developed to reduce solar gain.
In heating-dominated climates with a modest amount of cooling or climates where both heating and cooling are required, Low-E coatings high, moderate or low solar gains may result in similar annual energy costs depending on the house design and operation. While the high glazing performs better in winter, the low solar gain performs better in summer. Low solar gain Low-E glazings are ideal for buildings located cooling-dominated climates. Look at the energy use comparisons under to see how different glazings perform in particular locations.
This figure illustrates the characteristics of a typical double-glazed window with a moderate solar gain Low-E glass and . These Low-E glass products
are often referred to as sputtered (or soft-coat products) due to the glass coating process. (Note: Low solar gain Low-E products are also called
sputtered coatings.) Such coatings reduce heat loss and let in a reasonable amount of solar gain and are suitable for climates with both heating and
cooling concerns. In heating-dominated climates with a modest amount of cooling or climates where both heating and cooling are required, Low-E
coatings with high, moderate or low solar gains may result in similar annual energy costs depending on the house design and operation. Look at the
energy use comparisons under to see how different glazings perform in particular locations.
Argon Filled Insulated Glass Unit (IGU)
An improvement that can be made to the thermal performance of insulating glazing units is to reduce the conductance of the air space between
the layers. Originally, the space was filled with air or flushed with dry nitrogen just prior to sealing. In a sealed glass insulating unit, air currents
between the two panes of glazing carry heat to the top of the unit and settle into cold pools at the bottom. Filling the space with a less conductive,
more viscous, or slow-moving gas minimizes the convection currents within the space, conduc tion through the gas is reduced, and the overall
transfer of heat between the inside and outside is reduced.
Manufacturers have introduced the use of and gas fills, with measurable improvement in thermal performance. Argon is inexpensive, nontoxic, nonreactive, clear, and odorless. The optimal spacing for an argon-filled unit is the same as for air, about 1/2 inch (11-13 mm). Krypton has better thermal performance, but is more expensive to produce. Krypton is particularly useful when the space between glazings must be thinner than normally desired, for example, 1/4 inch (6 mm). The optimum gap width for krypton is 3/8" (9mm). A mixture of krypton and argon gases is also used as a compromise between
Dual Seal Silicone Insulated Glass Unit (IGU)
| Unit Type | Longevity | Failure Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Single Seal PIB only | 24 Hours | Ruptured seal, unit filled with water |
| Single Seal, Butyl Spacer | 2 Weeks | Ruptured seal, unit filled with water |
| Single Seal, Silicone | 3 Weeks | Dew point failure |
| Single Seal, Polysulfide or Polyurethane | 6-8 Weeks | Bond loss to glass, unit filled with water |
| Single Seal, Hot Melt Butyl | 6-8 Weeks | Ruptured seal, unit filled with water |
| Dual Seal Polysulfide or Polyurethane | 12-18 Weeks | Bond loss to glass, unit filled with water |
| Dual Seal Silicone, unsealed corners | 15-20 Weeks | Dew point failure |
| Dual Seal Butyl Spacer, silicone secondary | 25+ Weeks | Dew point failure |
| Dual Seal Silicone, sealed corners | 40+ Weeks | Dew point failure |
You won't have to worry about replacing a bad glass unit in one of our sashes because the glass unit we use is the best seal on the market a dual seal silicone unit which is rater for overhead use. It is built to take a beating from the weather. Tese units are rated for 15-25 years so don't expect to cash in on the warranty it will far exceed that. It might even outlast you!
Because of its unique benefits, laminated glass can help increase the level of comfort and security your family deserves. Whether it's windows, doors, skylights and even shower enclosures, laminated glass fits right into any home. The tough, durable plastic interlayer, heat bonded between two panes of glass, offers the home protection in numerous applications:
In societies across the world one common thread among homeowners is the desire to protect family and personal belongings from the threat of intruders. Laminated glass provides a tough measure of passive protection, without compromising the home's aesthetics. Whether you're home or away, the protective interlayer resists repeated blows from common burglary tools such as hammers, crowbars, bricks, bats and many glass cutting devices. This invisible "barrier" to attempted forced-entry can slow-down or even deter would-be intruders, who commonly prefer easier targets.
Accidents will happen. Whether its an inadvertent baseball or windborne debris flying through a pane of common glass, the results are often the same: personal and property damage caused by the dangerous shards of flying glass. Laminated glass can also help minimize this potential damage to the home and its occupants because the glass shards tend to remain intact within the frame following impact. Laminated glass can be especially effective in:
To gain the full benefit of the advantages laminated glass offers, it should be installed in appropriately designed frames.
In homes, laminated glass is the sound solution to keeping unwanted noise where it belongs - outside. Low-flying airplanes, highway traffic, railways, lawnmowers, or the occasional noisy neighbor, can make relaxing at home difficult. Ordinary windows are the weakest link for allowing unwanted sound to invade the home. Laminated glass offers exceptional sound control because of the sound-dampening characteristics of the protective interlayer, regardless of the source of the sound.
Fabrics and furnishings exposed to prolonged levels of direct sunlight are vulnerable to color deterioration. While no home can be completely protected from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV), oxygen, moisture, and high room temperatures, their effects can be lessened. Laminated glass screens out over 99 percent of the sun's damaging UV rays and reduces the fading rate of colorants in household fabrics, even years after installation.
Laminated glass also provides protection for household plants. The protective interlayer allows the healthy visible light to reach the plants' photoreceptors which absorb the sunlight and provide nourishment to the plant. Laminated glass helps to protect the leaves and plant color from harmful UV rays - which is why most major botanical gardens and greenhouses use it today.
With time, sunlight can cause considerable damage to buildings furnishings, carpets, artwork, photographs, plants and other valuables. These items need special protection from the damaging effects of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Laminated glass made with Saflex can be effective in screening out the harmful UV rays, controlling glare and decreasing solar energy transmittance.
Glazing solar control is accomplished in laminated glass by the interlayers ability to reflect and/or absorb and re-radiate much of the solar UV radiation. Laminated glass made with Saflex screens out more than 99% of damaging UV light. The Saflex protective interlayer prevents the degrading of dyes, pigments and polymers which causes color fading and deterioration of natural and synthetic materials of the interiors in a building.
While protecting buildings from harmful and damaging solar UV radiation, laminated glass made with Saflex has no adverse affect on the health of indoor plants. In fact, laminated glass is commonly used in greenhouses and atriums to help protect flower color and reproductive development from the damaging effects of UV radiation. Photoreceptors in plants are still able to absorb sunlight the Saflex interlayer allows to be transmitted.