Okay so low e glass obviously is a special glass that has a low rate of emission.
Low e glass window ratings.
Nfrc u factor ratings however represent the entire window performance including frame and spacer material.
With insulation we expect the higher r value to be a better insulator than one with a low.
Have nfrc ratings that meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the us environmental protection.
The ratio between the window s visible light transmittance and its solar gain coefficient rating.
This means doors can provide more insulation than a window or skylight can.
With the high cost of replacement windows and doors it s wise to know exactly what you re getting for your money.
The lower the u factor rating the more energy efficient the glass.
This is a fairly normal industry standard that has been around a good many years.
Many of the windows from this manufacturer are energy star qualified across the entire country regardless of climate.
The passive low e coatings are manufactured using the pyrolytic process which creates a pyrolytic coating.
Such glazing would emit only 4 of the energy possible at its temperature and thus reflect 96 of the incident long wave infrared radiation.
Examples of windows with good low e ratings.
Which should i choose.
Infinity from marvin is one brand that emphasizes energy efficiency.
This may sound like a low insulating value but even the finest energy efficient windows today carry u values hovering in the 22 through 30 ranges.
Thus correlating to r values of 4 55 through 3 33.
The coating is then applied to the glass ribbon while it.
This glass works by reflecting heat back to its source.
By comparison low e glass coatings can have an emittance as low as 0 04.
For windows skylights and glass doors a u factor may refer to just the glass or glazing alone.
Types of low e coatings.
Window manufacturers product information may not list emittance ratings.
Choose an infinity from marvin window with low e glass and you can.
U factor is the rate at which a window door or skylight conducts non solar heat flow.
But even doors with lots of glass like a sliding patio door have lower glass to frame ratios than windows or skylights.
This means you should look for windows with a vt rating as close to 1 as possible.
So in the winter months if you have low e glass in your home much of the warmth heat given off by the furnace and all the objects which the furnace has heated is bounced back into the room.
Here s what all those scientific terms and numbers about energy savings mean.
The white national fenestration rating council label.
Light to solar gain.
It s usually expressed in units of btu hr ft2 of.
The two labels you should look for.
Low e low e2 low e3 windows.
Choosing a window with a spectrally selective low e coating allows as much natural light to enter as possible.
The ratings for glass are a bit more complicated than ones we are used to for insulation qualities.
The 2 most important window and door labels.
Low e glass allows visible light to pass through it but blocks heat generating ultraviolet light requiring less artificial heating or cooling to keep a room at the desired temperature.