Double Pane Low E Windows

To keep in the infrared light.

Double pane low e windows.

Low e windows are covered in a film like coating that traps warmth prevents drafts and reflects sunlight in the summer to aid in cooling the home. Double pane windows can be clear tinted or have a low e coating. Double glazed low solar gain low e glass. The bigger windows solution can then create additional heat loss issues leading to a downward spiral in performance coupled with an increase in costs.

No matter what type of low e windows you get they will perform better. The energy saving cost is minimal over that of a double pane window with low e coating. However low e coating is not a standalone material. The term double pane refers to a window that has two pieces of glass while low e is a coating technique.

The biggest drawback of low e windows is primarily cosmetic. This figure illustrates the characteristics of a typical double glazed window with a low solar gain low e glass with argon gas fill. You can have glass with or without a low e coating. On the other hand soft coat low e windows must be in a double pane unit and are nearly invisible coatings which provide more visible light.

While low e glass is generally cheaper than double glazing it will also reduce you winter heat gain leading to a need for either a bigger windows b more mechanical heating. When first invented in the 80s low e windows only came in one variety for one purpose. It requires a sheet of glass as a base material for its application. Soft coat windows have much better u value than hard coat surfaces and allow less uv transmittance by almost 75 over clear glass.

In other words this sheet can effectively turn a double pane into a triple pane and this insulation can be further supplemented with the addition of inert argon gas for even more r value. The windows are usually single pane but can be installed double pane at a higher cost per window.