Increase Comfort With the Best Window Glass Replacement

If you are making a new home or renovating your old one, your first consideration regarding the windows will be their frame. You will be working on whether you want the window frame to be wood or some other low-maintenance option like vinyl. Choosing the window glass will be the last thing you will bother about. While some people leave the thought of window glass for later, some people completely leave it up to the choice of builder. However, choosing the right type of window glass can make a huge impact on your house project. The right window glass replacement can lead to comfort and energy efficiency. Here is how you can decide what window glass to purchase:

Energy saving: Benefits of window glass replacement

One of the most important benefits of window glass replacement is saving energy. When you replace your old window glass with a new one, you will observe that a portion of your energy bills is saved. Almost 30-50% of energy is wasted through the glass; on the other hand, a new window glass that restricts the air to move out will reduce the energy wastage by 15%.

For instance, if your bill is around $2400 per year, an energy saving of 15% would mean saving $360 a year. Now, if you dig deeper into the math, you will realize that you will start regaining your investment in the glass within a few months.

Double or triple glazing: Which is a better option?

When you start planning to replace your window glass, you will come across two options: double and triple glazing. While single pane is also an option, it is not popular these days, and people tend to avoid it in most circumstances. If energy efficiency is your major aim when building homes or apartments, you can look for at least a double glazed window. It implies that each window comprises two panes of glass connected with a space in between filled with insulating gas. Glazed windows with an insulating filling are referred to as the Insulated Glass Unit.

You can also find IGUs in triple glazed window glasses; it has a third pane in the window unit with insulating gas in between. Triple-glazed windows are a bit costlier than the above -mentioned double glazed windows. Furthermore, in most cases, you will not have a major return on your investment even when you sell your house or in terms of your utility bills.

Triple glazed windows are beneficial in areas where there is an extremely cold wind and the winter season is too heavy. If you are still wondering whether triple-pane windows are an ideal option for you, you can contact your replacement contractor for better advice according to the weather conditions.

It is also important to consider the amount of space that you need to leave between two panes of glass. The space of insulating filling is highly important in defining the performance of IGU. Back in the day, metal was mostly used for spacers, but its conductivity issues raised many issues, such as ice crystals and condensation. In order to reduce the moisture trapped in between the panes, the spacers are made of structural foam or treated metal. Sometimes it is combined with desiccant that additionally removes moisture trapped in space.

Air or insulating gas: Which is a better filling?

There was a time when IGUs were filled with air, but as the warm air moved and cooled down, the movement created a warm area at the top of the window while there was a cold area at the bottom. Hence, there was a need to replace air with a less conductive gas that would reduce heat transfer and improve the performance of glazing windows. It would also help in lowering the U-factor units or heat transfer rate.

Most of the IGUs are filled with krypton gas or argon gas because both are odourless, clear, non-reactive, and non-toxic. Argon gas is more famous than krypton because it is budget-friendly, and if you opt for double-glazed windows, the space between the panes will be half an inch. On the other hand, krypton gas takes less space than argon, so it is a better choice for triple glazed windows. It prevents the triple pane windows from becoming too deep, which can cause issues in fitting a standard window frame. The optimum gap of krypton gas filling is almost 3/8 inches, so it is effective for climatic changes as well.

Low-E vs tempered glass

Low-E coatings

Low-E or low-emittance coating is a thin metallic layer that is applied on one side of the glass while it is being manufactured. The coating is almost invisible, and its primary aim is to lower the rate of heat transfer from the glass. It is mostly used on the inner face of the glass pane as it protects from physical damage.

Various types of low-E coatings

There are various types of low-E coating that are designed for low, moderate, and high solar heat. The innovation helps to control the amount of heat being transferred through the pane spacing. Hence, builders can tailor windows according to the climatic effects of the region.

High solar gain coating – It allows more heat to enter from the sun into the building or home. Thus, these are commonly used in countries where there is a harsh winter season.

Low solar gain coating – It is effective in blocking almost 75% of the sun's heat, so it makes it an ideal option for warm climatic regions.

Tempered glass

You would have heard of tempered glass quite often; it is also known as safety glass. It is a great option for users who want to have glass windows but want to keep them safe for children. Tempered glass is heated and cooled so quickly that the rapid temperature change makes it stronger than untreated glass.

If tempered glass breaks, it crumbles into pieces that are dull-edges and small. Untreated glass breaks with a little force, and the broken pieces have sharp edges, making them dangerous. The International Residential Code guides users to where they can use regular glass and where they can prefer tempered glass in their house.