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Low-E Glazing Basics
Almost all residential windows are double-glazed, and there are many options. Spacers used to be metal and conductive, so you would see condensation in the corners; now they are non-conductive. Glass can be tuned to the climate requirements, Low E to reflect heat for hotter parts of the country; Glass that transmits heat for northern parts of the country. Some have thicker glass for noise control near highways; some are even triple-glazed. Rare noble gases like argon or krypton are less conductive than air.
Different glass types and finishes:
Low E Glass
The Efficient Buildings Collaborative explains how different coatings work for different parts of the country:
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.
The Collaborative also has a useful online tool for choosing the correct window type for your location.
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