When heat or light energy is absorbed by glass, it’s either dispersed by moving air or reradiated by the surface of the glass because of its emissive properties. Low-E glass has a microscopically thin, transparent coating that reduces the emissivity of the glass to minimize the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that passes through without compromising visible light.
Regular glass has an emittance factor of 0.84. This means 84% of the heat energy is absorbed and only 16% is reflected. Low-E coatings have an emittance factor as low as 0.02 and can reflect up to 98% of the heat energy.
In the winter, the heat in your home tries to escape to the colder outside during the winter. Low-E coating reflects the heat back to the inside, reducing the radiant heat loss through the glass and keeping your energy consumption down. In the summer, low-E coating keeps the sun’s heat energy from penetrating your windows, warming up your home, and increasing your electricity bill.
Contact us to learn more about how low-E glass can save you money.