Purchasing energy-efficient windows for your home here in the Minneapolis area may cause some confusion when you’re looking at labels and brochures with industry terms. Yes, like any industry, the window companies have a specialized language and sets of standard phrases.
It’s not just advertising lingo. They are there for more than making windows sound remarkable, so it can be wise to learning their meaning. The materials replacement windows are made from as well as their characteristics really do matter.
Window Outfitters Inc., carries various energy-saving windows. Some of our top manufacturers include Sierra Pacific, Comfort Line Fiberglass Windows & Doors, ProVia Windows & Doors, and Weather Shield Windows & Doors. And you’ll find these terms among the descriptions of their products.
We are here to help you understand the more common terms used for modern energy-efficient windows.
Low-E Glass: Low-E is short for low-emissivity. This thin layered coating blocks much of the solar energy coming in contact with the surface of the glass. These layers assist, mostly helpful in summer months, to prevent overheating of your home.
Insulated Glass: Windows that are insulated consist of several panes filled with insulating gas which resists transferring of heat. Double glazing in North America is standard (two glass sheets). When comparing them to single-pane windows or double pane with only air filling the space between, windows with insulated glass are better able to maintain warmth in your home during winter months as well as comfort in the summer.
U-Factor: One rating to keep an eye out for while energy-saving window shopping is U-Factor. This rating refers to the ability the product has to insulate heat. The metric number used to express this ranges from 0.20 up to 1.20. Lower digits are an indication of a window that is better at this. R-Factor and U-Factor are used interchangeably quite often. R-Factor is used for ceiling and wall insulation. However, unlike U-Factor, where the lower the digit the better, better thermal performance is with higher digits in an R-Factor.
Visible Transmittance (VT): Visible transmittance, or VT, refers to a window’s capacity to allow natural light through. This is expressed in decimal numbers which range from 0 up to 1. Higher values indicate a higher positive rating.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, or SHGC, is the measurement in which how good a product is able to resist in heat gain. A number expressing this measurement range from 0 up to 1. Lower numbers indicate better. A very small rating for SHGC is preferred for energy-efficient windows in hot climates.
Here at Window Outfitters we have many Energy Star® compliant windows available. Contact us today to discuss your replacement window project! We are THE Minneapolis replacement window company.
Window Outfitters is a premier Window Replacement, doors, siding contractor and installer. As Contractor in the St Paul, Minneapolis, (Twin Cities) Minnesota (MN) metro, we proudly serve, but are not limited to, the following areas: Minneapolis Energy Efficient Vinyl Windows, Replacement Window Contractors Minnesota, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Savage, Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, Eagan, St Paul, Hastings, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, Farmington MN, Chaska, Shakopee, Chanhassen, Victoria, Mendota Heights Anderson Windows Minneapolis, Marvin Windows Minneapolis.
