Spectrally selective coatings atlanta installation

Applicability: Both conventional and spectrally selective films can be applied to single pane and insulating fixed glass, windows, and doors. Always identify existing glass and follow the advice of a qualified film installer. According to tests conducted by independent laboratories under the auspices of the Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators AIMCAL , applied window film properly installed on insulating glass does not cause seal failure. Accordingly, most window film manufacturers offer an insulating glass warranty in the event of seal failure.

Special care: The best applied films require no special care. They can be cleaned just like the surface of glass using no abrasives, just soap and water. Installed prices are volume dependent; therefore, on larger projects such superior performing films may be installed for less. Aesthetics: Clear spectrally-selective film does not change the appearance of existing glass, allowing its application on the entire building or on as few windows as necessary to deal with a localized overheating problem.

To insulate the window, the glass panes are spaced apart and hermetically sealed, leaving an insulating air space. Low-emissivity low-e coatings on glass control heat transfer within the insulated glazing.

A low-e coating is a microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layer deposited directly on the surface of one or more of the panes of glass. The low-e coating lowers the U-factor of the window, and can manage the daylight transmittance as well as the solar heat gain through the glazing system. Different types of low-e coatings have been designed to allow for high solar gain, moderate solar gain, or low solar gain, and and they can also be tuned to control the amount of visible daylight transmitted.

Although low-e coatings are usually applied during manufacturing, some are available for do-it-yourselfers. These films are inexpensive compared to total window replacements, last 10 to 15 years without peeling, save energy, reduce fabric fading, and increase comfort. It has better thermal performance than argon but is also more costly. Spacers with associated sealants are used to keep the layers of glazing the correct distance apart.

In addition, they provide accommodation for thermal expansion and pressure differences, while also preventing moisture and gas leaks. A variety of spacers are available with different impacts on the window U-factor.

Look for "warm edge" spacers which are designed to lower the window U-factor and reduce condensation at the edge of the window. See the Efficient Windows Collaborative for more information on the different spacer types. Another important consideration is how the windows operate. Since all operable windows may have undesired air leakage which will decrease your home's energy efficiency, the choice of operator type can impact overall energy use.

Air leakage rates will vary with the type and quality of the weatherstripping and seals, and will generally increase over time due to operational use. Traditional operating types include:. Energy Saver Window Types and Technologies. Frames and Sash. Aluminum or Metal Frames. Composite Frames. Fiberglass Frames. Vinyl Frames. Wood Frames. Glazing or Glass. Modern Low-E glass manufacturers have optimized the manufacturing process, applying the microscopic layers using special coating machinery inside a vacuum chamber, reducing the thickness to eliminate the dark mirror-finish seen on earlier generations of Low-E window glass.

This optimizes thermal efficiency while the glass remains transparent. Low-e technology has made it possible to have more energy-efficient glass windows and doors available to the consumer. Upgrading your home or business with new frameless sliding glass doors and windows with a spectrally selective Low-E coating , as opposed to traditional clear glazing, saves substantially on heating and cooling bills since summer rays stay out and warmth from the winter heater remains trapped within.

Low-e beats traditional clear glazing by a long shot when it comes to exerting control over your interior climate. Energy efficiency has become a major concern for governments both at the federal and state level. The state of California has issued rules and regulations - known as Title 24 - that establish energy efficiency standards for windows, roofs, lighting and HVAC.

Rising energy costs and an increasingly unpredictable climate make the decision to upgrade to low-emissivity frameless sliding glass doors and windows ever wiser.