Understanding Insulated Glass Windows

Insulated glass units feature multiple panes of glass in a single window system. These multiple panes of glass, plus the gas that’s added in between them, exist to create additional barriers to potential air transfer (hot and cold) between the indoors and outdoors.

Compare this to outdated standard windows that would feature a single pane of glass in a frame. That single layer of glass was the only barrier between your home and the outdoors, which was extremely ineffective for insulating the home and preventing heat loss or gain. People would have to add additional insulation during the wintertime to keep their heat inside where it belongs.

Here’s an overview of things you should know about insulated glass units in residential settings in Santa Fe, NM.

Benefits of using insulated glass units

Insulated glass units, as already discussed, help to create a stronger barrier between your home and the outside world. The extra layers of glass and gas create much greater air transfer resistance, and also repel some solar rays that produce heat. This means that even if a certain window has long periods of sun exposure, the unit won’t heat up nearly as much.

Over time, this means big benefits for your heating and cooling systems, which won’t have to work nearly as hard to maintain your desired temperature. Preventing overwork of these systems means they’ll last much longer, and will also help you to reduce your expenses on your monthly utility bills.

In short, insulated glass units mean greater interior comfort and long-term energy savings, which has both financial and environmental benefits, all while extending the life of your HVAC systems.

What to know when ordering or purchasing

When you are researching windows to install in your home, there are several considerations you should keep in mind as you go about your search.

First, there are several different types of insulated glass units. There are double-pane insulated glass units, which are by far the most common in residential settings. These are window systems that feature a pair of glass panes separated by gas.

There are also triple glass panes, which have three panes of glass, each of which is separated by spaces filled with gas. Triple glass panes are not as common because they are more expensive, but they provide better insulation.

With regard to price, insulated glass will always be more expensive than uninsulated glass, but almost no one goes with single-pane window units any more due to how inefficient they are. Price points will depend on how the windows are hung, the size of the windows and whether there are any other unique features of those windows that must be accounted for.

You should also be aware of some of the potential drawbacks of using insulated glass units. These units are prone to fogging over time, or having their gases escape. If the seal fails, the gases can leak out and the windows may start to fog up during certain temperature conditions.

For more information about insulated glass windows in Santa Fe, NM, contact the team at Santa Fe Glass & Mirror today.

Categorised in: Window Glass

This post was written by Writer