Glass Options
Glass Is Glass Right?:
Now that you've decided the type and style of windows you want the next decision has to be what type of glass product you need? You need to ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I find it cold in my home in the winter?
- Do I find it excessively hot in my home in the summer and do I have to keep the blinds or curtains drawn?
- Do we live on a busy street and is it noisy in our home?
- Is fading a problem in certain rooms?
- Is security an issue in the home?
All of the questions above can be addressed, to certain degree, by the proper use of glazing products.
Below I have tried to take away some of the fears associated with that decision. Residential glass products can be broken into the following categories
- Heat Loss
- Heat Gain
- Fading
- Noise Reduction
- Security
- Maintenance, Cleaning
- Obscure Glass for Bathrooms
Lets look at these more closely.
Winter Heat Loss:
For most of Canada this is the number one concern. With rising heating costs it is becoming more and more important to have energy efficient windows in your Vancouver home.
The largest area of heat loss in the average Canadian home is through their windows and glass makes up the largest area of product that you will purchase. There fore it only makes scene that you look closely at what each particular company is offering.
For the most part the most economical way to increase the R-Value of a window is to add High Performance Glazing.
Summer Heat Gain:
Summer heat gain for most home owners can be as exasperating as winter heat loss especially if you own a home that faces south. Not only does the sun cause unbearable heat gain but can also ruin your view!
The idea here is to try to eliminate that spectrum of light coming through the glass that causes the interior of the home to heat up. Typically the infrared light.
Fading:
Screening out ultraviolet radiation can help protect carpets, drapes, paintings, and other interior fixtures from fading and deterioration for years to come.
Introducing Cardinal LoĒ3-366:
Winter heat loss, summer heat gain and fading control of the expensive furnishing and floors in your home can all be achieved with one glazing product, Cardinal LoĒ3-366 (pronounced Low E Cubed) and Argon Gas.
When the temperature soars, ordinary window glass can't handle the heat and tinted glass can spoil your view. Cardinal LoĒ3-366, however, has been specially formulated to reject the sun’s heat. It effectively blocks that spectrum of light that causes heat gain in the home without affecting the view with a tint.
What’s more, LoĒ3-366 provides exceptional fading protection as well. It blacks 95% of the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays.
But what about the winter heat loss? Cardinal LoĒ3-366 directly affects the insulating quality of the double glazed unit which has a direct impact on how your rooms feel. The better insulated the window glass‚ the warmer the room will be.
All three of the biggest residential window concerns can be addressed with one product‚ Cardinal LoĒ3-366 with Argon Gas.
Read more about it here...
Reducing Noise:
Windows can be the weak link in the transmission of unwanted sound into a building. Just as a window lets in light it can also transmit unwanted noise. To establish the desirable acoustical environment noise control requirements and the sound-reducing properties of glazing materials should be considered as an integral part of total space design. Laminated glass is highly effective in stopping unwanted sound transmission and laminated glass can be used in standard window design. The acoustical performance of laminated glass in the result of the vibration damping characteristics of the plastic interlayer. Since sounds are actually a combination of acoustical energy at different frequencies, effective sound control requires that the sound level be reduced across a wide range of frequencies. Truck traffic is typical of a low frequency noise source, speech and typewriters of middle frequency; and jet aircraft and industrial equipment of higher frequency.
To provide a single number rating for describing the sound isolation performance of a material the American Society for Testing and Materials has developed the sound transmission class. or STC rating.
Sound transmission class (STC) is a single number rating derived from individual transmission losses at specified test frequencies (ASTM E 90; ASTM E 413). It allows a preliminary comparison of the performance of various glazing materials. Final glazing selection should be based on a comparison of TL performances at all frequencies of the actual sound spectrum to be controlled
Safety and Security:
Safety to day is a of great concern to most people and can be addressed, simply at the time of purchase by either the use of Tempered glass or Laminated Safety Glass. The later is what I normally recommend as it has also helps cut down noise and blocks 99.8% of UV that causes fading.
Safety glass is required by Code anywhere within 3 feet of a entry door knob and in a bath tub enclosure. I also recommend that it be used in basement, garage or any window that could be an easy entry point for thieves.
I remember having a customer call me once after an attempted break-in to have his front entry glass replaced. The thief repeatedly tried to break through the Laminated Safety Glass sealed unit we had installed. Needless to say he was impressed as the thief was unable to gain access.
Maintenance, Cleaning:
Long Life introduces Neat naturally clean glass, Cardinal Glass Industries new exterior glass coating that harnesses the sun's UV rays to help loosen dirt so water can rinse it away, leaving your windows virtually spotless.
Homeowners will enjoy the effects that a little sun, rain and Neat glass brings to their windows. Not only that, because Neat is applied to Cardinal's LoĒ® coated glazing's, homes stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Clearly, Neat glass is the choice for your windows. Read more about Neat Glass here...
Obscure Bathroom Glass Options:
Long Life offers a broad selection of popular Obscure Glass options for your bathroom privacy. Check out some of the available patterns here...
