Windows play a significant role in a building’s energy efficiency, with heat gain and loss through windows accounting for a substantial portion of your energy costs. It’s crucial to understand the many types of window glass available before you buy or replace your windows. When considering new or replacement windows, most people focus on the frame material and other design elements rather than the glass itself. Here at Quick Fit Glass, we’ve examined the advantages of high-performance windows to enhance window energy efficiency in great detail. In this article, we shall explain the various types of glass available and their benefits and drawbacks.
Double & Triple Glazed Glass
The number of panes that fit inside the window frame is indicated by common glazing terminology. Single glazing describes a window with just one pane of glass. The term “double glazing” describes a window frame with two glass panes spaced apart by a spacer. Triple glazing consists of three glass panes, each linked to a spacer inside the frame. Thermal windows or Insulated Glass Units (IGUs) are other names for these double- and triple-glazed windows. Double glazing is becoming increasingly popular as window efficiency gains prominence in most residential and commercial construction designs. Double glazing has a stellar reputation for lowering heat loss through windows in the winter and reducing noise transmission through the glass.
Low-E Glass
Low-e glazing is short for “low emissivity.” Regular glass conducts heat well, emitting more heat into the environment. This heat release causes unwelcome additional heat gain during the summer and undesirable heat loss during the winter. The Low-E glass was created to release less heat energy and reduce the speed at which heat moves through the glass.
Laminated Glass
A film interlayer is bonded between two or more layers of glass to create laminated glass. Heat and pressure are used to combine the glass panels and film interlayer into one strong structure. It is intended to be a safety glass because when it breaks, the glass shards tend to stick to the film, offering greater protection from flying or falling glass fragments than toughened or float glass.
Toughened Glass
Another option for safety glass is toughened glass, often referred to as tempered glass. It is frequently used in all the same circumstances as laminated glass stated above and is made so that it won’t shatter on impact but will instead break into less dangerous pieces. Regular glass is heated to a higher temperature to increase strength, then cools to form toughened glass. Due to this technique, it is roughly four times as strong as float glass but otherwise identical to the original glass product in terms of colour, clarity, and light transmission.
Float Glass
The most typical type of glass found in Australian homes is float glass, also frequently referred to as annealed glass. It is created by pouring molten glass onto a sizable bed of molten tin from a furnace. The glass spreads and seeks a controlled level surface on the tin as its “floats”. It progressively solidifies before cooling in a glass kiln with temperature control over 100 metres long. This results in a continuous glass ribbon up to 6 metres wide at room temperature.
The aesthetic appeal, sound insulation, energy efficiency, and general comfort of your house can all be significantly improved by selecting the proper type of glass for your new or replacement windows. Since 1993, Quick Fit Glass has worked in the glass and glazing sector. You may rely on us to provide quick, high-quality repairs at reasonable pricing because we are a qualified, registered, and accredited tradesperson. To find out more, contact us today!
