Double-Glaze, Low E or Acoustic: Which Glass is for You?

Evolutions in modern glass are giving homeowners a lot to think about these days. You can now choose windows that keep your house warmer, reduce the UV radiation that makes it inside, and even eliminate noise pollution.

If you’re looking into replacing your windows and you’re wondering where to start, this is the blog post for you. Choosing the right material is all about assessing what you need in your home, then choosing the glass that will get you there. Read on to find out what each kind of specialty glass does, and how you can use it to design the ideal home for you.

Double-Glazing Your Windows

Double-glazing your windows means placing more than one pane of glass in the same window frame, isolating a layer of air or inert gas (e.g. argon) between the two panes. Instead of passing through a single pane, heat has to pass through two panes and a layer of air, which drastically reduces the amount of heat that makes it through.

On its own, glass is usually fairly conductive, but with double-glazing implemented you’ll find that your house stays cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This option is great for anyone in a cooler climate, or if you’re looking to save on your electricity bill. If you’re truly in a chilly spot, you can double-down on your double-glazing with the inclusion of low e glass to further reduce any heat transfer.

Installing Low E Glass Windows

Low e glass is short for “low emissivity glass”, which means that this kind of glass does not radiate absorbed heat energy as much as regular glass does. Microscopic pieces of silver and metal oxide float in an extremely thin polyester coating, drying down onto the side of the glass and working to reflect (rather than absorb) any heat travelling through the air.

Instead of absorbing heat from one side and radiating it out the other, this kind of glass will reflect radiant heat thanks to a thin low-emissivity film coating one side of the pane. In mild climates this kind of treatment is ideal, as it is less expensive than double-glazing but will help your home to retain heat in the winter months.

If you live in a particularly cold climate then coupling low e glass with a double-glazing method will put up a nigh-impenetrable barrier against the cold outside, and will prevent any heat from escaping from the inside.

Reduce Noise Pollution with Acoustic Glass

Finally, we have acoustic glass, which is ideal for anyone living near a motorway or on a busy street. Sound travels via vibrations through air and solids, and the key to stopping noise getting in is to stop the vibrations in their tracks. That’s where the mechanics of acoustic glass come into play.

Acoustic glass is created by bonding two panes of normal glass together using polyvinyl butyral (PVB), creating a membrane that prevents sound vibrations from travelling freely through the glass. The vibrations get through the first layer as normal, but once they hit the PVB membrane and the second layer of glass they are significantly reduced.

You should consider having acoustic glass installed in your home if you live in a noisy environment and crave a quiet, peaceful home that feels removed from the chaos outside. You can bolster the effects of acoustic glass with double glazing as well, quadrupling the effects and reducing sound even further.

Chat to the team at Atlas Glass about the right windows for you

No matter which of these glass solutions work for you, Atlas Glass has you covered. We’ve been in the business of window-making for many years, so we can recommend the ideal choice for your home, source the glass, and install the windows with minimal hassle. Curious about where to start? Just get in touch with our friendly team today!