The SHGC is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window, both admitted through a window, both directly transmitted, and absorbed and subsequently released inward. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits.

Northern Climate: To reduce heating, select the highest SHGC you can find (usually 0.30-0.60 for the U-factor ranges required in colder climates) so that winter solar gains can offset a portion of the heating energy need. If cooling is a significant concern, select windows with a SHGC less than 0.55. Use RESFEN to understand trade-offs.

North/Central Climate: If you have significant air conditioning costs or summer overheating problems, look for SHGC values of 0.40 or less. If you have moderate air conditioning requirements, select windows with a SHGC of 0.55 or less. While windows with lower SHGC values reduce summer cooling and overheating, they also reduce free winter solar heat gain. Use a computer program such as RESFEN to understand heating and cooling trade-offs.

South/Central Climate: If you have moderate air conditioning requirements, select windows with a SHGC of 0.55 or less. While windows with lower SHGC values reduce summer cooling and overheating, they also reduce free winter solar heat gain. Use a computer program such as RESFEN to understand heating and cooling trade-offs.

Southern Climate: A low SHGC is the most important window property in warm climates. Select windows with a SHGC less than 0.40.

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cheasapeake, Cleveland, Columbia, Energy, Jefferson, Raleigh, Uncategorized, Winston-Salem | Leave a Comment

What is U-Factor?

December 8, 2008

The U-factor measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping. The rate of heat loss is indicated in terms of the U-factor of a window assembly. U-factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20.

In the United States, the U-factor is usually expressed in Btu/h ft² F. The metric equivalent unit is W/m² K.

The insulating value is indicated by the R-value, which is the inverse of the U-factor. The lower the U-factor, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value. The U-factor is included in the energy performance rating (label) offered by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cheasapeake, Cleveland, Columbia, Energy, Jefferson, Mobile, Raleigh, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Year-round Comfort with Solarban® 60 Solar Control Low-E Glass

October 17, 2008

Solarban 60 glass is the ideal energy efficient window solution for climates in which you want to:

* Block direct solar heat year-round.
* Reduce solar heat gain where air conditioning costs are significant.
* Reduce fading and degradation of a home’s carpets, curtains, and furniture from UV rays.
* Provide improved comfort in the winter.

The low-e coating on Solarban 60 glass is applied by the magnetic sputtered vacuum deposition process to ensure superior thermal performance. It is the first PPG glass to offer solar control along with the insulating performance and aesthetic benefits of low-emissivity glass (low-e glass).

Solarban 60 Low-E Glass Performance Properties

Standard Insulating Glass Unit with clear glass, conventional aluminum spacer, and air fill. Solarban® 60 Insulating Glass unit with Solarban® Solar Control Low-E glass, Intercept® spacer, and argon gas fill.
Solarban® 60 glass keeps you warmer in the winter

The overall U-Value (insulating value) of windows with Solarban® Low-E glass is about 39% better than standard clear insulating glass. (Lower U-values mean higher insulating performance.)

Winter Furnace Heat
Window U-Value(clear glass)=0.46 Window U-Value(Solarban 60)=0.28

Solarban® 60 glass keeps you cooler in the summer

Solarban® Low-E glass transmits about 48% less solar energy than standard clear insulating glass.* Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is a measure of how much solar heat is transmitted through the glass. (Lower numbers mean less summer heat.)

Summer Solar Heat
SHGC=0.75 SHGC=0.39

Solarban® 60 glass reduces U.V. Energy and allows visible light transmittance

Solarban® Low-E glass is about 72% more effective at reducing fabric-fading ultraviolet (U.V.) energy, yet still allows about 88% as much visible light in as standard clear insulating glass.*

Transmittances (without/with Solarban 60)
Ultraviolet Energy=58%
Visible Light=81%

Ultraviolet Energy=16%
Visible Light=71%
*Comparisons are based on center of glass measurements of 3/4″ insulating glass units; two 1/8″ (3mm) glass panes and a 1/2″ (12mm) air space. Actual glass performance may differ silghtly due to glass thickness, gas fill, and glass to frame ratio.

Solarban 60 Low-E Glass Features and Benefits

Solarban 60 Solar Control Low-E Glass Features

Improves window U-value as compared to uncoated glass.
Allows the inner pane to stay warmer in winter.
Reduces room side condensation of the window.
Reduces the transmission of ultraviolet light.
Has a natural appearance, both when viewed from the outside and inside.
Carries a 10-year warranty against coating failure. PPG has sold more than 100 million sq. ft. of low-e glasses since 1984 without a single documented coating failure.
Created by PPG, a leader in flat glass manufacturing with extensive quality assurance and technical services groups and one of the world’s largest glass research and development centers.

Solarban 60 Solar Control Low-E Glass Benefits

Customers save on both heating and cooling costs with energy efficient windows.
Comfort is enhanced by reducing drafts around windows and allowing higher room humidity without condensation
Builder callbacks and potential window deterioration due to excessive condensation are reduced.
Fading of interior furnishings, such as carpets, drapes, and furniture may be reduced.
The exterior of the home maintains a pleasing appearance and interior colors remain true.
Customers can be assured that the glass in their windows is backed by the strength and experience of a leader in the glass industry and a Fortune 300 company.
PPG customers enjoy outstanding technical support and access to the most advanced products in the window and door industry.

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cleveland, Energy, Jefferson, Mobile, Raleigh, Windows, Winston-Salem | Leave a Comment

Glossary of terms-Windows

October 17, 2008

As you do research for your replacement window purchase, you’ll hear and learn a number of terms related to features and function of the window product. Here are a few of those terms:

Argon Gas- This odorless, colorless gas is inserted between panes of glass for insulation and also increases a window’s energy efficiency by reducing conductive heat transfer.

Awning Window- This style of window swings out from the bottom and away from a building, just like an awning.

Bay Window- A three-unit window with a center piece flanked by two side panels that are usually angled at 30 or 45 degrees.

Bow Window- A combination of windows composed of four or more units, which are aligned in a smooth curving contour.

Casement Window- A window that swings open from the side, hinging at the top and bottom of the frame. Nailing Fin (Flange)- A strip of sheet material either integral or fastened to a unit’s frame, creating a flange. This is a common method to install new construction windows and doors.

Double Hung Window- Consists of top and bottom vertically sliding sashes in a single frame.

Picture Window- A large, fixed or stationary window designed to provide a maximum viewing area without obstructions.

Emissivity- The relative ability of a surface to radiate heat. R Value- Measure of a window’s overall resistance to heat transmission from different air temperatures on either side of the glass.

Frame- The outer components of a window or door unit, consisting of a head jamb, side jambs, blind stops and window sills, as applies. Sash- A wood/vinyl perimeter to support the glass of a window, holding it separately from the frame and allowing some independent movement from the frame.

Fusion Welded- A process of melting two or more items together (i.e., a window sash and frame) via welding. Single Hung Window- A window system with only one glass unit movable in the window pane.

Geometric Window- Specialty windows customized to fit a variety of shapes, such as starburst, gothic, colonial, etc. within a door pattern.

Glazing- 1) Act of fitting a window or door frame with glass. 2) Installing glass into a window or door frame. Slider Window- A window that opens horizontally.

Glazing Bead- A long, thin piece of moulded wood used to secure glass to the sash or frame of a window; silicone is often used to create a seal between the glass and wooden glazing bead.

Hermetically Sealed- An airtight seal.

Insulating Glass- Comprised of two or more pieces of glazing (glass) separated by hermetically sealed airspace for improved thermal efficiency.

Kickplate- Applied to one or both sides of a door’s bottom rail, this thin, polished metal plate is used to prevent denting and soiling of the wood surface.

Laminating- Method of bonding two or more layers of glass together using heat and pressure, with inner layers of transparent plastic. This process provides one of the best avenues to blocking ultraviolet rays.

Low E Glass- Windows that have been coated with a transparent, metallic layer to the glass surface, reducing its emissivity or ability to radiate heat.

Mulled- To join two windows or doors together, side by side.

NCTL Validated- National Certified Testing Labs (NCTL) is an organization that performs standardized tests on windows to ensure proper quality control levels.

NFRC Rating- The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is a non-profit group comprised of manufacturers, builders, designers, government officials, utilities and consumers working together to provide unbiased energy performance ratings for windows, doors and skylights (fenestrations).

Tempered Glass- Plate glass with increased strength due to a special heat-treatment for greater strength as a safety glass.

Thermal Performance- A window’s ability to act as a barrier to the transfer of heat.

Thermo-Edge Spacer- A system where protected insulated glass creates increased temperatures along the window’s edges and therefore reduces the potential for condensation on the glass surface.

Transom- An operating window unit for specific use above a door or window.

Weatherstripping- Material used to provide a weather-tight seal between a window/door sash or frame.

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cleveland, Energy, Installations, Jefferson, Mobile, Raleigh, Windows, Winston-Salem | Leave a Comment

What is Fenestration?

October 17, 2008

What is Fenestration?

Fenestration: Any opening in a building’s envelope including windows, doors and skylights.

Windows, doors, skylights and curtain wall manufacturers are constantly improving and re-designing their products to meet the needs of their customers.

How do customers know the benefits they can get from new technology?

By looking for the NFRC label or Label Certificate and understanding what NFRC ratings mean.

There are a number of resources available to assist you in this area

* Information on the NFRC Label basic explanation of the NFRC label and rating system
* NFRC Fact Sheets explain the various issues involved in comparing energy related fenestration performance - from U-factor to Daylighting; from Condensation Resistance to Solar Heat Gain.

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cleveland, Doors, Energy, Installations, Jefferson, Mobile, Raleigh, Windows, Winston-Salem | Leave a Comment

Why Low-e/Argon?

October 7, 2008

Today, more than ever, the environment is a major concern. With the effects of global warming almost universally recognised, and the problems with climate change becoming gradually more apparent, the time to act is most certainly now. Add to that the weight of increasing energy bills, and you have got yourself a real incentive to save energy and the world in which we live.

By making simple decisions around the home, we can increase our insulating properties and require less energy to heat our homes, which can help the earth and our wallets. One such way is through installing low E argon windows. In this article, we will look at the benefits of low E windows, and why they should be a realistic consideration for anyone looking to update their household windows.

What does Low E Argon Mean

Regular windows lose heat through four recognisable processes; namely convection, conduction, radiation and leakages. Convection is where warmer air is cooled by exterior air and as a result moves in a downwards direction, thus creating a draft. Conduction is the loss of heat directly through the window.

Air leakage is the physical gaps within the window and its frame, which is another means by which heat is lost. Finally, radiation is the loss of heat in the form of infrared energies through the window. This process is obviously inefficient and costly, in terms of the wasted energy.

What is more, this means that we aren’t getting the most from the energy we are producing, which means we need more energy, which is subsequently more harmful to our environment. However, low E argon windows can change all that.

Low E argon windows work primarily by reflecting heat which would otherwise be wasted back into the room in question. Because it contains argon, the window is significantly better at reflecting heat rather than conducting heat, and consequently keeps the heat in, and keeps the unwanted heat out. This results in a massive energy saving, which is reflected in the first instance when the bill arrives at the end of the month.

Why Low E Argon

Low E argon windows should be a very important factor when it comes to replacing windows. One thing you may notice in the first instance is that low e argon windows are more expensive. This is due to the more technologically advanced manufacturing process, which is also more labour intensive.

Having said that, it is estimated that the average household could save $240 every single year through installing low E argon windows Ã¢â‚¬â€œ a massive saving over its lifetime. By making the initial investment, the windows will generate a tangible saving, year on year, whilst also going a long way towards saving our planet.

Low E argon windows are becoming increasingly popular and it is easy to see why. With society’s greener conscience, and a determination to cut down on energy bills, there has never been a better time to install low E argon windows in your home.

With that minimal initial investment, you can rest, safe in the knowledge that you are increasing your energy efficiency and doing your bit to protect our volatile environment in these crucial environmental times. Alongside household recycling, maximising energy efficiency is one of the easiest tangible things you can do, and with such an enormous saving, it is hard to justify not make the transition.

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cleveland, Energy, Jefferson, Mobile, Raleigh, Windows, Winston-Salem | Leave a Comment

Is it time to replace those windows?

September 11, 2008

You’ve been looking at your windows…some of them don’t operate very well. If you’ve got single paned glass windows, you may be feeling drafts. Even if you have double paned glass, you may not be energy efficient. If the seal has broken (do your windows fog up between the glass?), you’ve got nothing better than two pieces of single-paned glass standing side-by-side (read “no insulation”). If your window frames are wood construction, you may have rotting, warping and leaking. If they are aluminum, you’re conducting significant energy transfer through the material.

So what’s a person to do? First, realize that every day you wait, you’re wasting money and precious energy. Second, understand that today’s window technology has come a long way from the “single-panes” with storm window days (remember dad taking down the “storms” and installing the “screens” each Spring?

Now that you’ve decided you have to do something, what’s the next step. Well, you can go to the local home center. If the openings for your windows happen to be “standard size”, you can throw a bunch of windows into the cart and head home. If you are not so lucky, then you have to special order; of course the prices are a little higher. Even if you get your window right away, you have to find someone to install them.

What’s the better solution?…find someone who specializes in getting you the right product, at the right price and can install it on your schedule. That’s where Premier Window comes into play. Premier has installed thousands of windows in your town over past the 13 years. They have many choices of styles and prices to meet most any budget.

Tired of pushy sales people coming to your house and strong-arming you into buying their product? They may tell you “it’s a today only sale”, or try to talk you into products you don’t need. With Premier Windows, the project consultants are there to give you options. They’ll be on time, discuss your needs, inspect your current situation and make recommendations. They will never force you into a “now or never” deal. We know projects like these are a big investment. You should have every opportunity to consider your options. Also, we know that our product and price value will be so good, that you will choose to install Premier replacement windows. In fact, Premier is so confident, they will meet and beat any other legitimate offer (see project consultant for details).

So are you ready to save money and energy? Call your local Premier office to schedule a free project consultation. Premier is waiting to hear you.

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cleveland, Energy, Jefferson, Mobile, Raleigh, Windows, Winston-Salem | Leave a Comment

Premier Windows utilize PPG Glass technology

September 11, 2008

Premier Replacement windows feature PPG glass. PPG has been making quality products for many years. Additionally, Premier offers Intercept Insulating glass technology in its window products. Check out the features of including this technology in your Premier Windows. These are the last windows you’ll have to buy for your home.

Additionally, Solarban 60 provides you a 21st century technology for ensuring your windows protect your living space from the elements outside your home. You will be more comfortable, save money and save the environment. Click on our catalog to begin choosing your Premier replacement windows.

Once you’ve had a chance to review your options, call your local Premier office to schedule a free, in-home consultation. We’re ready to help you save.

Posted by tmadej | Filed Under Charlotte, Cleveland, Energy, Jefferson, Mobile, Raleigh, Windows, Winston-Salem | Leave a Comment