What Is Low - EDoors Glass
Before diving into the technicalities of what is Low-e door glass, it is important for you to know how treating glass panes became a focus for the door and window manufactures (like our company). With regular, clear, untreated glass panes, there is a measurable loss of energy within a home, basically because the glass does not react with sunlight or the UV rays of the sun. Not so long ago, it was realized that if glass panes used in doors and windows for a home could capture and facilitate that natural form of heat and natural light, then glass panes could be manufactured to increase the performance of a door or window. In other words, Low-e (or low emissivity) captures natural light during colder months and keeps the heat in your home consistent, without heat loss. During the warmer months, you still benefit from the natural light from Low-e coatings on glass panes, and you also have a natural blocker to the UV rays of the sun, which would otherwise cause damage over time by discolouring door & window coverings. The overall benefit of knowing what is Low-e door glass is…you can be rest assured that a Low-e insulating glass pane(s) that are sometimes in a residential door(s), can provide energy savings and efficiency all year around, and make a home more comfortable.
Know the Different Low-e Ratings
Low-e 180: This is a passive solar rating, and a soft-coat film that is ideal for homeowners that wish to have both the ability to retain heat in the colder months and have lots of natural light come into the home all year long. The U-value of Low-e 180 glass is 0.29, which can lower when it is used within a fibreglass door (the lower the U-value rating, the higher the energy efficiency, which is the direct opposite of R-value ratings).
Low-e 272: A step up from the conventional Low-e 180, Low-e 272 provides the same qualities, but with a fantastic twist…this Low-e can absorb heat and reflect it back into a room during colder months, and in warmer months, it rejects or repels the natural heat of the sun and its UV rays too!
Low-e 366: This Low-e rating does perform like the previous two, but with a special kicker…it delivers all year long in ALL of Canada’s climate zones (there are three) AND is ENERGY STAR qualifying (think the crème de la crème of glass Low-e coatings). Providing the perfect, intricate balance between excellent visibility and solar control, and blocks 95% of damaging UV rays. This is possible because Low-e 366 possesses three layers of silver coatings.
Low-e 189: Four coatings makes Low-e 189 act a little bit differently than the previous three, it does allow for an increase in natural light transmittance, but is less reflecting than the Low-e 181. Superior in energy efficiency glass, this rating delivers a U-value of 0.23 without any alterations or changes like decorative features.
The Material Used to Make the Low-e Coatings
When you ask yourself (what is Low-e door glass?), it is beneficial to know what type of material is used within the glass coatings. A microscopically thin (and transparent to the eyes) layer of silver, or other low emissivity material is used. This is the simplicity of it all, even though it ‘appears’ to work like magic, the Low-e coatings reflects temperatures to either keep a room cool or warm, depending on the temperatures out side. The two types of Low-e coatings, passive low-e (maximizes heat gain) and solar low-e (limits the amount of heat), works together with either a soft coat or a hard coat, which are basically manufactured into the glass differently through the glass making process.
Adding Special Touches
One of the many perks to ensuring that the glass panes in your doors, if applicable, is…you can have options when it comes to selecting clear or, decorative glass! Just because you are considering a energy saving glass, does not automatically mean it has to be boring and without character! By talking to one of our door specialists, you can learn about all the choices available to you, which door materials work well with Low-e door glass, incorporating Low-e glass to transoms or sidelites and so much more!