Glass

Selecting the right glass is key in any home.

Choosing the right glass is the hardest part in the window and door selection process. At Midcoast Windows, we are more than happy to help you with any glazing conundrum or discussion you may have.

Selecting the right glass is predicated on the careful consideration of a few key areas:

Light

The main role of windows in buildings is to allow light in. It may seem obvious, because it is. Certain glass types can effect the amount of light allowed through into your home.

Light levels in glass generally comes down to two factors:

  1. Tint – A tint can be applied to the glass, whether as a part of it’s creation or a thin film applied after installation, which decreases the amount of light in. The colour of the tint can be varied, as too with the severity. Generally, when a glass type is specified as clear, no tint has been applied.
  2. Glass Thickness & Coatings – Thicker glass fittings reduce the amount of light, though to a far lesser extent as compared to most tinted glass. Special coatings can be applied to reduce glare.

Sometimes, lessening the amount of light coming in is preferential, for example, in cases where the sun may create excessive glare or maker a room to hot in summer or if there are privacy concerns due to the windows location. Oftentimes though, it is natural light that is sacrificed in order to increase the energy efficiency or insulation properties of the window.


Solar Heat Reduction

When the suns rays hit glass, the glass heats up. When the glass becomes hot, it transfers that heat from the outside to the inside, making the room warmer. During Winter, it’s a great bit of free heating the the sun is chipping in for. In Summer when the air conditioner is pumping as hard as it can, you want as little heat coming from the sun.

The SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) rating of a window effects the amount of heat transferred through the window. The lower the number, the less heat is transmitted which is great for an efficient air conditioning system during warmer periods.


Insulation

The insulation properties of a window are generally measured using U Values. Where SHGC is to do with direct sunlight, the U Value of a window refers to how well it handles the transfer of the ambient temperature between the outside and inside. As is the case with the SHGC, the lower the value, the lower the amount of heat transferred. This can be a huge deal all year round and is a huge leap towards making your heating and air conditioning systems work to their potential all year round.