What's Behind Today's Best Windows

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• Low-e
• Argon Gas

If you’re serious about including the very best windows as part of your new building or renovation project, you face a challenge that goes beyond just signing a cheque to pay for them. The fact is, it’s surprisingly difficult to come to an informed opinion about window quality these days. Even experienced builders often have little more to go by than their gut feelings about various brands.

What you really need are hard facts, and that’s what you get here. Boil it all down and you need to pay attention to three areas:

1. There’s the technology behind window design in general. You need a basic understanding of the nuts and bolts of modern window construction and installation to make an informed choice about which options makes sense for a given application.
2. Then there’s the elusive issue of actual window performance. Just because a pretty, double-page advertising spread claims that a particular brand of window is best at sealing out drafts and rain doesn’t mean it actually is. You need third-party assessment to be sure, and Canadians are world leaders in this area.
3. And finally, there’s the question of installation quality. You can have the world’s finest windows sitting on site under a tarp, but if they’re not put in correctly they could become a miserable failure.

Features that Matter

Perhaps the least important consideration you’ll face as you start to shop for windows is also one of the most attractive. While it’s tempting to hold strong opinions about the relative quality of, say, aluminum clad wood versus vinyl, there are more important things to look at than just frame materials. The fact is, wonderful windows are made using all popular materials these days. Manufacturing standards, design features and installation skills hold the most sway in window performance.

Low-e

You won’t be window-shopping for long before you run into the term “low-e”. This is short for low emissivity, and it refers to the ability of glass to resist radiant heat transfer.

• The low-e feature is added to windows by application of a clear coating on the glass, and that’s a good thing. It’s also become nearly universal in the industry.
• Although low-e coatings add 10% to 15% more to the cost of windows, it can reduce energy consumption by 30% to 50%. It’s a good deal.
• Low-e also reduces harmful ultra-violet rays by as much as 75%, reducing sunlight damage to interior surfaces.

Argon Gas

Another common feature is argon gas between the layers of multi-pane glazings. Argon offers more insulation value than dry air, so it’s commonly used to boost thermal performance. Think of it like invisible insulation stuffed between the pieces of glass on the interior and exterior sides of the window.

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