Not very often do we think about the different types of window glass. Usually not until a window is broken and we need to replace it or until we feel the chill from outside in the winter coming through our window glass.

But there are several types of window glass, all of which have some benefits and some drawbacks. Here are a few.

Insulated Glass Windows. These windows are constructed with two panes of glass separated by a space filled with air. They are hermetically sealed to improve insulating properties.

Gas Filled Windows. This is one of the types of window glass that is similar to that above, except the space between the panes is filled with typically either argon or krypton gas. Filling the space with gas improves the insulation provided by these windows.

Heat Absorbing Window Tints. Tints on these types of window glass keep much of the solar heat out of your home or business. They also reduce glare from the outside considerably.

Low Emissivity (Low E) Coatings.  In this one of the types of window glass, special coatings reduce the flow of heat through your windows. It may be very beneficial in cold weather climates.

Reflective Coatings. Special coatings on these types of window glass decrease the amount of solar light coming through your windows. This helps cut down on glare as well as decreasing heat transfer from the sun.

Spectrally Selective Coatings. These types of window glass filter out a large portion of solar heat that usually comes through your windows while admitting complete sunlight.

In addition to the above types of window glass, you can also choose from float glass (a type of glass that is very smooth and of a very consistent thickness), annealed glass that is very strong but for safety reasons isn’t used often in buildings, and fully tempered glass that is much stronger than annealed glass and is considered safety glass.

If you have a need for specialized safety glass, you may want to choose heat soaked tempered glass. This is one of the types of window glass that has been heated to test for breakage from nickel sulfide inclusions. It’s used typically for glass railings and other applications where breakage is much more than an inconvenience.

Whatever type of glass you choose, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.