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Low-e coatings question


Guest lonestartint

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That's a good question t_d.

The U-Value of the unit will be the same whether the coating is on the #2 or #3 surface; however, the SHGC will be lower when the coating is on the #2 surface.

Here's the guideline for regions:

In general, if you are concerned about reducing solar heat gain (typically in a cooling climate), then using the coating on the #2 surface would best meet the requirement. On the other hand, if you are interested in utilizing passive solar heat gain (typically in a heating climate) then using the coating on the #3 surface would best meet the requirement.

Interesting VC...I think the Ufactor on mine in the house is 0.58.. :spit

3 more questions..

1)What surface, typically, do you think the coating would be on in my region?

(The N.Carolina Coast..)

2)Do you think that tinting would negate the purpose of low-e, for these applications??

3) I am aware that it isn't recommended to tint low-e as dark as normal.

What do you think would be the darkest reflective film to safely use in my area???

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Guest vclimber
Interesting VC...I think the Ufactor on mine in the house is 0.58.. :spit

3 more questions..

1)What surface, typically, do you think the coating would be on in my region?

(The N.Carolina Coast..)

Hard to say... sometimes the glass companies order it on whatever side they want for no particular reason or the glaziers will put glass in backwards. You need to check for yourself because inexperience and unattentiveness will prevent anything from being typical.

2)Do you think that tinting would negate the purpose of low-e, for these applications??

Not unless the film is applied to the same surface that the low E coating is on, then it prevents the coating from reflecting FIR back into the house. If the glass is low E2 then the film is only going to help with vlt and UV because the E2 coatings are rejecting a good % of the solar energy already.

3) I am aware that it isn't recommended to tint low-e as dark as normal.

What do you think would be the darkest reflective film to safely use in my area???

Says who? Unless you have a shadowing issue, bad framing, over 40 sq ft, or are at altitude then you can use pretty much what you would on clear glass. Check the F2G chart to make sure you are within warranty.

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Guest vclimber

Forget all of the technical stuff Ralphy.

The ideal setup is to have low E glass which will increase the U value of the window and film which will reject xx% of the solar energy, 99+% UV, and give you some glare control if you want that.

Low E2 is nice but the UV rejection is only around 70% or so which is not ideal. That's all a customer needs to know.

We can tint most of it with the same films that we use on clear glass as long as there is no significant factor that would raise our F2G chart number above the acceptable threashold.

All of the chatter about "hot-boxing" and negating emissivity properties is really nothing to worry about and some of it is down right false.

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If there is a low E coating on surface #4 and you put a Triumph blade to it, you will know.

I tinted the front of a gym one time and while prepping the glass noticed that the blade scratched the heck out of it. Luckily it was high enough off the ground so not to be noticeable. All the windows were Low E. We figured that the glass was installed backward with the coating on the wrong side, because there wasn't a problem with any of the other windows. :dunno

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Guest vclimber
I tinted the front of a gym one time and while prepping the glass noticed that the blade scratched the heck out of it. Luckily it was high enough off the ground so not to be noticeable. All the windows were Low E. We figured that the glass was installed backward with the coating on the wrong side, because there wasn't a problem with any of the other windows. :dunno

That wouldn't surprise me. I've done houses were the coating was on #2 and then a few windows over it was on #3 and then one window had no coating at all.

I was doing a bid once on a brand new home and the customer was worried about tint breakiing her low E windows... So I put my meter on the glass to see which surface the coating was on. Guess what? It was clear glass, no low E coating. So I asked her how much she payed for her low E glass. She begins to tell me how it was an option and how the home builder raved about how efficient these windows were and then how much more money she had to pay but it was worth it. I didn't want to be the one to break it to her so I explained how my trusty little meter worked to find low E coatings on glass and then told her to place it on the glass and push the button. :dunno

She almost dropped my meter when she saw the result. The builder was up a creek... :dunno

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:dunno When you use a number to explain where the coating is mounted. Are you standing one the inside of the house and is number one the glass faceing you and 2 and three is the glass in the middle and 4 being the glass on the outside?
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Guest vclimber
:dunno When you use a number to explain where the coating is mounted. Are you standing one the inside of the house and is number one the glass faceing you and 2 and three is the glass in the middle and 4 being the glass on the outside?

No it is reverse of that.

1= Outer of the outside pane

2= Inner of the outside pane

3= Outer of the inside pane

4= Roomside of the inside pane or the piece that we usually tint

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Guest MidcoastMW

I think the lighter trick is easy to read.....give it a shot.

Grab a bic or any old lighter, light the flame and hold it an inch or two away from the glass..... Look at the glass from some diffrent angles and you will see 4 flames in the reflection. One for each side of the panes. IF the glass has a Low-E coating THREE of the flames will be natural orange color and ONE will be purple-looking. The purple one is where the coating is.

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