Low E Window Coating Failure

If one of the flames looks slightly clearer and is a different color or hue from the other three that indicates a low e coating.

Low e window coating failure.

Published on nov 5 2017 as windows age the low e coating can begin to degrade and become visible. Low e glass windows are the best solution to filter the harmful rays of the sun. Low e emiscity glass is actually a coating put on one of the inner surfaces of the glass to save energy either by keeping the sun out of the home in the summer or keeping the warmth of home from radiating out of the home in the winter. They are sometimes called double silver or triple silver low e windows.

These windows are made with sputtered low e coatings that consist of either two or three layers of silver. This is but a small sampling of how specific the new generation low e coatings can get. They are quite popular these days for use in homes and offices. The window defect was the failure of the low e coating on surface 2 see figure 1 on the interior of the dual pane structure of the window.

In some cases as the window ages the coating may deteriorate. Condensation can occur on any type of glass learn more about condensation causes and cures. If the low e coating is failing then that is a different question. Low e has the ability to keep the temperature of the surface of the glass facing the interior very near that of the room itself regardless of outside temperatures.

This is a manufacturing defect and is not a result of post installation cleaning damage. In this case the low e coating is a film applied to the surface of the glass. Low e coating are designed to filter out infrared heat energy and ultraviolet light from the sun. The defect is so severe that these windows cannot pass astm 1036 window requirements for architectural glass.

Low e coating failure in windows. Low e squared glass can keep the inside glass temperature within 1 f of a room with no windows. This homequicks article tells you about the dos and don ts of cleaning them. This coating may be delaminating but the failure will be progressive and the fix will be the same replacement.

If your windows are older than five years maybe even one year then you are likely out of luck for a warranty claim. It has been determined that low e windows are the culprit of melted vinyl siding installed on nearby houses and buildings with initial reports of such damage surfacing in 2007. Because roomside low e provides exceptional insulating benefits homes kept at a high level of humidity or not ventilated properly may experience condensation on window glass. Pay attention to the 4 flames you see reflected in the glass.