A Guide To Choosing Efficient Windows And Doors (NAPSA)—Forcenturies, people have enjoyed the beauty and style of decorative glass in churches and public buildings. By the mid-19th century, homebuyers considered stained, beveled and jeweled glass windowsto be symbols of elegance Southern Climates (Very hot summers and mild winters): Low Solar Gain Low-E. Recommendations for Energy Efficiency Triple-glazed decorative win- dows and doors are recommended to obtain optimal efficiency. With and luxury in a home. Today, home improvementtelevision and magazines have triple-glazing, there are two air spaces within the window construction—leaving double the space for insulation. revived this Victorian attitude of artful expression in home decor. Modern homeownersare looking for innovative ways to addlight, color, beauty and originality to their home projects. Reducing maintenance and improving energy efficiency of these decorative home accents is commonly accomplished by pro- tecting the decorative glass in an insulating glass unit. An insulating glass unit is a combination of two or more panes of glass separated by a spacer and then heat sealed. Decorative Glass Panels Adding decorative glass as part of your home design can take several forms, such as entry gies, Inc. is highly recommended for triple-glazed decorative win- dowsanddoors. Gas Fills: Non-toxic, odorless and colorless gases are added between panes of glass to improve insulation—Argon and Krypton are commonly used. Weather Stripping: Main- taining the energy efficiency of your windows and doors often relies on gaskets and sealants that stop outside air from enter- ing around window and door frames. These materials have improved dramatically over the Combine the low maintenance benefit of insulating glass to pro- tect the decorative glass, with the improved energy efficiency of a warm edge spacer system and you will have a longlasting, attractive and comfortable addition to your home. Warm Edge Spacer Systems The rise in popularity of decorative glass has prompted a new solution in warm edge spacer systems that provides excellent efficiency and aesthetic appeal. TruSeal Technologies, Inc. has developed a warm edge spacer system madespecifically for deco- door inserts, transoms and side years and today are veryresilient rative windows anddoors called DecoSeal. Whenselecting windows or doors with decorative glass panels some important things to con- Low-E Coating: This is a thin, microscopic film applied to the center pane of glass in a triple-glazed unit, DecoSeal Spacers: In insulating glass panels, also known as IG, spacers are used to maintain separation between the panes of glass and to protect against thermal transfer. Spacers can be made of several types of materials, but non-metallic (or “warm edge”) spacers are energy to help keep warm air inside in the winter and outside performance of windows without interfering with the aesthetic E Coating recommended depends on the climate: Northern Climates (Cool summers with very cold winters): High rative windows anddoorsthat are long lasting, maintenance free and sealed with warm edge spacer panels, as well as windows. sider are: best for optimizing efficiency. DecoSeal” from TruSeal Technolo- and durable. window glass that reflects heat in the summer. The type of Low- Solar Gain Low-E; Central Climates (Hot summers and cold winters): Moderate Solar Gain Low-E; Specially engineered to support provides a new level of thermal appeal. The investment in buying deco- systems can pay off—just check your energy bill. For more information, visit www.TruSeal.com.
