The lowdown on Low-E

ByMichaelR Fomroy Director of Product Development Morgan Products Ltd.

with the Low-E glass would fall somewhere in between the double and tripleglazed doors insulated with conventional clear slass.

Story at a Glance

Low-E glass insulates against heat and cold...cuts color tading by scrcening out ultraviolet rays ...thin metallic coating provides protection, yet offers full visibility...payback and comfort arc good selling points.

Low-Emissivity glass has been used for several years in Europe and has gained widespread acceptance in the United States as energy conservation became a greater priority. As a general rule, door manufacturers offer Low-E glass with I lite units that feature large expanses of glass. Since Low-E glass is not available in small sizes, companies can not offer this product with French doors.

The Morgan sliding patio door, as an ties of a triple-glazed conventional sash door. Used in large expanses, it offers fullvisibility from inside and orotection from heat. cold and ultraviolet rays. example, features a full expanse of glass allowing an unintemrpted view of the outside. Units upto 12 feet wide are available with Lnw-E glass. Equally as popular for their full view of the outside are the swinging patio doors which also come with a range of options, including Lov/-E insulated glass. These doors often come with removable grilles to simulate the appearance of French doors.

Single doors, double doors and triple doors are available with Low-E glass. Indeed. entire rooms. such as Florida rooms or sun rooms, can be enclosed by either swinging or sliding glass patio doors. To maximize their effectiveness, they can be insulated with Low-E glass.

Low-E glass can also be used with architecnrrally appealing sash doors. The wood doors feature a combination of heavy panel designs on the bottom half and Low-E glass above. Doors with two, three orfour panels, or the classical crossbuck design, can be specified with Low-E glass. The warmth and natural insulating qualities of wood complement the energy saving features of the insulated glass door.

As a starting point in guiding a cus-

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