Insulated glass units are most commonly used glass in residential and industrial structures. Insulating glass also referred to as insulated glass refers to two or more lites of glass sealed around the edges with an air space between, to form a single unit.
Insulated glass unit (IGU) is made by two or more panes of glass separated by a cavity and the edges are sealed. Insulated glass unit made up of two residential is commonly used glass, so it is also called double glazed units or double are glass.
Commonly referred to as “IG unit,” insulating glass is the most effective way to reduce air-to-air heat transfer through the glazing. They have good thermal insulation and sound insulation properties and helps in energy conservation. There are many advantages and disadvantages of insulated glass unit which a homeowner should know before buying it.
insulated glass pane
Here we give few Benefits of insulated glass unit are as follows:
01. Energy Conservation:
Due to its thermal insulation property, the amount of heat coming in and going out from a room is reduced, when compared with single float glass. Thus energy is conserved as the temperature of the interior is maintained. A double glazed coating can be applied to one surface of the glass, for more energy conservation. Double glazed glass unit blocks most of the infrared radiations, so the heat coming to the building in summer is reduced up to some extent.
02. Economy:
As the temperature is maintained, the costs of air conditioning and heating the interiors are reduced. For commercial structures, double glazed panes are very economical.
03. Sound Insulation:
As two panes of glass are there in an insulated glass unit, they provide better sound insulation. This can be very beneficial in residential areas which are near crowded places such as markets, high traffic areas, etc. However, for full proof sound insulation, you need to design a double glazed unit according to either high frequency or low-frequency sound or for both. For perfect sound insulation, the air gap between the glass panes must be increased. Normally an air gap of 6 mm is provided in a double glazed unit, which can be increased to 12 mm or more according to the requirement for intense sound insulation.
Depending on the sound frequency, the thickness of the glass has to be chosen. Generally, for preventing high-frequency sound, thicker glass is used. Thus outer glass of 12 mm thick plus given air gap plus inner glass of 6 mm thick is perhaps the ideal solution. But remember for soundproofing of a room, you need 100% airtight rooms which the insulated glass unit will not deliver.
04. Flexibility:
It is not necessary that the glass panes in the insulated glass unit must be float glass. Various types of glass such as tinted glass, toughened glass, laminated glass, heat strengthened glass, reflective glass, ceramic printed glass, patterned glass etc. can be assembled to make insulated glass unit as per the requirements. Also for more desired thermal insulation, a triple glazed unit can be used which has three panes of glass separated by air-filled cavities. The air gap can be filled by stable gases which provide better thermal insulation too.
05. Safety:
Double glazed planes are considered safer compared to single glass. As the unit is tightly sealed, it is difficult to break it from outside.
06. Protection to Furnishing:
As sunlight does not enter directly into the room, the furnishings such as sofas, curtains, carpets, and other fabrics are protected from sun rays. This prevents fading of furnishing due to direct sunlight.
There really are endless benefits to installing insulated glass panels. Increased privacy, energy efficiency, and safety are all sure ways to increase the value of your home while also increasing your comfort. There’s no reason you shouldn’t look into insulated glass windows.
Places Where Insulated Glass Unit Can Be Used:
- Insulated glass unit is used in tropical countries, where the temperature is high during the daytime. It is used indoors, double glazed windows, glass roofs, etc. Generally, they are more used in exterior applications.
- Double glazed panes windows are used in many factories, where constant temperature and humidity is required.
- It is mostly used in commercial curtain walls, glass facades of high rise structures, overhead and sloped glazing, skylights, canopies, etc.
- Laminated glass or toughened glass incorporated with insulated glass unit is used in safety glazing.
- It is also used in windows where sound insulation is priority such as conference rooms, recording studios, entertainment centers etc.
If you live in the USA and have noticed that your energy bill is higher than it used to be, or your windows are simply getting old, you should consider replacing them with insulated glass panels. Contact Bear Glass for more information and to discuss your options.
