Annealed (Float) Glass: Ordinary glass that has not been heat strengthened or tempered. It is the most basic glass type that is the first result of the glass manufacturing process.

 

Heat Soaked: An optional quality control process, where a toughened glass panel is placed in an oven chamber, then subjected to prolonged temperatures up to 290 degrees Celsius in a controlled cycle to accelerate nickel sulphide expansion and as a result breakage. A toughened glass panel that survives this process is unlikely to break in future.

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Heat Strengthened: A process where annealed float glass is put through a furnace, producing a product that is 2 times stronger than annealed float glass. This is not a Grade A safety glass.

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Low Iron: Commonly known as super clear glass, the amount of iron within the molten formula is reduced providing a more transparent glass with less greenish tint to that of conventional glass.

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Low E:  Low emissivity film adhered to one face of a glass panel within the cavity of an IGU, specifically to improve the IGP’s thermal performance.

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Argon: An inert gas sealed within the cavity of an IGU, improving its thermal performance.

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Spacer: A perforated aluminium box section that creates a cavity between the two glass panels of an IGP. The spacer contains desiccant pellets to regulate humidity within the cavity and is available in 6mm, 9mm, 12mm and 16mm widths in both silver and black finishes.

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U Value: The U Value is the measure of how much heat is transferred through the glass. The lower the U-value, the better the insulation properties of the glass, the better it is at keeping the heat or cold out.

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SHGC Value: Solar Heat Gain Coefficient or SHGC is the measure of how much solar radiation passes through the glass. In a cool climate, glass that has a high SHGC allows a greater amount of solar radiation to pass through, effectively creating passive heat generation. Glass selection has a considerable effect on the SHGC of a window or door.