Super Spacer VS. Stainless

NFRC LABEL

· NFRC: National Fenestration Rating Council - Every reputable window company will have an NFRC label on each window. This will show the 

U-Factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, Visual Transmittance, Air Leakage, and Condensation Resistance.

· SHGC: Solar Heat Gain Coefficient - Anything below .30 is great. The SHGC will measure the ability to keep heat rays out of your home…The lower, the better.

· U-Factor: Once again, anything below .30 is great. .25 or lower in most cases will be a triple pane glass pack. The U-Factor will measure the ability to insulate and keep the cold out of your home in the winter…The lower, the better.

On this page, you'll find an example of an NFRC sticker that comes on all reputable windows. Some window companies don’t want you to see the NFRC sticker.

ALL ENERGY PERFORMANCE RATINGS ARE LISTED ON THE NFRC LABEL.

R-Value: The measure of thermal resistance.

· You can get the R-Value by dividing .01 by the U-Factor and moving the decimal over two. 

· This will ensure you are getting exactly what you want when comparing apples to apples with other window companies.

Center Glass Rating: Glass Rating ONLY

· This is good to know; however, this rating will not give you the Unit Rating like the NFRC Ratings.

· In many cases, most window companies will give customers the Center Glass Rating, and this rating will be an R-Value, which is always higher than the Unit Rating since they are giving you the glass rating only.

· ALWAYS ASK FOR THE NFRC RATINGS, WHICH WILL GIVE YOU THE TRUE UNIT RATING AND PERFORMANCE OF THE WINDOW.

Super Spacer vs. Stainless Steel

SUPER SPACER

The Super Spacer structural foam design blocks the path of escaping heat for more efficiency than just about any other type of spacer, minimizes conduction, and helps prevent condensation. See more information on the brochure below.

STAINLESS STEEL SPACER

With the Stainless Spacer, Insulated Glass Units flex instead of the sealant, thus resisting spacer movement and sealant failure and helps prevent condensation. See more information on the brochure below.

Conclusion

Both the Super Spacer and Stainless Spacer, in 95% of cases, drop the U-Factor by .01. (Example: A double pane glass unit on a double-hung window, the U-Factor would drop from a .29 to a .28) If you add the foam-filled frame, that can also drop the U-Factor by another .01, which would bring the U-Factor down to .27! All Energy Star Rating that are prescriptive and equivielnt energy performance.