Glass-Rite is an Albuquerque New Mexico-based business that knows the challenges of the area, and therefore; we focus our window manufacturing process appropriate to the climate.  With extremely cold nights, exceptionally hot days, and strong New Mexico winds, the weather can be wildly diverse, and it’s important to select a partner whose windows can stand up to the test.  We’ve been in business since 1984, and we provide vinyl windows, wood windows,  aluminum windows, vinyl sliding patio doors, and French patio doors.

In terms of our window products, we always recommend to select energy efficient windows.  This will help keep the inside warm at night and cool during the day, and it will also help with heating and air conditioning costs.  With that in mind, we want to share our knowledge about important performance ratings to consider when looking for energy efficient windows.  Specifically, you want to look for energy star rated windows with a label that includes information such as U-Factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficiency, Visible Transmittance, Air Leakage and Condensation Resistance.

But what do these things really mean?

  1. The U-Factor tells you how well a window insulates by measuring the rate or speed of heat transfer, and for better insulation, you want a slow transfer of heat.  Naturally, a lower number represents a slower heat transfer, so the lower the number the better. A normal range is .25 to 1.25.
  2. Solar Heat Gain Coefficiency indicates how the window blocks heat produced by the sun. The lower the number, the better it blocks heat. Values usually ranges from .25- .8
  3. Visible Transmittance indicates how much light the windows let through. The higher the Visible Transmittance; the more light you will see. A general value range is between .2 and .8.
  4. Air Leakage measures how much air passes through the gap (joint) of a window. The lower the value; the less air slips through the window gap.
  5. Condensation Resistance measures the water resistance of a window, or basically, how foggy the window will look due to dampness. The value ranges from 0-100, and the higher the number the better the resistance.

We hope our overview of the efficiency rating system has been helpful, and as always, we’d like you to consider Glass-Rite as your local window expert in Albuquerque, NM.  Whether it be a simple question or providing a free window quote with no obligation, we’d be more than happy to help.