Can I Use Blackout Cellular Shades With Low 3 Argon Pella Windows?

Low-E Windows

• The “E” in low-E stands for emissivity, the property of glass to transfer heat. Low-E glass is coated with a metallic material that helps to block the transfer of heat from the outside to the inside or the inside to the outside. Low-E glass has either a soft coat or a hard coat. Soft coat low-E glass has a thin silver overlay to prevent heat transfer. It is a rather fragile type of coating that is easily damaged. The hard type is coated with a thin layer of tin. It is the most long-lasting type of low-E glass. These coatings are generally placed between two or three panes of glass for maximum insulating capability. This ability is expressed as an R-value, the ability of the material to prevent heat transfer. Soft coat low-E glass has an R-value of 3.5. The soft coat generally has an R-value of 2.45, according to Tim Carter of the AskTheBuilder website.

Argon Gas Windows

• In addition to materials that coat the glass, window manufacturers also fill double or triple panes with a gas that acts as an insulator. Argon gas is generally used because it is a thick, viscous gas that helps to prevent heat loss. Argon also prevents oxidation of the silver coating in soft coated low-E glass.

Blackout Shades

• Blackout shades are used to darken certain rooms, such as bedrooms or nurseries, for sleeping. They are of a cellular design that traps air in small pockets to help to insulate as well as block sunlight. These shades are also called honeycomb shades by certain manufacturers. Blackout shades can help to reduce the heat transfer of windows in houses in climates with weather extremes.

Using Blackout Shades With Low-E Argon Windows

• Use cellular blackout shades in combination with Pella low-E and low-E plus argon windows to reduce energy costs in your home. Use the shades wherever you need darkening capability in the home, to prevent ultraviolet light from causing excessive heat in rooms with large windows or rooms whose location lets in too much harsh, afternoon sunlight.