Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

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LoneStarGuy
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Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#1 Post by LoneStarGuy »

I couldn't find any discussion on this glass option. I am going to have my windows replaced here in near Austin. I have just two windows on my southwest side. Both are large sliders (6050 and 5040), one is in a dining room and the other is a home office. The LoE-340 glass sounds very tempting with its SHGC numbers in the mid-teens. We currently have aluminum clear double-pane windows with 70%-90% solar screens covering them. I am thinking compared to the solar screens, I will still get more light from the LowE-340 glass. I am planning on using LoE-366 glass in all of the other windows. I will get them all argon filled. Any thoughts on this glass? I know it is not recommend for a whole house but it seems targeting these two rooms with the most son makes sense.

While on the subject, does it make sense to get LoE-366 glass on the north side of the house in a hot climate or something else to get more light or better U-values?

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

Austin is a pretty mild climate. I tend to think that 340 is overkill for that region vs. 366.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#3 Post by randy »

I would just stick with 366 and enjoy a little more light.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#4 Post by LoneStarGuy »

Thanks all. If Austin is mild, I'd hate to see hot! Austin is further south than Jacksonville, FL and all of Arizona and Georgia.

We are actually looking to darken the home office especially. Just not sure how to calculate it to compare to a 90% solar screen - we want it darker than that. The home office is more of game room than a work space. Would it make sense to use solar screens on the loe-366 instead? I hate the view from them.

I can't seem to find many reviews of peoples' experiences with LoE-340. It just doesn't seem to be very commonly used.

I am waiting on the cost differences from 366 to 340. I will probably pass if it is significantly more expensive. SHGC would go from .22 to .14. VT from .51 to .3.

I am also deciding if the i89 is worth it for the $85 per window cost I was quoted by the manufacturer. It seems to only help w/ u-factor which is not as big a deal here in Texas. The rep didn't seem enthusiastic about it for our area.

So many options.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#5 Post by Windows on Washington »

Climate data is what I base much of the recommendations on. In this case, the data for Austin is much like that of Jacksonville, FL and not nearly as hot as Yuma, AZ.

Yuma, Arizona: http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/uni ... zona/yuma/

Jacksonville, Florida: http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/uni ... ksonville/

Austin, Texas: http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/uni ... as/austin/

If you have clear glass in the home right now, Low-e 366 will be such a vast improvement over the SHGC than existing, I personally don't see a justification for sacrificing nearly 30 points on the VT scale for the Low-e 340.

You will be reducing the amount of radiant heat gain through the glass by nearly 3X over clear glass. The 340 will make that reduction 4X, but the offset is the nearly 50% reduction in visible light vs. clear glass whereas Low-e 366 will preserve about 80% of the light vs. clear glass.

That doesn't seem like good math in favor of the Low-e 340 in a climate zone that isn't supremely harsh in the summer time data.

http://www.cardinalcorp.com/technology/ ... nce-stats/

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#6 Post by LoneStarGuy »

Thanks WoW. Didn't realize Yuma was that much hotter.

You make some good points about the significant improvements the 366 will give me, but I am worried it will be too bright compared to the solar screens. I could still add the solar screens back outside the new windows, but they tend to block the view.

I know adding film might void the warranty, so that is not an option.

I finally found some pictures on page 4 of their glass guide: http://www.cardinalcorp.com/source/pdf/ ... de_Web.pdf

The is actually a good visual comparison of all of the LoE options cardinal sells.

I actually think I prefer the decrease in light, but I will need to run the color difference by the boss (wife). A concern will be having the different colored glass in the same room (dining/living room), versus having two different one on the same side of the house. The side is not visible from the street.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#7 Post by LoneStarGuy »

So I looked up the info on my current solar screens. I have Phifer SunTex 90. Many folks up north may not have seen solar screens - they are great for privacy but not so great for looking out of a window, especially at an angle.

Here is what they look like:

Image

Image

I am originally from New England and saw them when I moved to Houston. I bet Randy sees them on 1/3 the houses in Houston. Perhaps, he or someone from the desert SW can speak to my worries about energy savings going from a 90% solar screen to a LoE-366 with BetterVue screens.

Getting technical, using these with my clear double-pane windows, I get SHGC in the low to mid-teens (it will vary by the angle of the sun per https://www.phifer.com/wp-content/uploa ... ageV12.pdf ) I was standing in front of the window today and it was cool to the touch despite it being warm outside and in full sun.

Currently, I only have these installed over 5 single-hungs on the front NW side (the other 2 are covered by a porch) and the two on the southwest side I am considering LoE-340 (these two windows are the only ones with broken seals.)

These screens let in about 10-13% of the light through (as seen in the indoor picture above on the sill). My math says the LoE-340 will let about 3-4x more light than we currently get thru the solar screens at about the same SHGC. I think that is my best option. I don't want to have my electric bill go up with the new windows or have summer temps in the home office increase.

For the 6 large sliders in back, we never installed solar screens as we get heavy shade from very large and tall trees and love the view. We have no neighbors in back so privacy is not an issue like it is up front. That is where I think the LoE-366 will work as well in the back.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#8 Post by Windows on Washington »

Sounds like a plan.

Again...I am not super familiar with the ins and outs of Texas trends on screens and light management, but if you are informed and it fits your goals, I say go for it.

Just make sure your ideas will be welcomed by the next perspective home buyer.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#9 Post by randy »

Most homeowners in my area are getting rid of solar screens, but if they help you accomplish your goals, by all means keep them.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#10 Post by LoneStarGuy »

Wanted to follow up with a review on the LoE-340 slider we installed a few weeks ago. We love this glass for the southwest facing home office. We probably will not use it in the dining room. The window lets a lot more light in than the solar screen did and about the same amount of solar heat, but being vinyl it keeps the room much cooler. We can sit at the computer in front of it and feel just a touch of solar heat on the skin in the sun. Very nice. We like how it reduces glare on the screens. The color of it is a bit blue - you definitely notice the different color-temperature. It is much more blue than LoE-366 - which is more neutral. While we are glad we picked it for this room, we would not mix it in a room with other glass types like out living room / dining room combination. We took a temp reading on the old aluminum, it was 119F even behind the solar screen on a 104F day. The vinyl with LoE-340 had a frame/glass temp of around 90F.
Last edited by LoneStarGuy on Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Thoughts on Cardinal LoE-340 glass?

#11 Post by Windows on Washington »

Awesome feedback.

I love the technical numbers too.

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