Conservatory Glazing Treatment Options

Ensure you choose the best treatment for your conservatory glass

	Heat Reflection
	Thermal Insulation
	UV Protection
	Easy Clean
	Glare Factor

With the technological advances in glass treatments it is simply astounding to experience the difference these applications can make to your every day life. It all began with the concept of double glazing as a method of reducing heat loss through our windows. The initial double glazing system comprised of a three millimetre pane of glass, a four millimetre air gap and another three millimetre pane of glass. Today the standard set by the government is a four millimetre pane of annealed glass, a twenty millimetre air gap and another four millimetre pane of glass. In the glazing industry this glazing system is known as 'double glazed, hermetically sealed units'.

The latest, untreated, sealed unit achieves a U-value (the unit value of the sealed unit's ability to retain heat) of around 2.6. This is significantly more efficient than the old four millimetre system. Next came the introduction of applying a coating to the inside of the outer glass pane. This coating will allow the heat to transfer through the sealed unit, but dramatically reduce the heat inside the structure to escape back out. This improved the efficiency of the sealed unit from a U-value of 2.6 to around 1.8, which is a huge leap as the lower the U-value the more effective it is at retaining heat.

A further development was the introduction of argon gas. Argon is a dense, inert gas and when the air gap in the sealed unit is filled with it, it improves the U-value, reduces condensation on the inner pane of glass and further reduces noise transference through the sealed unit. The generic name for glass treatments, most will recognize, is 'Pilkington K'. Although 'K' glass is still widely used there have been many improvements in low emission technology, and today the most efficient treated, double glazed, sealed units can achieve a U-value of around 0.9. This is achieved, not only with the new metallic 'soft coat' treatment to the glass, but also by the introduction of a 'super spacer'. This is the material used in the sealed unit to hold the two panes of glass apart and seal the air gap.

Apart from improving the low emission properties of glass, there is also the growing demand for glazing systems to become more efficient at reducing solar heat gain. The initial treatment was purely the introduction of a blue tint. Since then, the improvements have been dramatic. The latest 'blue tint technology' can reduce heat gain, glare and UV transference by up to seventy percent.

The latest, most interesting developments in glass treatments, have been the invention of the self-cleaning coating that is applied to the outer pane of glass and with the aid of rain water or your hose pipe, will keep the glass surface spotless. Another exciting invention is electrically charged glass. The electrical charge that passes through the glass treatment, keeps the treatment invisible. But when the charge is switch off the glass becomes completely opaque, thus cutting of heat gain and glare completely.