Do You Have LOW-E GLASS? Find Out Here!

Here we'll show you how to tell if you have low-e glass in your new windows. We hear from folks who are unsure if they have low-e glass in their windows. I've tried to describe this process to people over the years and it's just not that easy to explain.
Luckily it is really easy to do if you can see me do it first. So, now you know how to find out if you have low-e glass in your windows or doors.
Stay tuned for our next Window Wednesday episode in which we answer common questions about replacement windows. It's our goal to be the very best source of replacement window information on the entire internet. It's going to be a fun one. Be sure to subscribe to our channel so you don't miss out on future episodes.
If you'd like to get a completely free quote for your project from my company check out this page. thewindowdog.com/best-replace... If we don't serve your area we just may have a local company that we recommend.
If you're still in the researching phase you can find the best source of replacement window information on the entire internet at: thewindowdog.com
Have fun out there!

[@Group51]

Works with a phone flash light. No need for an actual flame.

[@richardloxley]

A tip I found with my windows: the difference in colour of the flame was most obvious when the reflections had *just* separated and I was still looking at them almost directly on. When I moved my head a long way to the side, they all became the same colour. But I tried the trick with all my windows, and the ones I paid extra for years ago (and which I think they said were low-E) all had one darker flame. Thanks for the clear explanation.

[@GuyInCLE]

Thank you. Excellent video.

[@TheDirtyBirchTrails]

Wow thanks for the info. Pretty cool even though I never thought I would ever need to know this !

[@vintageMIDI]

Well. That was super easy. Barely an inconvenience! Thank you!

[@fixitmekanik412]

Awesome! Thank you for this tip.

[@curiosity2314]

Interesting and helpful.

[@radusiviorel6100]

You just saved me 600$ . Thank you!!

[@territerry7046]

Fantastic video. Thank you. Have been researching this subject as I've just moved into a new condo and with outside temp here in Southern Hemisphere around 19 Celsius my glass is 28 degrees! I'm freaking out what it will be like in summer on a 35/40 degree day. I was told by the builder it is definitely low e glass but until this test I didn't believe him. I still don't understand why the glass is so hot. Thank you for such a clear and visual video.

[@gregcorwin8316]

When you did the flame test where was the off color flame? Assuming you did the test from inside you home, if the off color was the second flame close to you then your coating is on glass surface 3 which you don't want in a cooling dominated environment. If the off color was the third flame from you that's what you want. There are a few reasons why the inside glass temperature was wo high compared with outdoors. How did you measure the inside glass temperature, was it measured using an infrared gun or was it direct contact with the glass surface?

[@jesusmejia4138]

What a great video finally understand low E🙂

[@mylesedwin4328]

A tip: you can watch movies on kaldroStream. Me and my gf have been using it for watching a lot of movies during the lockdown.

[@howardfinn9890]

@Myles Edwin Yup, I have been watching on KaldroStream for months myself =)

[@tylane6192]

@Myles Edwin yup, been using Kaldrostream for since december myself :)

[@ttomkins4867]

My one flame has a blue-green hue rather then the orange you have. Would this be from a different metal used in the low-e coating, or is it an indication of some other coating and my windows are not low-e?

[@magicassassin1947]

Hi does this truck applicable for single pane glass windows? Or this is only good for double pane glass windows. Thank you 💓

[@davidosbiston9699]

I know I have low E glass. What I want to know which side faces outward as labels are missing. Can i assume reflection 3 is on the inside of the outer glass?

[@Cirocoleman]

Thanks for explaining a method of determining if you have low-e glass in your windows. I asked various Double Glazing salesmen who were trying to sell me their product all the technical questions we're supposed to including this one to which they looked as perplexed as if I'd asked them to work out Pi to the 'nth' decimal place. Not one could give me an answer. Trying to find it on the web, too, has proved difficult until now. A question I asked the installers was that even though the glass came with stickers to say which side the low-e glass was on, what if there weren't any for whatever reason? How would you know which way round to install it?? Again, a look of total bemusement with no answer so could you also tell me how to determine on which pane the low-e glass is? From the different coloured reflection or . . . ? Thanks in advance

[@penangiteInAU]

Thanks😊 This is very helpful👍

[@russellsification]

Does it have to be the third flame. mine is the second when i am doing it from the inside

[@jroalan]

I'm in minnesota and looking at replacing my windows. "Flame 3" is the odd duck of the four. Does that mean the coating is on the inside of the outer pane or inner pane? Which should it be for colder climates? Also, in checking all my windows, I found one pane of one window backwards where "flame 2" was the odd duck. Thanks for the videos and help.

[@gregcorwin8316]

If you are inside your home and #3 is the odd colored flame then the coating is on the inside surface of the outer glass lite. This is normal for probably 90% of windows, the exception being if you are using a high solar heat gain coating. In that case the coating is normally applied to the opposite side of the interior lite.

[@plummetplum]

Is there a way to work out the U value of a window using a heat sensor?

[@alexisjankowski3281]

The foam in the spacers and condensation are interesting topics! I have heard the foam in the spacers doesn’t really matter, but I still want it.... Condensation is just a matter of temperature and humidity, so any tips there will be great! I don’t know if I should invest in a whole home humidifier.

[@Thewindowdog]

Glad you’re interested in those topics, I think they’ll make for fun videos. Coming soon!

[@sinaazadi5615]

What about windows with clear lo e on it? does the lighter trick still work?

[@reesecup4437]

WindowDog, Could you help me please? I would like to know if I can install - "One Way privacy Window Clings" on my double glazing-Argon fill Low-E front picture windows? Made by Soft-Lite, Double Hung Pro # SSL A-64-01865-000001, installed by a local company in 6/2018. If not, is there a product you would recommend for these windows. I really need something on these windows. Just to let you know, I did do your Low-E Glass test on these new windows, however, I did not see any change in color on that third flame...weird! Also, I did your test again on my sliding door windows and I got the same results in your test/video as you did; I saw the different color third flame. Thank you for your awesome videos and time.

[@amoryblaine1102]

The flame trick doesn't work frm both sides? I see the 3 Rd surface as differnt coloured fom outsside and the 4 th from the inside.. confused

[@Amovida123]

Thanks for the great video! Have you walked to the other side of the glass with the flame to test your theory. Would the darker flame then appear near to you as opposed to far in the test you performed? I apologize if I missed something but would love to hear your response after you have had a chance to test this. Thanks.

[@gregcorwin8316]

Yes, if you hold the flame near the glass that has the coating, the off color flame will appear closer to you. If the second flame close to you is off color then the glass close to you has the coating. If the third flame away from you has the coating (much more common if you are checking from inside your home), then the coating is on the other pane of glass, not the one close to you.

[@Amovida123]

@@gregcorwin8316 Thanks for the super well made and informative video and clarifying the "flame" trick. I have just ordered 44 IGU units for building storms for a Victorian home. Guessing I will be spending a lot of time with a flame making sure each window is oriented correctly. Thanks again.

[@gregcorwin8316]

@@Amovida123 You are welcome, but I have nothing to do with the video...That's Dan, the windowdog, not me. Will the IGU's that you just ordered come with a logo (or bug as it is commonly called in the glass/window industry)? If so, the logo SHOULD be on surface 4 which is the glass you touch from the inside the building, and the coating SHOULD be on the lite that is not logo'd. If the IGU's are logo'd then you can probably verify a couple of the units and if they are consistent count on the rest being the same. Again depends a lot on who is building them. Another way to verify coating location is to shine a laser at an angle into the glass face. The laser will show 4 reflections like the flame, but it will be the brightest reflection that identifies the coating rather than an off color. Personally I think it's easier to see the bright reflection than it is the off color, especially in daylight, but not all lasers work for this application. This is one of my personal favorite tools for checking IGU's. It's a laser used to determine glass and airspace width in an IGU, and not technically intended to be used for determining coating location, but it works great when used for that reason, and not just for IGU's, it can also be used to detect coating location inside of a laminated glass unit, something the flame test doesn't do. www.edtm.com/index.php/field-service-glass-thickness/product/48-mg1500-mig-thickness-gauge.

[@Amovida123]

@@gregcorwin8316 Hi Greg...sorry for my mistake re author of video..my apologies to both you and windowdog. The IGU's I have ordered are made by Cardinal glass but the first set I ordered as a test did not have the logo/bug and I am pretty sure the rest won't either . We are looking to only retain heat and allow maximum solar gain. Our late 1880's home is well built but is not very energy efficient and we are hoping that double pane storm windows will reduce a great deal of the homes winter heat loss. If you believe the manufacturer specs they should make an incredible difference. I want to make sure we get the orientation correct. I tried the flame trick and while it works pretty well on the glass units I have it's not always clear if you are seeing it right. The manufacturer of the IGU's puts the coating on surface #3 for this type of Low E glass. I have a laser that I will play with to see if it might work for this glass....not sure I am ready to throw $300 at an instrument but I do need to get this right in order for it to work.

[@Amovida123]

@@gregcorwin8316 Hey Greg....sorry for the delay. I do not think that these IGU's have a "bug". Thanks for the laser tip...that is good intel. That tool looks pricey given that I am hoping that this is one of my last major window projects...think I will get good at lasers and flame. Take care

[@phanthanhhung4961]

Hi man! what's difference between low-e coated on #2 and #3 of DGU glass?, Is it related to the climate? or another else reason?

[@gregcorwin8316]

Placing the coating on surface 2 reflects more solar heat than placing it on surface 3. LowE coating on surface 2 is considered to be low solar heat gain and coating on surface 3 is considered to be high solar heat gain, so ideally the coating would be on surface 2 in summer and surface 3 in winter in a moderate or cold climate, but that's not an option in the real world. Also, different coatings are specifically designed to be either surface 2 or surface 3. While they can be switched, that will result in a visible color shift. In other words the same coating on two identical windows, except one with coating on surface 2 and the other with coating on surface 3, will have a quite noticeable color difference between them when looking directly at both.

[@joereeder]

It’s 1 or 3 layers, I’d never lie about that and unless someone really has a bunch of 1-5 PM sun the 1 coat of low-e (silver oxide) is fine since u-factors aren’t much different at all but you’d be giving up 10% of ones light transmittance

[@mikek2951]

I get the feeling my windows at the front of the house have no low-E coating because the two bedrooms where these windows are located, in California and starting July through almost November, will be 10-15 degrees hotter than the hallway connected to them. If you feel the windows they are HOT. I wish I could go with an outdoor solar shade, since these rooms are also exposed to half the neighborhood, so privacy is a joke, but if I could just get at least a one-way privacy film on the windows that'd be awesome. I'm assuming I could apply it to side 4? I know, I should consult a professional... but I'm really needing to conserve money if possible.

[@123IGRACH]

So in your test LOW-E coating is on the inside part of the outer side glass(glass #2)? Because its third flame from left to right and you are inside the house? I'm trying to figure out can you tell on which exact glass is coating applied by your test.

[@steveswoodworking2504]

In looking at windows websites (in particular Anlin) they show the low e coatings on the inside of the outer pane of glass. I don't know how you'd know what type of Low E coating, as my 30 year old windows should have the old Low E1 (1 coating), but now they have 3 or even 4 coats of Low E. Some windows have a Low E coating on the outside of the inner pane of glass, where you can't clean the glass with anything abrasive. I have not yet tried this candle test, but I think I will, just out of curiousity.

[@user-ur4vq3xg7d]

so this means the low e is on the inside of the glass and not the outside?

[@virginiamaclinfreihofer2196]

Checking to see if our new windows (double hung and some fixed) are indeed Low E (what we paid for). A picture window we purchased shows it has Low E clear as day: one flame reflection is a very different color than the other reflections. However, that particular window has Argon gas as well. Would this affect the color of the flame's reflection? The other windows (with no Argon) don't have such an obvious difference in color.

[@gregcorwin8316]

The argon gas fill will not affect the color of the reflected flame.

[@xrob.bur01]

My Low e windows are apparently reflecting the sun's rays into my neighbors back yard and causing different items to melt or get very hot in some areas. Is there a solution for this phenomenon? I have been looking at anti-glare films, but doesn't sound like it is going to fix this issue. Thanks!!

[@Bigshoots86]

That...... Is awesome haha

[@waymooter2576]

Yea there is a pretty easy fix for that... dont have neighbors

[@j.darrel517]

I was taught to do this with a flashlight instead of a flame

[@tommyjoe4310]

Can Windows without low e be more problematic where condensation is concerned

[@vitaliypro8441]

If all reflections are the same color it doesn’t mean there is no Low-E coating. You could simply be a color blind

[@Mike-01234]

Installer got his hands all over the glass with adessive cocking he was using now the glass has a bunch of this junk on it I can't remove it with normal glass cleaner. Once I went to get some adessive off my glasses I used lacquer thinner it took the adessive off and the UV coating along with it. I had to buy new lens for my glasses expressive mistake. Using a strong solvent on Low-E-glass might be a bad idea.

[@dustycups]

If the low-e coating is on an exposed face (I.e single pane glass) then yes, it will be vulnerable to damage. On a double glazed unit it will be on an inner face. You can clean the caulk off carefully with a razor blade and methylated spirits.

[@johnnykrauze]

Who sold you the lousy roof? Do a video on that.

[@chodkowski01]

If you’re buying windows for hurricane protection stay away from Low-e and only get impact glass. In warmer climates they put the Low-e glass outside towards the storm. The problem with Low-e glass is it’s so thin and has no impact protection which will break easy.

[@gregcorwin8316]

LowE coating is for energy performance not impact resistance, but that doesn't mean that it's going to automatically fail if it gets wet. Exactly what do you mean by "so thin"? In most cases the outer LowE lite is going to be 3mm or thicker. That glass is also not uncommonly tempered, or at least heat strengthened, making it more break resistant when compared to "regular" glass. If something hits the outer lite hard enough to break it, then odds are that the inner, impact lite might also be broken. The impact glass will stay in place protecting the home regardless of if it gets broken or not.

[@mildredmelvin9580]

take me off this site i have not made a comment

[@overthemoon9941]

U need edit this..way too outdated.