THERMAL PERFORMANCE RATINGS
Polaris® thermal performance ratings provide information on the potential heat loss and gain of each of our window types, as well as how much sunlight enters your home.
U-Value (U):
Measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping a home or buidling. U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the U-Factor, the better a product is at keeping heat in. The U-Factor is particularly important in northern climates.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (S):
Measures how well a product blocks heat from the sun. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower the SHGC, the better a product is at blocking unwanted heat gain. SHGC is particularly important in southern climates.
Visible Transmission (V):
Measures how much light comes through a product. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The higher the VT, the higher the potential for daylighting.
Condensation Resistance (C):
A measure of the effectiveness of a window or glazing system to reduce the potential for condensation. The higher the condensation resistance factor, the more efficient the window and glazing system.
energySMART®
Family of High Performance Glass
The glass in a window is referred to as an Insulating Glass (IG) unit. Panes of glass are held together by a spacer. This creates an insulating air space between the panes. We offer IG unit choices to block damaging ultra violet rays, block the cold and hold your warmth. According to the U.S. Department of Energy windows could account for 10% to 25% of your energy bill. Windows manufactured with Low-E glass and argon gas to replace your single pane windows that have clear glass will reduce your energy consumption.
Foam Filling Benefits
Not all vinyl-framed windows are created equal. Some are insulated; some are not. Your energy dollars could be leaking out of your window frames. If they are not filled with ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN™ polyurethane foam - the same type of foam that insulates your refrigerator and thermos.
Our window frames insulated with ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN™ foam give you:
• Increased Energy Savings
• Lowers the U-Value, increases thermal performance
Maximize your window energy efficiency. Insist on ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN™ polyurethane foam-filled window frames.
energySMART®
How We Measure Up