Top 7 High-Performance Glass Options for Windows and Doors

Introduction to High-Performance Glass Technology

Modern glass technology has changed the window and door industry, giving homeowners new options for energy efficiency, security, and looks. High-performance glass is much better than old single-pane windows, offering solutions for any building challenge or climate.

At ARDMOR, we know that choosing the right glass is one of the most important decisions when upgrading your windows or doors. The glass you pick can really affect your home's comfort, energy use, and value. Our team helps customers make these choices with expert knowledge and personal recommendations.

Whether you're building a new home, fixing up an old one, or just replacing broken glass, understanding the different high-performance options will help you make good choices. In this guide, we'll look at the top high-performance glass options, their benefits, and how they can make your living or working space better. Learn more about comparing different glass types for optimal energy efficiency to make the best choice for your specific needs.

1. Low-E (Low-Emissivity) Glass: The Energy Efficiency Champion

Low-E glass is one of the biggest improvements in window technology in recent years. This special glass has a super thin, invisible metal coating that blocks ultraviolet and infrared light while still letting visible light through.

How Low-E Glass Works

The science behind Low-E glass is pretty simple. The coating reflects heat back into your home during winter and reflects away the sun's heat during summer. This makes it great for any climate, providing comfort and energy savings all year. The tiny coating is added during manufacturing and creates a barrier that allows light to pass through while blocking heat waves that would make your home too hot or cold.

Benefits of Low-E Glass

• Superior energy efficiency: Reduces heating and cooling costs by up to 30%
• UV protection: Blocks harmful UV rays that can fade furniture, flooring, and artwork
• Enhanced comfort: Eliminates hot or cold spots near windows
• Condensation reduction: Helps prevent moisture buildup on window surfaces

At ARDMOR, we offer premium window replacement options featuring advanced Low-E glass technology from leading manufacturers. Our professional installation ensures you'll get the most out of this remarkable glass option. Many homeowners find that the money they spend on Low-E glass pays for itself through lower energy bills within just a few years, making it one of the best energy improvements for your home.

2. Double and Triple Glazing: Layered Protection for Maximum Performance

When it comes to keeping heat in and noise out, the number of glass panes really matters. Double and triple glazing use multiple layers of glass with insulating spaces between them. These multi-pane designs create thermal barriers that save much more energy than single-pane windows.

Double Glazing: The Standard for Modern Efficiency

Double-glazed windows have two panes of glass with a sealed space between them. This space is usually filled with an insulating gas like argon or krypton, which keeps heat in better than air does. The result is much better energy efficiency and noise reduction compared to single-pane windows. Modern double-glazed units often use warm-edge spacer technology, which further improves thermal performance by reducing heat transfer around the edges of the glass unit.

Triple Glazing: Ultimate Performance for Extreme Conditions

Triple glazing takes performance even further with three panes of glass and two insulating spaces. This design delivers exceptional insulation, making it especially valuable in very cold regions or for homes in noisy areas. The extra glass layer and insulating space can cut heat loss by up to 50% compared to standard double glazing, resulting in big energy savings and better comfort, especially during harsh winters or in noisy neighborhoods.

ARDMOR specializes in high-quality window replacement with advanced glazing options from top manufacturers like Andersen and Marvin. Our experts can help you decide whether double or triple glazing is right for your needs and budget. We look at your local climate, home orientation, existing insulation, and noise concerns to recommend the best glazing solution for your situation.

3. Laminated Glass: Safety and Sound Control in One Solution

Laminated glass is a remarkable innovation in glass technology, offering better safety, security, and noise control. This special glass consists of two or more panes bonded together with a tough interlayer, usually made of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). The manufacturing process uses high pressure and temperature to create an extremely durable material with unique protective properties.

How Laminated Glass Enhances Safety

The interlayer in laminated glass serves an important safety function. When broken, laminated glass stays in one piece, with glass fragments sticking to the interlayer rather than scattering. This greatly reduces injury risk and makes forced entry harder, providing valuable protection for your home. This "stay-in-place" feature is why building codes require laminated glass for skylights, glass doors, and windows near floor level where people might bump into them.

Superior Sound Control

One of the most appreciated benefits of laminated glass is its exceptional noise control. The interlayer acts as a dampening layer that absorbs sound energy, significantly reducing noise transmission. This makes laminated glass an excellent choice for homes in cities, near airports, or along busy roads. The sound-dampening properties can reduce outside noise by up to 50% compared to standard single-pane glass, creating a noticeably quieter and more peaceful home even in loud locations. ARDMOR offers comprehensive door repair services including laminated glass installation for better security and sound control.

4. Tempered Glass: Strength and Safety Combined

Tempered glass is a key type of safety glass, offering exceptional strength and unique safety features. Through a special heat treatment process, regular glass is transformed into a product that's about four times stronger than untreated glass. This enhanced strength makes tempered glass highly resistant to heat stress, impacts, and wind pressure, providing better performance in demanding situations.

The Tempering Process

During tempering, glass is heated to over 600°C and then quickly cooled. This thermal process creates a compressed outer layer and tensile inner layer, resulting in glass that can withstand much higher impact and heat stress than standard glass. The molecular changes that happen during tempering fundamentally change how the glass behaves under stress, creating a material that can handle substantial force before breaking, and when it does break, does so in a way that minimizes injury risk.

When broken, tempered glass shatters into small, relatively harmless chunks rather than sharp, jagged pieces. This greatly reduces the risk of serious injury, making tempered glass the preferred choice for many uses where people might bump into it. Building codes typically require tempered glass in doors, shower enclosures, and windows near walkways or in other potential impact zones. The unique break pattern also provides a visual clue that the glass has been properly tempered, allowing for easy safety verification. ARDMOR provides expert glass replacement services including tempered glass installation for doors, windows, and specialty applications.

5. Insulated Glass Units (IGUs): The Complete Package

Insulated Glass Units combine multiple glass technologies into a single, high-performance window system. These sealed units use two or more panes of glass with insulating spacers and special gas fills to create windows with excellent thermal and sound properties. IGUs have become the industry standard for energy-efficient windows, offering a versatile platform that can include various glass types and treatments to meet specific performance needs.

Anatomy of an IGU

A typical IGU consists of at least two panes of glass separated by a spacer system that creates an insulating air space. This space is often filled with argon or krypton gas, which insulates better than regular air. The entire assembly is sealed around the edges to maintain the gas fill and prevent moisture from getting in. The spacer system plays an important role in both performance and lifespan, with modern "warm-edge" spacers significantly reducing heat transfer at the edge of the glass while minimizing the risk of seal failure that can lead to fogging between panes.

Modern IGUs often include additional performance features like Low-E coatings, warm-edge spacers, multiple chambers, and laminated or tempered glass for added safety and security. The flexibility of IGU design allows manufacturers to create windows optimized for specific climate zones and performance requirements, from maximizing solar heat gain in cold northern climates to blocking unwanted heat in southern regions. ARDMOR specializes in window replacement featuring premium IGUs from leading manufacturers like Oknoplast. These Oknoplast aluminum windows offer exceptional thermal insulation and modern design for discerning homeowners.

6. Glass Block Windows: Combining Privacy and Light

Glass block windows offer a unique solution that balances privacy and natural light. These distinctive windows are made from individual glass blocks, usually 4-12 inches square, that are mortared together to create a solid, translucent panel. Dating back to the early 20th century, glass block has become popular again in modern architecture for its combination of practical benefits and distinctive look.

Distinctive Characteristics of Glass Block

Unlike regular windows, glass block creates a visual barrier while still letting light through. The blocks can be clear or textured, with various patterns that scatter light and blur direct views, making them perfect for spaces where privacy is needed without giving up natural light. The thickness and construction of glass blocks also provide excellent insulation and sound reduction, with some premium products offering insulation values similar to standard double-glazed windows.

Glass block windows offer several performance benefits beyond their good looks, including superior security, excellent insulation, sound reduction, and low maintenance. Their solid construction makes them extremely difficult to break through, providing enhanced security for basement windows and other vulnerable areas. The mortar or silicone joints between blocks create a virtually maintenance-free window that never needs painting or hardware adjustment. ARDMOR offers expert guidance on energy-efficient glass block window options that can enhance both the look and function of your home.

7. Impact-Resistant Glass: Protection from Extreme Weather

Impact-resistant glass provides crucial protection against severe weather events and forced entry attempts. This specialized glass is designed to withstand significant impacts without shattering, making it essential for homes in hurricane-prone regions or areas with extreme weather conditions. Originally developed for coastal regions with strict building codes, impact-resistant glass has found wider use for its security benefits and sound reduction properties.

Construction and Performance

Impact-resistant glass typically consists of two or more glass panes laminated together with a tough interlayer, similar to car windshield construction. This design allows the glass to absorb significant impact energy without breaking apart. Even when cracked, the glass remains stuck to the interlayer, maintaining the window's structural integrity. The strongest impact-resistant systems can withstand strikes from large debris traveling at over 100 mph, providing critical protection during extreme weather events when regular windows would fail catastrophically.

While hurricane resistance is a primary benefit, impact-resistant glass offers additional advantages including enhanced security, noise reduction, UV protection, and energy efficiency. The robust construction that protects against storm debris also creates a strong barrier against forced entry, with some systems requiring repeated heavy blows to create even a small opening. The laminated construction provides excellent sound reduction, cutting external noise by up to 40% compared to standard windows. ARDMOR offers premium Oknoplast uPVC front doors and aluminum front doors with impact-resistant glass options for homeowners wanting maximum security and weather protection.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right High-Performance Glass for Your Needs

Picking the right high-performance glass option for your windows and doors means balancing factors like your local climate, budget, security needs, and style preferences. The advances in glass technology have created many solutions that can be customized to your specific requirements.

At ARDMOR, we know that sorting through these options can be overwhelming, which is why our experts are ready to help guide you through the selection process. We look at factors such as your home's orientation, existing insulation, and your comfort goals to recommend the ideal glass solution for your project.

Whether you're looking for maximum energy efficiency with Low-E glass and triple glazing, enhanced security with laminated or tempered glass, or unique aesthetic options with decorative or smart glass, ARDMOR can help you find the perfect solution. Contact us today to discuss your high-performance glass needs and discover how the right glass selection can transform your home's comfort, efficiency, and beauty.

Glass Type	Energy Efficiency	Sound Reduction	Security	UV Protection	Overall Rating
Triple-Pane Low-E	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Excellent	Excellent
Double-Pane Low-E	Very Good	Good	Good	Very Good	Good
Laminated	Good	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Tempered	Good	Fair	Very Good	Fair	Good
Glass Block	Good	Very Good	Excellent	Good	Fair
Impact-Resistant	Good	Very Good	Excellent	Very Good	Excellent