In rare cases glazing products can still set themselves apart by providing significant comfort in some cases. It is the case of heated glass.
Glazing has undergone a transformation
If there is one product everyone has at home and that everyone “gets” it’s glazing. “Ah yes, you have good insulation! That’s double glazing! “. Who has never said this whilst tapping on the window with their index finger?
Because yes, glazing has made great leaps forward in recent years. Our old houses all had single glazing and we were a long way from the many technological advances that have paved the way to the current glazing landscape.
These days glazing is bespoke. Every requirement has a solution in the form of a type of glazing or combinations thereof. Whether thermal, soundproofing, visual or all of these at the same time, there are solutions.
But did you know that for a number of years now your glazing has had the ability to turn itself into a heat source?
Heated glass, what’s that?
No, it’s not malapropism, we are indeed talking about glazing that produces its own heat, and not through the action of the sun or other external sources.
So, how does it work?
Heated glass is designed as double or triple glazing. In practice, an (invisible) layer of metal oxide is coated on the inside of the glass (face 3). This glass is tempered to make it highly resistant.
Finally, low voltage electricity is passed through this coating so that the glass acts as a resistor and generates heat (see diagram). On face 2, a low emission coating is applied to prevent the heat from escaping and send it back inside the room to fulfil its function.
The power source is, of course, concealed within the frame, making it invisible.
What are the applications?
Heated glass meets a number of requirements. Here is a list:
- Thermal : obviously, its prime function is to heat, so it can be used as extra heating or as main heating. The warmth experienced is, on average, 2°C higher than with traditional heating. Moreover, it eliminates cold walls
- Visual: heated glass eliminates the condensation and steamed up windows, thus giving a completely clear field of vision
- Health: as it is not a traditional convector, it does not produce air currents and as such prevents the movement of dust. It also prevents the appearance of condensation, and therefore of any mildew.
- Economical: it can result in turning your main home heating down by 2 or 3°C. Generally, reducing heating by one degree a year results in annual savings of around 7%. As such, heated glass can reduce your heating bill by around 14 to 21%, although heated glass running costs should be deducted from this figure. It should be noted that it requires no upkeep, which also represents a saving.
Once you understand all the possibilities offered by heated class, you can imagine many applications. In the early days, it was mostly installed by businesses as a luxury product in hotels, museums, airports etc. But now it is starting to become popular among private customers, particularly with the increased popularity of verandas, bay windows etc.
We can also envisage glass slabs particularly in very cold geographical regions, in the mountains for example. What a luxury to be able to enjoy the mountain view without condensation, tucked up in the warmth of your chalet, apartment or house!
Technical specifications
Check out the technical specifications of heated glass by downloading the technical documentation.
