After-market Window Film Could Cause Seal Failure

3 pros!
Window contractor recommends replacement windows with low-e glass to control heat gain and protect against radiant heat.
Question: "My front windows face southwest. I have no shade trees in the front yard, so I'm expecting my front rooms to get hot this summer. I plan to replace the windows but am getting conflicting advice. Should I get low-e (low-emissivity) glass and rely on it to block infrared heat waves, or get clear glass and have an infrared-reflective film applied? Which will give me the best results?" — Angie's List member Roger Linville
Answered: "The best bet the glass industry has come up with is LoE-366," according to Grant Neiss, president of highly rated Signature Window Replacement in Seattle.
"It's a product with three layers of silver injected into glass to work as a heat reflective coating, controlling solar heat gain and protecting against radiant heat." Although the product comes tinted darker than clear glass, it blends in enough for residential use.
After-market window film, on the other hand, may possibly trigger window seal failure on insulated units, Neiss says, because it causes the air inside the panes of glass to contract and expand more than it would usually.
With Linville's wall facing southwest, sunlight will always be a problem. However, Neiss says, if he opts to install LoE3 windows and plants tall trees outside, it should help reflect the heat.
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