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Windows are excellent examples of the beauty created when technology meets style. But this also means there are some complex terms you may encounter when researching your perfect new windows. Here are five terms defined for easy understanding.

U-Factor – The measure of total heat flow through a window or door barrier from room air to outside air. Lower numbers mean greater insulation.

Low-E Glass — This term stands for Low Emissivity. The lower the emissivity, the better the thermal performance. Low-E glass is coated with a thin metal or metallic oxide layer to reduce the U-factor by suppressing the heat flow. It also reduces heat gain to prevent sunlight from heating a room in summer.

Double/Triple Pane — A double-pane window is two panes of glass with one spacer of air between them. A triple-pane window has three panes of glass with two air spacers. Both offer improved sound and air insulation, and triple-pane windows significantly increase a window’s energy efficiency.

Tempered Glass — This is glass heated then quickly cooled in a controlled environment. The process makes the glass several times stronger than standard glass. It’s also safer in that when broken it yields small pebble-like fragments.

Weather-Stripping — A strip of material that seals the sash and frame to reduce water and air from coming in through window parts.