Argon Is Another Misunderstood Window Option.

I had a request this week for a window quote with LowE2 with argon which just doesn’t make sense.  If you are located where we have our sales and installation staff (Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley, and surrounding area), you almost always just need LowE2.  If you are outside a coastal area in California, you’ll need LowE3 and argon.  In short, argon is used to replace air between the 2 panes of glass and does improve energy efficiency, but like solar panels, it becomes less efficient over time.   Industry numbers for argon dissipation are generally 1-2% per year with argon below 90% affecting its efficiency.  Just like LowE3 (see our March blog), we recommend our customers buy what is required rather than spend money where it is not needed. 

Until our state started setting stringent codes for energy efficiency, hardly anyone asked for argon.  If you live in a coastal area, then you don’t need it as LowE2 works almost always for where we have our sales and installation staff.