Solar glass in Eldorado
Tuning glass for a passive solar house in Eldorado
An Eldorado solar home is designed to collect winter sun through south glass, store it in thick walls and floors, and hold it through the night. Replacing that glass with the wrong coating can quietly undo the design, so efficient windows here are about balancing gain and loss rather than simply blocking heat.
Gain versus loss, wall by wall
South glass: let it in
Look for a high solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) together with a good U-factor. That combination admits winter sun while cutting the heat that escapes through the same glass after dark.
West glass: hold it back
Afternoon sun through west windows adds heat when the house has already had plenty. A lower SHGC keeps those rooms from overheating in late spring and summer.
Clerestories: depends on direction
South-facing clerestories can follow the south-glass rule. High glass facing other directions often benefits from more solar control, since heat collects near the ceiling.
North glass: insulate
With no direct sun to collect, north windows should simply lose as little heat as possible.
The other half of passive solar: the night
The same large south glass that warms the house at noon loses heat on a clear winter night. Modern insulated low-E units lose far less than the single or early double panes many Eldorado homes started with, which means more of the day's warmth is still there in the morning.
Tight seals between the frame and the wall matter too. On open land with steady wind, air leaks around old frames can waste a surprising amount of stored heat.
Eldorado efficiency questions
What SHGC should we look for on south windows in Eldorado?
For south glass that's meant to collect winter sun, a higher SHGC is usually the goal, paired with a low U-factor. The exact numbers depend on overhangs and how much thermal mass the house has, so we'll compare a few specific options with you.
Our sunspace overheats in spring and fall. Is the glass the problem?
Partly. Sloped and west-facing sunspace glass can bring in more heat than the space can use in the shoulder seasons. Glass with more solar control on those panes, plus venting, usually helps without hurting winter performance much.
Will better glass let us turn the heat down at night?
Often, yes. Lower heat loss through big south windows means the house holds its warmth longer after sunset. How much you save depends on your house and habits, so we won't quote a number.
More services in Eldorado
Energy-Efficient Windows nearby
Keep your Eldorado solar home working the way it was designed.
We'll map each window by direction and recommend glass that balances winter gain, summer heat and night-time loss.