There are always trade-offs. You can get windows without LoE coatings. You can also purchase windows with 1 layer coatings, 2 layer coatings and 3 layer coatings. The more coatings the more efficient the window but the darker it becomes. The fewer the coatings the higher the cost of heating and cooling.

I am also considering buying new windows and this AM is the first time I looked at this forum and "crazy woman" is the first post I read so I am not knowledgeable at all. But I have a question for "skydawggy" (Please let me know if this type post/question is unacceptable or rude)

I can understand how LoE will lower your cooling bill in the summer because the warm sun rays cannot penetrate the glass. But shouldn't that be a negative in the winter? I currently open the shades on southern facing windows to allow those warm rays to give "free heat" in the winter.

Funny! I am having my 1st cup of coffee and never thought I'd be asking a question.

Different coatings give different results. Double pane glass windows give different results than triple pane glass. Often it depends on what part of the country you live in. If I lived in Florida, Texas, Arizona etc. I would have triple pane installed with LoE and krypton gas if my goal was to shield my home from the intense rays of the sun. If I lived in the Northern US or Canada, I'd probably want Triple pane with krypton and perhaps only 1 or 2 layers of LoE. This would help keep the heat inside my house in the winter but also allow for a greater SHGC as opposed to 3 coats. If I lived in the central part of the country I might choose a double pane with 2 or 3 coats and argon gas. Coastal area might be double or triple pane with 3 coats. There is even a manufacturer who is offering a window with 2 panes of glass and 3 sections of film, essentially creating a five pane window.

This is why it's always difficult to give a simple answer to the question "what's the best window?" The answer is, the best window is the one that suits "your needs."

People should always compare window facts like U-factors against SHGC against Visible Transmittance against Air Infiltration against Design Pressure etc. to determine what best suits their needs. We have even done istallation where we installed triple pane on part of the house and double pane in the rest.

My understanding regarding Low-E in different regions, is it is a trade off...there are low-e's that allow more heat (infrared) from the sun, medium amounts, and very little amounts. I believe, as a rule of thumb, the warmer and sunnier the region the lower the SHGC you want (meaning the low-e stops more infrared radiation.) Where it is colder (ie: northeast) you want to let more sun radiation in to help with heating, therefore a higher SHGC number. Hardcoats allow more radiation than softcoats. In essence, low-e glass is made in different forms and is able to perform in different ways depending on your application. I am in am in the process of trying to formulate a solution for my home, and it does require some research and self-education. I am in the midst of my learning curve, but hoped this helped. This forum is an excellent source of information and shared expertise.

Low-E, properly applied and selected, can keep you comfortably cool in the summer and comfortably warm in the winter. It also cuts glare and makes outside scenery a lot crisper. FOr us, it also means not needing any curtain except for a thin privacy screen in one section of the house. The rest are left open for a lot of natural light and unobstructed view into the valley and coast below. The stained wood is not covered by curtains and adds warmth to our house. Our heater runs a lot less now in the Winter and our A/C easily keeps the inside at around 75-F even when it is searing 105-F outside.

How much time do you stand outside admiring or criticizing your home each day and how much time do you spend inside your home? Is interior comfort and beauty that everyone will notice less important that a bit of exterior tint that no one will notice?

What is the point of having beautiful windows when you must pull the curtain or blinds to block out searing heat or biting cold? No one can see them!

When a storm is blowing with snow, ice, rain, sleet or when the summer sun and heat is beating down on your house, I doubt anyone wants to stand outside and stare at the green tint and criticize it. They will be more interested in getting inside your house and start admiring how cool or warm it is when it is so nasty outside and LOOK, they will say, there is no curtain to block the views!

Cheers!

Thank you all for your replies...the windows have been ordered! Yeah!! We were able to order the Jeld-Wen Traditions Plus Wood double hung windows with clear glass after all. The green tint is no longer an issue. They still will be doubled-paned and have insulated annealed glass, which is more that I could ask for. Thanks again!