Since your door is facing West, it will get that afternoon heat, which is usually the hottest. I would think if that bothers you, you could always add a roman shade that could be lowered for the hottest part of the day.

Justgotabme, thank you. I'll need something for privacy at night, so it should kill two birds.

Hi Linelle, is there a range of low-e available for your preferred door?

I found LoE-366 too dark, LoE-180 not noticeably darker than regular, and LoE-272 somewhere in between, fine and got us the u-value we wanted. Good luck!

Oaktown, thanks. Now that I know more about u-values, I'll check with the door people. If I have to err on one side, it'll be no LoE.

I honestly don't recall what we ended up with, though I do recall the trauma of the decision. I agree LoE 180 was not noticeably different. We used 2 or maybe 3 different coatings on different exposures. I know I agonized over whether the 366 was too dark and can't recall if we used it minimally or rejected it. Now that the windows and doors are in, I find I don't notice the differences except where I'm looking out at a cedar clad wall and I "know" it is supposed to look redder than it does. Or if the adjacent door is open and I see the two colors side by side, the view through the window is greener. It doesn't really feel darker though-- I know that doesn't make a lot of sense! I think we used primarily the 272 to get the U-value we needed to meet the energy code.

Our windows are all Low E double pane, argon gas filled. I don't remember if the glass itself has a low E coating, but we can see through them perfectly so maybe not.

I don't doubt that one can see through them just fine. My concern is maximizing the brightness and real-ness of the light, kind of the whole point for me getting a new door with 3/4 lite in the first place. Besides the fact that I have an ugly builder's grade steel door.

We have two large south facing windows in our great room as well as a set of french doors. We wanted real sunlight to filter in. We selected the glass for the windows that was described as solar gain glass (it is a low e still ). To get the glass in the french doors in the same solar gain glass was too costly. So we went with the standard low e for the door. Well I can tell you bright lovely sunshine comes through the windows, and light but not really sunshine comes through the doors.

Carol

Carol, thanks for sharing that. I would be so pissed if I went to all this trouble and the light was diminished. I know I'll have two doors that are nicer than what I have now, but the whole point is sunshine.

I looked up our emails on the window and door orders. Near as I can determine, the low E that allowed true sunlight to come in was low E 180 (this was on our two south windows I spoke of). The low E that allowed less sunlight (but was more thermal) was Low E 272 (this was the glass in the door). The glass manufacturer was Cardinal, but I assume that different glass companies use the same Low E numbers. Do double check this, but I think you may be looking for low E 180 (also referred to as solar gain glass).

Carol

Linelle, I meant I didn't think our windows looked like they had any coating on them.

It seems that a low E rating of 180 seems to be perceived okay by most people. I'll check on the number when I order my door.

Linelle,

If you're not concerned about UV rays causing fading of paint, flooring, wall art, curtains, furniture, etc., clear glass is an acceptable option in your area.
Solarban 60 permits 70% of available daylight.

The advanced low-e coating of Solarban 60 glass transmits more
than 70 percent of the sun’s available light into a home while blocking
79 percent of the sun’s damaging UV energy and other contributors to
fading—in all, 24 percent better than standard clear insulating glass.
This helps to protect interior furnishings, fabrics and carpets from
fading.

the house we are in now has low e windows and I definitely feel like the overall feel inside the house is dimmer-- there are quite a few windows, but it's just not as bright as it 'should' be!! I am sure there is energy savings( it's all of our windows) and I have had furniture damaged in previous homes from the sun, so I like that aspect of them- wish I had them in some of our other homes- but it has been an adjustment... I am totally fine with my view out tho!!

as long as you're not concerned about the sun's damage, i would chose without... you will also have the screen door interfering a little with the brightness of the light coming in...

Sun damage isn't a concern. I'll have pet screen on the screen door which is darker. I hated them when I got my slider screens done, but in a couple of days I was over it. The alternative is ripped screens. My cats aren't as bad as when they were kittens, but bugs will find even the smallest tear/hole. Plus, it looks terrible. Looks like I'll take a pass on low-E.

If you ever change out the storm door, choose a top retractable screen instead of bottom. I chose that model to keep grandkids from pushing the screen. Cleaning the glass is easier than tightening the screen fabric.

Brushworks, I'm getting a conventional screen door without glass of any kind. The bottom 1/3 is flat panel. I do agree that I would want screen at the top.

I am having same problem in making a decision. Everything about low E is great except that brightness loss factor.

We have double glazing with argon and outer pane laminated so sun fade shld not be an issue? We have an opportunity to have windows changed to minus low E. I miss the brightness but appreciate all the positive factors and now have to decide which way to go.. Any advice?

I went with the plain glass, i.e., not low E. I'm a happy camper. It's like having a new window. The light in my room is so utterly changed that I'll walk into the living room and think I've left the door wide open. It's everything I hoped it would be. I do have a conventional screen door that's always in place, since I like to open my door for fresh air when it's warm enough to do so. So the screen somewhat effects the light, but one's eyes adjust to that.

I've ordered a custom roller shade, as I need the privacy at night. Currently I have a long piece of craft paper that I hang with blue tape every night and take down in the morning. Yesterday it was almost 100 here and the late afternoon sun was brutal. I was too lazy to put the faux shade up.

Here's the difference. It will really make a difference in the winter when it's too cold to have the door open. The screen door is all screen, no glass.

Before

After

Morning, sun on the other side of house

Midday, front door open

No low E for me. Light is everything. At night or if the late afternoon sun is roasting I'll pull down the roller shade. Otherwise, it's all light, all the time.

@Bunny Thanks for posting this, this was a good read.

I'm in a different position where I'm building a new home from scratch, and there are energy code requirments that make it almost impossible NOT to use Low-E. They'll make you do it!

I'm assuming you didn't have to deal with this because you were simply making an upgrade to your current home (no County permits required, huh?)

I'm trying to find out from the County inspectors if having a very long overhang over the glass windows could exempt me from using the Low-E glass.

I forgot about this thread. Getting the glass door without Low-E was the best low-cost improvement I've made to my house. The light gain is immeasurably wonderful. A plain white roller shade provides privacy at night. I need natural light to thrive.