Glow Glass Technology: The Future of Home Heating
The concept of using electricity to heat glass to warm buildings isn’t a new idea, but over the last five years it has been steadily growing in popularity. This has largely been driven by the technology increasing in sophistication over time. GLOW is our market-leading, heated glass product.
Homeowners have also found that it’s a perfect solution for conservatories and extensions that would otherwise feel uncomfortably cold for much of the year.
The trend for using non-visible heating systems, and making better use of natural daylight, through using bi-fold doors and skylights, has also seen its popularity grow.
This article will aim to help to answer some common questions that builders, roofers, glaziers, and heating installers may have about our award-winning GLOW heated glass products, and where, why, and how they should be used.
Key Takeaways
- GLOW heated glass products can be used for windows, bi-fold doors, conservatories and skylights
- Heated glass has a conductive coating uses an electric current to heats the pane of glass, turning the whole glass pane into a heat source
- Heated glass is ideal for use localised spaces where there is no existing heating provision or when it is insufficient, for example conservatories and building extensions
- GLOW produces a radiant heat that warms the glass and adjacent wall surfaces which reduces the moisture build-up that can lead to mould/mildew which can exacerbate conditions like asthma
What is GLOW?
Our award-winning GLOW product uses two panes of glass, one of which has a special conductive coating made of thin layers of metallic oxides.
It also has a thermally efficient coating to prevent heat escaping from the external side of the glass.
Conductive wires are embedded in the frame of the glazed pane, and these are used to pass a small electrical current through the conductive coating on the glass.
When an electrical current passes through the coating, it acts as a resistive element, generating heat by resisting the current’s flow. The glass then releases the warmth generated as radiant heat.
Where should heated glass be used?
Our GLOW technology is versatile and can be applied in residential and commercial buildings in a variety of places. These include:
• Double-glazed windows
• Bi-folding doors
• Conservatories
• Skylights
This means GLOW can easily be integrated into a building’s existing structure and be used as a room’s only heat source without the need for additional radiators or HVAC systems.
It is ideal for use in buildings where wall-mounted or standing heaters aren’t appropriate, and for property extensions that will require additional heating, but where extending an existing heating system (e.g. due to limited wall space, or having to disturb existing underfloor heating) would be impractical. Common uses are for property extensions, conservatories, garden rooms, orangeries, and garden pods.
What are the benefits of using GLOW heated glass?
There are five key benefits of using GLOW heated glass.
- Energy Efficiency: By directly converting electricity into radiant heat, GLOW glass reduces the loss of energy associated with standard central heating systems. This technology directly heats up individuals and objects in the home, warming the area quicker and more efficiently with less energy consumption.
- Space Saving: The sleek, innovative design of heated glass reduces the need for obstructive and bulky heaters or vent systems in the home. This offers more flexibility in home design, especially for smaller buildings. This also increases the visual appeal of your home interior.
- Reduction of Condensation: As GLOW is a radiant rather than convection heat source, it contributes to a healthier indoor environment, as it prevents a build-up of moisture on the windows. It is also highly effective at warming the surfaces in a room, including adjacent walls, making it less likely that mould/mildew will form. It leads to clearer windows and reduces the growth of mould spores, which can exacerbate conditions like asthma.
- Uniform heating: Our GLOW heated glass window, door and roof products distribute heat evenly across the panel’s surface for widespread, uniform heating. This reduces cold spots and provides a consistent, controlled temperature for a comfortable space.
- Environmental Impact: GLOW heated glass is energy efficient and therefore reduces the creation of carbon emissions. As the production of renewable energy increases, it will become an ever-increasingly efficient heat source. It aligns with the green building practices encouraged by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), and aligns with the Future Homes Standard regulations, which dictate that low-carbon heating systems should be used for modern builds
See an example of GLOW being used for a real property extension here.
other common questions about heated glass
Is using heated glass expensive?
Although the unit cost of electricity is higher than gas, GLOW is very cost-effective when used as a heating solution for a localised area.
Rather than having to switch on your whole home’s central heating system, GLOW can be used to heat a specific room instantly and only for the length of time that you’re using it.
The average hourly running cost per bi-fold door is around 9p. A three-door bi-fold configuration running for five hours per day will cost around £1.35 (based on an electricity cost of 25p/kWh).
For electric-powered underfloor heating, GLOW is also more likely to get a room to the ideal temperature faster, reducing the amount of time required and therefore the electricity cost to heat a room. This is because most underfloor heating systems need to spend time warming the subfloor insulation before it can be felt in the room. GLOW starts warming the room from the second it is switched on, as there are usually no thermal barriers in the places it is installed, unless curtains/blinds are closed.
Is glass heating any good?
Rather than warming the air in a building, like a gas central heating system would, it is a more direct heat source, and works very quickly.
It is controlled using a thermostat, so you can change the temperature, keeping it consistent and turning it on and off as and when needed.
From the moment a thermostat is activated on to heat a room, GLOW will start to act as a heat source, and can usually get a room to the target temperature in just 15 minutes.
Interested in applications for GLOW outside of the home? Read our blog on using GLOW in modern offices
Is heated glass safe?
Like most standard heating systems, GLOW is controlled using a thermostat, which regulates the temperatures it can reach, so the homeowner is fully in control of it.
Our GLOW bi-fold doors are designed to reach a maximum surface temperature of 40°C. This is below the ‘Safe to Touch’ industry standard of 43°C, making it a safe heating solution for adults, children, and pets to touch.
GLOW panes are made with toughened glass as standard, which is five times stronger than normal glass. Any overhead installation also has the additional safety measure of the GLOW pane being made with laminated toughened glass. This means that in the very unlikely event of a pane breaking, the glass pieces would be held in place and would not fall onto the area below.
Our GLOW bi-fold door systems also have child-friendly gaskets which prevent fingers from being trapped.
Do you need radiators as well as heated glass?
Whether radiators and heated glass are needed together, would depend on the size of the room and the size of the GLOW heated glass panels within it. In most cases, unless the surface area of the heated glass panel is small relative to the size of the room, it can be used as the sole heat source.
GLOW is ideal for places where the existing heat source is insufficient and extra heating is required, for example, extensions and conservatories, or where there is no heating system and wall space is limited.
Doesn’t the heat escape?
Our GLOW panels have a thermally efficient coating that prevents the generated heat escaping, by reflecting it back into the building.
Unlike standard heating systems, like radiators, which heat the surrounding air, heated glass produces radiant heat which is instantaneous and warms people and objects rather than just heating the surrounding air space.
What is the difference between tempered glass and heated glass?
Heated glass, which is used to warm part of a building, is usually made with tempered glass for its thermal shock resistance properties and strength.
Tempered glass (also called toughened glass) is made by heat treating a pane of standard glass then cooling it quickly using high-pressure blasts of air. This changes its internal structure which makes it stronger. Heated glass often uses toughened glass for safety, as it is used in overhead skylights and bi-fold doors. The key difference is that heated glass has a conductive coating that generates heat when an electrical current passes through it.
To learn more about our range of GLOW heated glass products, contact our expert team for guidance on choosing the right solution for your project. Or call on 0345 3400 200.
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