Anyone got solar control glass ? Pergola or Brise Soleil Instead ?

[Loz]

Hi

 

we are looking at some 4.8m sliders and 2.5m bi-folds in a south west facing garden and worried about overheating. Been looking at various solutions including pergolas and Brise Soleil to create shading. Did find on one site that for a Brise Soleil in south west elevation would need 0.7m * window height (2m) so 1.4m to create an adequate shield, we are probably more West than South West where recommended elevation is even bigger.

Keep coming back to solar control glass but really nervous that it will make everything look a bit dull when looking out.

As far as I can tell these three glasses are essentially the same but potentially made under license:

Saint Gobain SGG Bioclean Natura

Pilkington Activ SunShade Neutral

Glass Systems Ecoclean Sunshield Neutral with sun control

None of them have decent pictures although claim to be neutral but which reflecting approx 70 of solar reflection thus reducing solar gain also only lets in approx 40% of the light. The pilkington site mentions a slight grey appearance, all the ranges also do a blue, bronze or aqua type tint that want to avoid.

Anyone faced similar dilemma and plumped for solar control glass or haven't and wished they had ?

Be great to hear from anyone with one of the above products and get a feel for how it is looking out on both a sunny and a grey day.

Torn between just going clear triple glazed which reduces solar gain a bit over double I believe and dealing with the hot days and then enjoying clear glass for the rest of the time.

Likely to have internal roller blinds on wall inside but whilst these I think will cut the light out the heat will already be in.

Some of the pergola ideas seen images of look quite smart but not sure really want to go that route.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Lawrence

[SteamyTea]

My car has blacked out rear windows.

Hardly notice the difference when looking out.

Left is the dark side.

[Loz]

Good point I have blacked out windows in rear too but think that is more for privacy rather than reduce of solar gain so not sure how similar they would be in appearance.

[joe90]

I have a south facing conservatory and opted for “solar glass” in the roof, you can hardly see the tint but it reflects glare/solar and the figure of 70% rings a bell.

[Marvin]

Had often thought of using a Brise Soleil type system for cutting out the peak summer heat on normal glass, letting in the sun when the sun is lower at other times of the year to warm the house, rather than cutting it all out by coating the glazing. 

[Conor]

We costed up solar control glass. Brise soleil worked out much cheaper. Being in Northern Ireland, outside air temps *rarely* go above the low 20s, so cooling by air purging will do the job. We've gone for triple glazed units throughout, Inc the 4.6m bifolds.

[Bitpipe]

We have external motorised venetian style blinds on east aspect so morning sun is reduced. Velux external blinds on east & south roof lights.

 

They both work great.

 

Big sliders on west aspect so external blinds would not work so well and it's less of an issue so I have linen panels clipped to a tensioned wire which act as a translucent shade.

 

Have considered pergola etc but surprisingly expensive.

 

Did notice this in CostCo which may help...

 

https://www.costco.co.uk/Garden-Sheds-Patio/Garden-Structures/Gazebos-Pergolas-Conservatories/Yardistry-11ft-x-13ft-34-x-4m-Cedar-Louvered-Room-with-Aluminium-Roof/p/1333257

 

[Onoff]

Doesn't @NSS have solar control glass? Can't think of the name but seem to remember it's mega bucks!

[Loz]

Thanks for all great replies, fantastic forum, first time, poster, will have a think about the options posted, good to hear other peoples suggestions, thanks, Lawrence

[Onoff]

Sageglass! Just remembered.

 

 

[hendriQ]

@Loz I have opted for SN 70/35 on all of my west facing windows and sliding door and on the only rooflight that is over a bedroom. Details here: https://www.guardianglass.com/gb/en/products/brands/sunguard/super-neutral/70-35

 

It wasn't that much more expensive that the regular glass, and was the easiest addon to negotiate down in price. The rooflight company eventually gave it to me "for free". If all the glass on the same wall / orientation is the same, you won't notice the colour difference - or at least that is the logic that caused me to specify it on the sliding doors as well, which are about 40cm away from the kitchen window. I am hoping that I won't really notice the colour difference between this and untinted glass as there won't be any untinted glass in the same room and my eyes will just adjust to it. If however you were to have two windows side by side and one has solar control and the other doesn't, you will notice, as with the picture of @SteamyTea bling wagon. I know one can go darker than SN70/35 and block out more solar gain but for me this was the right balance between letting enough light in but not too much heat. Haven't had it delivered or installed yet, so fingers crossed it looks good when it comes. I will upload some photos, probably in June.

[SteamyTea]

55 minutes ago, hendriQ said:

picture of @SteamyTea bling wagon

If is a really old C-Max, and the seat belts are still clipped in the back since it was MOTed last September.

I don't think I have ever sat in the back.

[NSS]

5 hours ago, Onoff said:

Doesn't @NSS have solar control glass? Can't think of the name but seem to remember it's mega bucks!

I doubt it could be used on bi-folds anyway due to the requirement to run cable to each individual pane of glass.

[craig]

1 hour ago, NSS said:

I doubt it could be used on bi-folds anyway due to the requirement to run cable to each individual pane of glass.

You’re thinking of sage glass and it is doable but the risk is with buyer.

Edited April 29, 2021 by craig

[NSS]

17 hours ago, craig said:

You’re thinking of sage glass and it is doable but the risk is with buyer.

 

I know it's SageGlass, mine was the first residential property in the UK to have it (or at least that's what SageGlass told me at the time).

[Nick Laslett]

On 29/04/2021 at 20:23, hendriQ said:

@Loz I have opted for SN 70/35 on all of my west facing windows and sliding door and on the only rooflight that is over a bedroom. Details here: https://www.guardianglass.com/gb/en/products/brands/sunguard/super-neutral/70-35

 

It wasn't that much more expensive that the regular glass, and was the easiest addon to negotiate down in price. The rooflight company eventually gave it to me "for free". If all the glass on the same wall / orientation is the same, you won't notice the colour difference - or at least that is the logic that caused me to specify it on the sliding doors as well, which are about 40cm away from the kitchen window. I am hoping that I won't really notice the colour difference between this and untinted glass as there won't be any untinted glass in the same room and my eyes will just adjust to it. If however you were to have two windows side by side and one has solar control and the other doesn't, you will notice, as with the picture of @SteamyTea bling wagon. I know one can go darker than SN70/35 and block out more solar gain but for me this was the right balance between letting enough light in but not too much heat. Haven't had it delivered or installed yet, so fingers crossed it looks good when it comes. I will upload some photos, probably in June.

 
Hello @hendriQ, did you post any pictures? How is the SN70/35 glass. We are just about to place our order. 

[hendriQ]

It looks fine - can't really tell the difference between this and normal glass to be honest. Makes me wonder if they have actually fitted the SN70/35 glass I ordered. How can I test this?