In the Houston Bay Area, windows have two jobs that matter more than in most places: keeping out summer heat and standing up to Gulf storms. Low-E glass is about the first job. Impact glass is about the second. Knowing what each one does makes it much easier to decide what to put in your home.
What Low-E windows do
“Low-E” stands for low emissivity. A Low-E window has a microscopically thin, transparent coating on the glass that reflects much of the sun’s heat while still letting visible light through. In a hot climate, that means less solar heat coming into the house through the glass.
Low-E coatings are usually combined with double-pane construction. The space between the panes is often filled with argon, a gas that slows the transfer of heat compared with air. Together, the coating and the gas fill help rooms stay more comfortable and can reduce the load on your air conditioning.
Low-E glass also blocks a large share of ultraviolet light, which helps reduce fading of floors, furniture and fabrics.
What Low-E does not do: standard Low-E double-pane glass is not designed to stop wind-borne debris. In a hurricane, it can break like any ordinary window.
What impact windows do
Impact windows use laminated glass: layers of glass bonded to a tough inner layer. If something hits the glass, it may crack, but it is designed to stay in the frame instead of shattering into the house. The frames are reinforced and anchored to handle higher wind pressure, and the products are tested to recognized standards for wind-borne debris.
Benefits that homeowners notice beyond storm season:
- No boarding up or storing shutters when a storm is coming
- Laminated glass can reduce outside noise
- Laminated glass blocks most UV light
- Harder to break than standard glass
Read more on our impact & hurricane windows page.
The key point: it does not have to be either-or
Low-E is a coating. Impact is a type of glass and frame construction. Many impact window products can be ordered with Low-E glass, so you can get storm protection and solar heat control in the same window. When we quote impact windows, we will show you the glass options and ratings for each product so you can see exactly what you are getting.
Side-by-side
- Main purpose: Low-E is for energy efficiency and comfort. Impact is for storm and debris protection.
- Glass: Low-E is typically a coated double-pane, often argon-filled. Impact uses laminated glass in a reinforced frame.
- Cost: impact windows cost more than standard replacement windows. We will price both so you can compare.
- Noise and UV: both help with UV. Laminated impact glass also tends to help with outside noise.
- Storm prep: standard windows may still need shutters or plywood. Impact windows are designed to make boarding up unnecessary.
Windstorm areas near the coast (general information)
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has a designated catastrophe area along the coast. It includes all of Galveston County, which covers League City and the Galveston County side of Friendswood, and parts of Harris County near the bay. In this area, new windows generally need to meet windstorm building requirements and pass an inspection to receive a WPI-8 certificate of compliance, which is needed for the home to stay eligible for Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) coverage.
Meeting windstorm requirements is not the same thing as choosing impact glass, and requirements depend on the address. Check with TDI for your property before you buy, and we will plan the job around what is required. Most Clear Lake addresses inside the City of Houston are outside the designated area, but impact windows are still an option there.
How to choose
- Start with your main frustration. If it is hot rooms, high power bills and drafty or fogged windows, energy-efficient Low-E replacement windows address that directly.
- Think about storm season. If boarding up every time a storm heads our way is a hassle, or you want stronger protection, impact windows are worth pricing.
- Consider your location. Homes closer to the bay or in the designated windstorm area have more reason to look at impact options and windstorm requirements.
- Consider how long you will stay. The longer you plan to own the home, the more time you have to benefit from the upgrade.
- Mix and match if it makes sense. Some homeowners put impact windows on the most exposed sides of the house and energy-efficient windows elsewhere. We can quote it that way.
Get both options priced
We replace windows across League City, Friendswood and Clear Lake, including custom-fit windows for older homes with non-standard openings. The consultation is free: we measure every opening, talk through glass and style options, and give you a written, fixed-price proposal. Financing is available through Synchrony. See financing options.
Learn more about window replacement, or see our pages for League City, Friendswood and Clear Lake. Call or text (713) 364-4627.