What is a Spacer?
The spacer is the strip of material that maintains uniform separation between the layers of glass in the glazing unit of the window.
Traditionally spacers have been made of hollow aluminum containing a special drying agent designed to extract the residual moisture left between the glazings at the time of manufacture.
What Is Conductivity?
Conductivity is the process by which heat energy migrates through a material from the warm side to the cold side.
While strong and lightweight, aluminum conducts heat easily and is a source of conductive heat loss and reduced window performance.
Warm Edge Spacers
One of the many advances that has been made in window technology is the development of warm edge spacers. They are made from insulating material such as foam, butyl, thermo-plastic, or thermally improved metals and therefore conduct significantly less heat energy. The result is a more energy efficient window, reduced heat loss and reduced condensation at the edges of the glazing because the glass temperature is higher.