Soft-coat vs hard-coat Low-E
The two ways a Low-E coating is applied. Soft-coat (sputtered) performs better but is delicate, so it must live sealed inside the glass unit; hard-coat (pyrolytic) is tougher and can be exposed, but blocks less heat.
What it means for you
For cooling-dominated NC, soft-coat is the better performer (lower SHGC, more UV blocked) and is why the coating lives inside the sealed unit. Hard-coat suits cold climates wanting passive solar heat. Ask which you're getting if solar-heat control is the goal.
Where you'll see it
Buried in glass-package specs; brands rename it, so ask the type.
Related terms
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