FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
October, 2010
New Heat Mirror® ”-S” Films from Southwall Technologies
- North America 1.
What is Heat Mirror -S film? Heat Mirror –S (HM-S) films are low-emissivity
suspended IG films made with a special coating layer to work with advanced
two-part structural silicone sealants tested and qualified by Southwall.
2.
How does HM-S film benefit my business? By supporting the faster cure
time and mechanical performance afforded by a two-part structural silicone
sealant, HM-S films make high performance Heat Mirror IG a practical solution
for large commercial projects that require energy-efficient structural glazing.
HM-S films enable licensees to more efficiently service large volume orders with
shorter production cycle times.
3.
Will HM-S film be priced the same as standard HM films? The price and
delivery of HM-S films are available on request from Southwall Customer Service.
4.
Will I still be able to buy current “non-S” HM films? Yes.
5.
What are the names of these new films? The new films are designated with
an “S” appended to the standard product name:
o
o
o
o
Heat
Heat
Heat
Heat
Mirror
Mirror
Mirror
Mirror
HM66S
HM88S
TC88S
SC75S
6.
Does HM-S film have the same optical and thermal performance as
standard HM film? Yes, HM-S films have essentially identical thermal
performance, thickness, and appearance to their non-S film counterparts.
7.
With which 2-part silicone IG sealant are these –S films designed to
work? Dow Corning 982FS with 982H catalyst. The HM-S films are compatible
with Dow Corning 982FS silicone two-part insulated glass sealant. This sealant is
available in North America.
8.
Can these HM-S films be used with any existing Southwall-approved IG
sealant? Yes. HM-S films are suitable for use with any IG sealant currently
approved by Southwall, including one-part silicone and non-silicone sealants. As
always, non-approved sealants may not be used to manufacture Heat Mirror
IGUs. Refer to the Technical Data Sheet for HM-S films.
-1-
9.
Can non-S HM films be used with the approved two-part silicone
sealant? No. The use of two-part Dow Corning 982FS silicone IG sealant with
non-S HM films is strictly prohibited. That sealant and non-S films are not
compatible. IG units made with such a combination are subject to possible
sealant-film adhesion failure. Refer to the Technical Data Sheet for –S HM Films.
10. I want to perform thermal and optical modeling of IGUs made with one
of these films. Will I find these films listed in the International Glazing
Database? Yes. These new HM-S films are included in the latest version of the
IGDB.
11. When will HM-S film be available? HM-S film is available now for use
worldwide.
12. How do I know if a roll of film is an “-S” type of Heat Mirror? Rolls of HM-S
film are differentiated from non-S rolls in the following ways:
a. The part numbers and the part names are different – look at the box
label and the roll label
b. The film is imprinted with the film name on one edge
c. The film core is marked with red tape wrapped around it
13. Do –S films have special handling or storage requirements compared to
other Heat Mirror films? No. HM-S films should be handled, stored, and
processed in the same way as other Heat Mirror films.
-2-