Spacer Bar
The component that separates and maintains the distance between glass panes in an insulated glass unit while creating the primary seal.
The spacer bar is a critical component of IGU performance and longevity. Traditional aluminum spacer bars are highly conductive, creating a cold zone at the glass edge that promotes condensation. Warm-edge spacers made from materials like stainless steel, thermoplastic, or foam reduce this effect significantly.
Common warm-edge spacer brands include Super Spacer (Quanex), Swiggle (Quanex), TPS (Bystronic), and Chromatech (Rolltech). Warm-edge spacers can improve the overall U-value of a window by 0.1-0.2 W/m²K and dramatically reduce edge-of-glass condensation.