We are all conscious of our monthly energy bills these days. We look closely at those news feature pieces which give us tips on cutting energy loss in hopes of realizing a savings next month. Get our weather stripping up to snuff, use energy conserving light bulbs and insulate the water heater. What else? Besides the refrigerator, one of the biggest culprits in energy loss is our windows.

Those lovely large picture windows are letting heat in summer and cold air in winter radiate right into our homes. You've surely noticed the chill in winter, when you snuggle up to read, in your favorite chair next to the window. These cold blasts of air make your heating system work overtime. No matter how heavy and lined those drapes are, cold air still falls and heat rises, right into your rooms. This translates to a higher energy bill.

One great solution is to install double-pane insulated window glass. Each insulated window glass has two panes, one on the outside and one on the inside. There is a small gap between the two panes, which serves to trap the hot or cold air, keeping it out of your home. The difference in comfort is remarkable, as is the savings on your energy bill. People in areas such as Minnesota, with sub-freezing temperatures in winter and blistering hot days in summer, use insulated window glass as the standard in their homes.

Although the double-pane insulated window glass is more expensive to buy and install, it's well worth the price. Depending on the number of windows in your home, you may easily recover the cost of this energy-saving glass within a year. You'll get payback every month with a reduced bill from the power company.

Many power companies, overburdened with supplying the energy, offer incentive programs to homeowners, some financing the cost of the insulated window glass over time. So, before shopping for new windows, check with your power company to see what programs they may have to offer. These collaborative programs help both the homeowner and the energy supplier, leading to fewer brownouts and blackouts during peak energy use times.

Another nice feature of insulated window glass is that it makes your home both quieter and cleaner. The double panes serve to insulate you from outside noise and dust and pollen that might have found its way inside through a single-pane window. Insulated window glass also helps to cut glare.

Now, before summer is in full swing, is a good time to consider replacing your standard windows. Your wallet will surely be fuller.