How to Conserve Energy ~ Best Replacement Windows
Energy Efficient Window Replacement
Windows are one of the major ways energy enters and leaves your home.
During the cold weather season, the heated air in your home escapes through windows, both due to air leaking through the windows and because, heated interior air is drawn to cold windows through convection.
In summer months, heat is drawn through your windows through convection, air infiltration and solar radiation.
The unwanted sunlight will not only make your home uncomfortably warm, but can cause color damage and fading to your furniture and floors.
Replacement Windows
Replace your inefficient windows now and enjoy lower cooling bills this summer.
Today's energy efficient windows work hard to keep out heat in the summer and keep the heat from escaping in the winter.
The new features to look for are two or more panes of glass filled with insulating gas, glass with coatings that reflect light, warm-edge spacers that won't conduct heat or condensation, and frames that help reduce heat.
By investing in vinyl windows or solar screens for windows, improves your windows efficiency and lowers your heating and cooling bills up to 30 percent.
Rating System
Having the evaluation of The National Fenestration Rating Council to evaluate the performance of five categories, that list the rating results on the label of the window.
U-Factor Measures the heat transfer rate. The lower the number of transfers, the better the window insulates.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient The lower the number, the better the window blocks the heat gain.
Visible Transmittance Measured on a scale of 0 to 1, describes the amount of light the window lets through. The higher the number the better.
Air Leakage The lower the value, the better. The number should be .3 or less.
Condensation Resistance A window's ability to resist water buildup, the higher the number between 0 to 100, the better. A window that displays the Energy Star label has received the high marks for U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient from the Department of Energy.
Having Energy Efficient windows can make your existing windows more efficient by installing insulating coverings, such as cellular shades, curtain panels with interlinings, and window films.
In warm weather months, be willing to keep your windows covered during the sunniest times of the day.
This practice will save you a significant amount of energy and money, that would easily be spent on energy bills.
