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As a highly visible design element, your windows can help your home make a bigger impression from the curb. However, that’s not the only thing they’re good for, as they are also a key factor in helping you keep a more comfortable and energy-efficient home. In fact, many homeowners go out of their way to ensure their existing units can help reduce energy bills. If you’re planning your window replacement project this season, you should consider going for the same goal: prioritizing energy efficiency before anything else. This way, you can fully get the most of your investment and ensure decades of superior energy performance from your new units. Where Should You Start? Windows are available in a number of styles so it’s best to do your research to get a thorough understanding of what each one has to offer. For instance, sliding windows are great space-savers while bay and bow windows can add extra square footage to your home that can be used for a variety of purposes. It’s a matter of finding window styles that will best suit your needs, and this blog series is here to outline three exceptional options for you consider when improving home energy efficiency is your top concern.
PART 1: DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS
One of the most iconic styles available, double hung windows grace millions of homes across the United States. Their simple and classic design, which is versatile enough to match any residential architecture, may have something to do with this. What sets double hung windows apart, however, is their ability to lower your energy bills in an easy and effective way. In fact, it’s as simple as opening a window. To understand how double hung windows allow for better energy savings, you have to take a close look at their design. They come with two sashes that you can slide vertically. From a distance, double hung windows look identical to single hung units, but they differ in that the latter only has one operable sash;the other is stationary. HOW DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY Double hung windows allow access to superior natural ventilation. All you need to do is open both top and bottom sashes at the same time. This way, warm, stale indoor air is expelled via the upper sash while cooler, fresher air comes in through the lower one. The window’s ability to control airflow results in better indoor air quality, helping prevent the structural and health risks brought about by high levels of humidity while creating a more comfortable indoor environment. Because they help naturally cool your home, double hung windows can reduce your reliance on air conditioning, which in turn allows for more energy savings.
PART 1: DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS
Even with muntins in place, double hung windows generally have large glass areas, letting a considerable amount of natural light into your home. However, this lets you enjoy more than just a brighter, roomier indoor space. By taking advantage of daylighting - the use of natural light to illuminate - you reduce your dependence on artificial lighting during the day, which also helps to reduce your home’s energy bill.
Overall, investing in double hung units for your replacement project is a definite win. Just make sure to hire a trusted window company to install them. This way, you’re sure your replacement units can deliver the excellent performance you expect. ooooo
What other window styles can improve energy efficiency? Stay tuned for Part 2 where we will be discussing how casement windows can help you maintain a more energy-efficient home.
PART 2: CASEMENT WINDOWS
Casement windows have been around for centuries, and they are, in fact, the earliest form of movable windows. They have hinges on the side adjacent the wall, allowing you to swing them outward or inward along its entire length, much like a door. Today, casement units are still fairly common in Europe, where they originated from, attesting to their enduring design and performance. HOW CASEMENT WINDOWS IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY You no longer have to worry as much about cooling your home when you invest in casement windows. Like double hungs, these units can provide superior natural ventilation. This has something to do with their effective design, which lets you open them to fully to let in fresh, healthy air. You can even angle their panes to catch breezes and effectively direct them into your home. This helps you keep your home’s interior cooler and more comfortable minus the high energy costs - and that’s only when they’re open! When you close a casement window, its sash presses firmly against the frame. This creates a durable, airtight seal, helping prevent drafts that can compromise your home’s thermal stability and keeping regulated indoor air in. For this reason, make sure your casement windows use high-quality framing material. After all, what your new units are made of can affect their longevity and performance.
PART 2: CASEMENT WINDOWS
THE IMPORTANCE OF FRAMING MATERIALS If you want great durability and insulating value, you can consider wood framing material for your casement windows. However, it is prone to moisture damage and expansion when exposed to extreme weather and thermal changes. Vinyl is more cost-effective and versatile, but it also offers stable insulation. Plus, vinyl windows require little maintenance. The only downside is their propensity to warp over time.
To address issues with wood and vinyl, you should opt for composite frames like Fibrex® instead. Aside from combining wood’s strength and insulative abilities with vinyl’s low-maintenance requirements, Fibrex frames are also effectively resistant to cracks, gaps and chips, performing well through the harshest of weather conditions. ooooo
What makes picture windows an energy-efficient choice as a replacement? Find out more in Part 3 of this ebook as we highlight the window style’s features.
PART 3: PICTURE WINDOWS
Sleek frames and expansive glass make up a picture window, resulting in a streamlined design that perfectly matches modern homes. If you want to make the most of a stunning view, brighten up your rooms or open up a living space, picture windows make for an exceptional choice. However, that’s not even mentioning the energy efficiency benefits they can provide your home. HOW PICTURE WINDOWS IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY Unlike double hung or casement windows, picture windows are fixed, meaning you can’t open them. While you won’t get the superior natural ventilation the other two can provide, this window style more than makes up for it by keeping a strong, airtight seal. In fact, picture windows are the most energy-efficient units available today, helping ensure regulated indoor air stays in while thermally disruptive outdoor air stays out. Aside from panoramic outdoor views, the expansive glass areas picture windows offer also give considerable access to natural light, helping you cut back on dependence on artificial light during the day to reduce your energy bill down the line. If you live in a region with a predominantly cold climate, heat from the sun can passively warm your home, reducing your heating requirements. It’s a different story, however, for homeowners living in tropical areas. To keep passive heating at bay, make sure you get picture windows fitted with low-emissivity (low-E) glass.
PART 3: PICTURE WINDOWS
THE IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOW GLASS When investing in replacement window installation, keep glass in mind just as much as framing material. Fortunately, advances in window technology have led to low-E, a state-of-the-art component that reduces radiant heat transfer, allowing for a more thermally comfortable home, minus the high cooling bills. Because low-E glass also filters harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, you no longer have to worry about sunlight damaging your walls, furniture, flooring and other interior surfaces. Make sure your picture windows come equipped with this component to retain your home’s efficiency.
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Based on design alone, double hung, casement and picture windows can improve energy efficiency in the home. However, they can offer so much more when made with a durable, airtight framing material and fitted with advanced low-E glass. How do you make sure the replacement windows you’re getting are truly energy efficient? All you need to do is look for the ENERGY STAR® label. With one, a window is certified to have met stringent energy performance standards, ensuring that your home is energy efficient.
Renewal by Andersen of San Diego 8266 Miramar Rd. NE, San Diego, CA 92126 (858) 360-7700 www.rbasandiego.com