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Heating and cooling costs are a huge part of your overall household expenses. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, American households spend over $2, 200 on average annually on energy bills, with heating and cooling costs accounting for nearly half of this figure. Fortunately, you can reduce those costs by investing in high-performance, energy-efficient windows. Aside from being specifically designed to help cut utility bills while making your home more comfortable, energy-efficient windows are also a great way to go green as they help you reduce your carbon footprint. This in turn aids in lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Other notable benefits of energy-efficient windows include reduced interior damage from ultraviolet rays, better protection from drafts and excessive heat and increased property value over the years from improved form and function. In this ebook, we provide an in-depth discussion on how energy-efficient windows can benefit your home and family.
PART 1 Understanding ENERGY STAR® and NFRC Labels Older windows can allow drafts to enter your home, resulting in unstable indoor temperatures that give rise to increased energy consumption and, ultimately, higher utility bills throughout the year. Replacing these windows with newer, more energyefficient units can help make your home more comfortable during cold winters and hot summers, all while helping you save money on your energy costs. To make sure you’re choosing the right replacement windows, it’s important to understand exactly what window labels mean.
ENERGY STAR® Label The Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program was created to help homeowners make more energy-efficient choices by accurately determining the energy efficiency of certain products, such as replacement windows. All products that meet the ENERGY STAR criteria are required to have a label on them. When replacement windows have the ENERGY STAR label, it means they have met the necessary government requirements and standards to be deemed energy-efficient.
To help you find the right energy-efficient windows for your home, you should first identify your ENERGY STAR climate zone and then look for replacement units appropriately rated for your area. This is important because window ratings differ depending on climate zones. To maximize the energy-saving benefits of your windows, make sure they are installed according to manufacturer’s specifications and seal any possible air leaks.
NFRC Label The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) performs independent testing on windows and other household products. Replacement windows certified by the NFRC have a label on them, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate energy efficiency. Where the simple presence of an ENERGY STAR label signifies that a certain product is energyefficient, the NFRC label provides more in-depth information about its overall energy performance. Examining the NFRC label can help you determine if your windows are energy-efficient enough for your local area. NFRC ratings include: • U-Factor – Measures how good your windows are at preventing heat from escaping your home. Lower ratings point to better energy efficiency.
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient – Measures how good your windows are at blocking the sun’s heat. Lower ratings mean you’ll spend less on cooling. • Visible Transmittance – Measures the amount of natural light entering your windows. Higher ratings indicate higher levels of natural light to enjoy during the day. • Air Leakage – Measures how much outdoor air passes through your windows. Lower ratings mean fewer drafts to worry about.
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It’s not enough to understand the labels that come with your replacement windows. To make sure they’re energy-efficient, you should also choose the right framing material. Learn more about your best options in the second part of this ebook.
PART 2 Choosing a Framing Material Ready to start your window replacement journey? When looking for the best window options on the market, one of the first things you should consider is the quality of the materials. While many windows today are made with vinyl, wood, aluminum and fiberglass frames, technological advancements have since paved the way for higherquality and better-performing composite materials, like Fibrex®. Renewal by Andersen® created this high-performance composite material from reclaimed wood fibers and thermoplastic polymer. It combines the natural strength and insulative ability of wood with the low maintenance requirements of vinyl, minus the materials’ respective drawbacks. Here’s how Fibrex compares to other materials:
• Vs. Vinyl – Vinyl windows are naturally soft, meaning they don’t take extreme temperature changes well. They have the tendency to bow, crack or develop holes, eventually allowing moisture to pass through. Fibrex is twice as strong as vinyl and can stand up to the demands of virtually any climate. • Vs. Wood – We all love wood for its natural charm and durability. Unfortunately, wood products are prone to decay due to moisture exposure, leading to costly maintenance. On the contrary, Fibrex boasts of the low-maintenance properties of vinyl, so you can rest easy knowing your replacement windows will stay in top shape no matter what. Fibrex can also mimic the appearance of wood so you also won’t lose out on the beauty of wooden windows.
• Vs. Aluminum – Fibrex insulates nearly 700 times better than aluminum, significantly minimizing heat transfer to help regulate your home’s interior temperature at all times. Fibrex has been specifically engineered to reduce thermal bridging without compromising durability.
• Vs. Fiberglass – While fiberglass is popular among homeowners, it’s limited from a design standpoint. Unlike the versatile Fibrex that can be made into various shapes and sizes, fiberglass can only be manufactured in straight lines.
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The energy efficiency of your new windows also depends on the quality of the glass package. Learn everything you need to know about energy-efficient window glass in the last part of this ebook!
PART 3 Finding the Right Glass Package Recent innovations have made it possible for homeowners to invest in more sustainable options for their home upgrades, including window replacement. Apart from the framing material, another factor that helps boost the energy efficiency of new windows is the glass package. After all, the glass is the largest component of a window, controlling how much light and heat pass through a unit. Not all glass packages are created equal, though. They need to have certain elements to make them truly reliable and energy-efficient. These include: • Double Glazing – Double-pane windows offer far greater thermal efficiency than single-pane windows. Air space between two glass panes is further optimized by maintaining the right width. If the space between the panels is too narrow, thermal performance will suffer, resulting in reduced energy efficiency. With optimal spacing, your windows can better prevent heat transfer to help stabilize indoor temperatures.
• Gas Fills – The most common types of gas used to fill spaces between window panes are krypton and argon. These gases help provide better heat resistance and insulation, promoting a more comfortable living environment for your family. • Spacers – One of the best spacers you can use for your windows is low-conductivity, stainless steel. This material effectively resists heat transfer while keeping your windows’ foundation intact.
High-Performance™ Low-E® Glass For the most thermally efficient replacement windows, Renewal by Andersen pairs Fibrex composite frames with the brand’s exclusive High Performance Low-E glass, a glass package with the ability to block as much as 83% of sun’s harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays. Depending on your climate, this can lead to significant savings on your electricity bills, making it a worthy investment for every homeowner.
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If you’re looking to upgrade your home, high-performance, energy-efficient windows are a smart investment in terms of both energy savings and comfort. Understand ratings and labels and choose the right framing material and glass package and you’re sure to make the right choice.
Renewal by Andersen of Greater Philadelphia 761 5th Ave #3, King of Prussia, PA 19406 610-813-6777 www.choosebetterwindows.com