PART 1: WHY ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOWS ARE WORTH THE INVESTMENT
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, replacing old windows with more energy-efficient options can help a home lower its energy bill by 7% to 15%. This might not sound much but with electricity costs rising, every little bit helps and will snowball to offer more benefit down the line. If you’re going to be replacing your windows anyway, you might as well make sure that you’re getting a replacement that is better than your last set. HOW DO ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOWS BENEFIT YOU? Some of the benefits of getting energy-efficient windows include: They let you save on costs. Savings is one of the most attractive benefits of getting energy-efficient windows because who doesn’t like having extra money, right? Energy-efficient windows help you cut back on your energy bill by helping improve your home’s overall insulation. This helps stabilize indoor temperature in your home, meaning your HVAC system does not need to work overtime to maintain ideal conditions. They can keep you comfortable. By stabilizing indoor temperature, energy-efficient windows help maintain ideal conditions inside your home. And when conditions are ideal, you are assured that your heating and cooling needs are addressed, which means you are kept comfortable at all times while you’re indoors.
PART 1: WHY ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOWS ARE WORTH THE INVESTMENT
They can help protect your interiors from fading. Windows achieve energy efficiency in different ways and one of them is the use of low-emissivity coating. Low-E windows block out both infrared and ultraviolet light from the sun so not only do they prevent passive heating by keeping the amount of heat let in to a minimum, but they also protect against fading at the same time, especially on items located close to a window opening.
Energy-efficient windows look no different from your standard windows so you don’t have to worry about compromising form to get the most out of function. If anything, you’re getting the best blend of form and function out there, which is why energy-efficient windows are worth the investment. ooooo
In the next part, we’ll be discussing what makes windows energy-efficient exactly. Head on over to Part 2 to learn more!
PART 2: WHAT MAKES WINDOWS ENERGY-EFFICIENT?
In the past, energy efficiency was simply an added feature for some windows. Today, however, with more and more homeowners becoming interested in making wiser use of energy in their homes, energy efficiency is becoming a standard feature, with more and more manufacturers adopting the technology needed to make energy-efficient windows. FINDING AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOW Again, energy efficiency can be achieved in different ways but a window’s components work together to determine just how energy-efficient it can be. There will be a lot of window options out there but you can quickly narrow down your options to energy-efficient replacements by looking for the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label. Different windows will have different levels of energy efficiency and the NFRC label will help you find replacements with the kind of performance perfectly suitable for you and your home. Generally, a window’s energy efficiency level is rated based on how it retains and blocks heat and transmits sunlight.
HEAT RETENTION AND BLOCKING Windows lose and gain heat through its glass or frame via direct conduction, from the radiation of heat in and out of the house through objects or people, or through air leaking out through and around them. Performance related to heat retention and blocking is gauged through the following ratings:
PART 2: WHAT MAKES WINDOWS ENERGY-EFFICIENT?
• U-factor. The rate at which a window conducts heat. The lower the U-factor, the better an insulator a window is. • Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). The rate at which a window transmits solar heat. The lower the SHGC, the lower the amount of heat that a window lets through from the sun. • Air leakage rate. The measure of air movement around a window in the presence of a specific pressure difference across it. The lower the air leakage rating, the more airtight a window will be. SUNLIGHT TRANSMITTANCE Another important quality of energy-efficient windows is its ability to let in natural light into your home. Just how much a replacement window can perform in this regard is determined by the following values: • Visible transmittance (VT). The measure of the amount of light that a window lets through. The higher the VT, the more light a window will let in. Take note that when low-E coating is not used, a window will also let in heat alongside natural light. • Light-to-solar gain (LSG). The ratio between the SHGC and VT. The higher the number, the more light a window will let in without promoting passive heating. This rating, however, is not always provided in labels so do check with your contractor. ooooo
In the next part, we’ll be talking about the specific components of a window and how they contribute to a replacement’s overall energy efficiency. Head on over to Part 3 to learn more about specific options!
PART 3: THE SUM OF THE PARTS OF AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOW
Windows come in all shapes and sizes but they generally have the same parts, even when they differ in types. As the frame and glazing make up the biggest components of a window, they are major contributors to how energy-efficient a replacement can be. FRAME MATERIAL A large part of the thermal resistance of your window is determined by the frame material it is using. Not all materials are made the same so there will be some that will perform better than others under certain circumstances.
Take metal frames, for instance. Aluminum window frames are durable but lightweight offer poor thermal performance because the material conducts heat easily. Wood frames, on the other hand, provide superb insulation and incredible beauty but are naturally weak against moisture, requiring a lot of upkeep to maintain. Vinyl came along as a low-maintenance alternative to wood but it couldn’t quite compare to how the latter’s insulative ability, and then there were composite frames. Made of thermopolymers and wood fibers, composite material offered the advantages of wood and vinyl while doing away with their disadvantages.
PART 3: THE SUM OF THE PARTS OF AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOW
WINDOW GLAZING As an even bigger part of a window than the frame, glazing greatly affects the kind of energy efficiency that a replacement is capable of offering. It has also gone on from being just a single sheet of glass, taking advantage of technology to feature energy-efficient construction. Exact designs may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but double glazing has become the standard for many. Essentially made of two layers of glass, double-glazed windows feature gas fills like krypton or argon to improve thermal efficiency, keeping heat transfer that occurs through the window glass to a minimum. To keep out even more heat, window glass can feature coatings as well, preventing passive heating from overrunning a home.
Replacing your windows is about improving your home and that means boosting form and function for your property. Energy-efficient windows let you do just this, but to ensure you get the right ones for your home, make sure that you work only with a reputable contractor.
Renewal by Andersen of Los Angeles 2411 Artesia Boulevard, Redondo Beach, CA 90278
(310) 734-5554 (310) 214-2222 RbALosAngeles.com