Over the last decades, huge steps in the construction industry have been made, and windows have not been left out. At the moment, double, triple and quadruple pane replacement windows are available. These windows have been designed to improve insulation in order to reduce heat transfer.
Energy efficient windows save you money on heating and cooling costs every single month. By replacing your old, drafty windows, your monthly utility bill will reduce substantially. Although replacing old windows with energy efficient windows is quite costly, the decision to do so is worth the investment.
The amount of money you will save on replacement windows depends on several factors. The first thing you will want to consider is the type of window you want. Some windows come with soft coatings while others come with hard coatings. There are single pane, double pane, triple pane and even quadruple pane windows. Some have a gas filling, while some do not. Some replacement windows are filled with argon gas whereas some are filled with krypton. All of these factors will need to be considered when purchasing a replacement window.
Window energy efficiency is represented by a U-factor which denotes the rate of heat loss and heat gain. An R-Value is the opposite of a U-factor, for instance, an R-Value of 4 equals a U-factor of 0.25.The lower the U-factor, the more efficient the window is. Since window transfer heat by different ways such as radiation, U-Factor is more readable than R-Value, which denotes heat resistance.
A window U-factor represents the whole window system. It measures its performance in terms of its ability to prevent heat transfer. It includes the frame material, the glass insulating properties and the leakiness of the window. What it doesn’t indicate is how well a window is installed. Good installation can also contribute in significant energy savings while poor installation can lead a substantial loss of energy.
It should be noted that replacing older windows with high efficiency ones is an expensive project. You may not be able to maximize energy efficient windows if your home isn’t energy efficient. For example, if your attic and basement lack proper insulation, you won’t be able to save much energy with these replacement windows. So, if you want to benefit from your investment, make sure the rest of your home is energy efficient as well. Investing in efficiency windows will make sure you earn your money back – sooner or later you’ll realize you didn’t waste your money.
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