Cold Wet Winter Inside? Are Your Old Windows Letting the Winter in?

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Today.com

Tired of a drafty house?

Tired of taping gaps around your windows?

Tired of winter already when it’s only January?

Can’t see out your windows?

Condensation dripping down your windows?

Tired of winter already when it’s only January?

The weather outside shouldn’t appear on the inside. If you’re constantly chilly the culprit may be your old windows. If your windows are letting the winter in - it may be time to replace your old windows. Inefficient windows leak cold air and moisture.

There are many ways to temporarily fix the problems, but the permanent solution to drafts and cold wet windows is to replace your old and leaky windows with new energy-efficient products.

Drafty windows or cold windows are chief among the reasons to replace windows. When you sit next to your window in winter it’s colder than the rest of the house and the HVAC system works overtime. Simply put, your old windows probably provide little to no insulating value.

Andersen 400 Series

Double-paned glazing with insulating argon gas eliminates uncomfortable, expensive drafts. Todays technology also includes warm-edge spacers and new weather stripping materials to further insulate. Understanding the SHGC (solar heat gain co-efficient) of the glass options, allows you to further control how much heat enters and leaves your home during the winter. For example, in our northern climate you can choose a high SHGC glazing, which means the window will reflect heat back into the home, collecting more solar heat, for your south facing windows.

Condensation or frost build up can naturally be worse in the winter when the outside temperature is below the dew point of the indoor air. Water or frost appears when warm moist air comes in contact with colder dry air.  Older single pane windows provide no insulation allowing condensation to form on the cold surface creating water droplets or ice on the glass. Even early double-pane windows with aluminum spacers can experience condensation. If this describes your windows, like the drafty or cold windows above, upgrading your windows to today’s technologies will make a significant difference.

Today’s windows are engineered differently. Frankly, the most important part of the window to resist condensation is that spacer that keeps the panes of glass apart and seals in the gas. Today’s spacers are made of less conductive stainless steel, U-shaped tin steel, and foam polymers. Low-E and glass filled glass panes reduce temperature transfer between the inside and outside. With improved window frame technologies as well, new windows are sure to significantly improve if not eliminate condensation woes.

The good news is that you don’t have to suffer through another winter because winter is a great time to replace you windows. Come to our showroom to see replacement windows by Andersen, Marvin, Pella and more.

Low-E Gets Personal

Submitted by: Ken Mariotti

Perhaps no term is uttered more frequently, in the world of windows, than Low-E. By now, most people think they know what that means, but few know what it means for their home. This is because continued advances in glazing (glass) technologies allow you, with a little advance planning; select from different Low-E finishes for different windows in your home. With minimal effort your budget will go further and you’ll get a more energy efficient home.

Marvin Windows Gallery

A Northern Climate

In a nutshell, our northern region climate is dominated by heating energy use. Our summers can get hot and humid requiring air conditioning, but heat waves are usually short lived, while winter is cold and long. It’s a straightforward decision to choose windows with a higher SHGC (solar heat gain co-efficient), which means the window, will reflect heat back into the home, collecting more solar heat.

Window Orientation

In addition to our northern climate, you want to consider the orientation of the windows in your home. Specifying Low-E requirements for different windows allows you to maximize your home’s comfort and spend your money wisely. In other words, it’s no longer, one size fits all, and instead Low-E comes in a sophisticated array of options to meet your exact needs.

Here are simple northern region strategies to consider when planning a remodel or new home.

South facing windows: Choose a high SHGC glazing – above 0.40. South windows are a good source of passive heat in winter, but if you use this strategy you also need a roof overhang that provides shading in the summer.

West facing windows:  Choose a low SHGC glazing to reduce much unwanted afternoon summer heat gain. Overhangs don’t work well against the low evening sun.

Marvin Windows Gallery

East facing windows:  Like west facing windows, keep the size of these windows to a minimum in order to control unwanted solar gain or loss. Most people select a low SHGC, however some prefer a high SHGC glazing as a good way to warm cool mornings.

North facing windows: Minimal contribution to the temperature control of your home’s interior.

In closing, once you’ve arrived at your overall requirements, you can further specify select Low-E options that will reduce fading, increase your visible light, improving insulating values or lowering condensation problems, to name just a few.