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.

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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.

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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.

Replacing Your Windows? Review the Advantages of Vinyl.

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Replacement window frames come in a number of different materials and for some homeowners’ vinyl maybe the best choice. While clad-wood and fiberglass each offer a menu of finishes or custom styling, vinyl comes at a price that is hard to beat. Homeowners who need to replace old worn out windows, on a fixed budget should consider vinyl-frame windows as a suitable choice. If Woodland Windows and Doors didn’t think so, we wouldn’t include them among our selection.

Vinyl-frame windows first appeared in the 1970s when small manufacturers began to offer an alternative to wood windows. Vinyl (PVC) Poly Vinyl Chloride is a durable material that has gained popularity as a building material for a variety of purposes in recent years.

There are clear advantages to vinyl windows such as, less expensive than wood, don’t absorb moisture, don’t rot, don’t need to be repainted and offer improved thermal efficiency. However, just as a vinyl deck looks and feels like plastic and not wood, the biggest drawback for many homeowners upon seeing vinyl windows is that they do not have the character of wood.

So for durability and strength, low maintenance and energy efficiency, we give vinyl windows high marks. If you have an older home, many homeowners find it difficult to find a color that matches their style. Vinyl windows are not as strong as clad-wood windows, can appear thicker than other window types and can’t be repainted.

The relatively short 45-year history, compared to the history of wood windows provides us with only limited data about the long-term performance. How will these modern vinyl windows look and perform over time?

To bridge this uncertainty gap, it’s critical that the vinyl window you choose is certified by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and is made by a reputable well established manufacturer with a track record. This is what Woodland Windows and Doors did when we added a vinyl replacement window to our product line in order to meet the needs of every customer.

The Woodland Vinyl Replacement window meets the AAMA certification test and comes in a variety of profiles fit for classic homes. Our windows offer fusion-welded master frame and sashes, five exterior colors, energy efficiency features, tilt sashes, and come in double-hung, casement, sliders, awnings, and bow and bay styles.

We’ve put our name on the very best choice in vinyl windows in order to bring the best value to our customers.

Vinyl windows don’t have the 160 or more year track record of wood windows, but our selection, which Woodland will install with care, may make modern vinyl windows the right choice for you.

Argon Gas Replacement Windows for Chicago Homeowners

Argon gas replacement windows are usually filled with gas between panes to boost energy efficiency. Some window manufacturers use Krypton gas, as it is a little heavier than Argon. Krypton, however, is more expensive than Argon. And that’s why Argon filled replacement windows have gained more in popularity than Krypton gas windows.
 

Why Argon Gas?
 

According to window experts, Argon gas is one of the single most important components in a replacement window. The gas is capable of improving a home's energy efficiency and saving you lots of money on heating and cooling costs.
 

Argon windows work best in areas that have cold weather during the winter. These windows are intended to reduce the U-Value of a window. The U-Value refers to a thermal rating, tested and certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).The U-Value is used to determine the performance of a window in cold weather. Typically, the testing rule for U-Value begins at zero degrees.
 

Argon is an odorless, colorless, harmless, and inexpensive gas that is used to increase the insulating properties of a window. More and more homeowners are opting for this type of windows as they offer better insulation than normal windows.
 

There are also triple-glazed argon-filled windows that feature two layers of insulation. It should be noted that Low-E Windows aren’t the same as Argon gas filled windows. Although they are designed using a similar concept, materials placed in between the panes are different. 
 

Benefits of Argon Gas Windows

• Minimizes heat transfer through the window
• Minimizes the chances of frost and condensation 
• Suitable for both hot and cold climate 
• Minimizes the effects of UV-rays 
• Increased R-value 
• The high cost of purchasing and installing argon windows will be recovered on very short time
• Triple glazed windows offer greater benefits than even duel pane argon filled windows 
• Unlike oxygen, argon is harmless and won’t oxidize the window material  
• With argon windows, expect your heating and cooling system to work more efficiently
• Argon gas won’t expand or contract 
• Can increase the value of your home  

If you are thinking of replacing your existing windows with new efficient replacement windows, opt for Argon windows. They come in double or triple pane glass, which is an added benefit in terms of preventing leakages and condensation.