With the thick of
winter coming, you may be experiencing leaking or
drafty windows. Maybe it's time to replace those old
single-pane windows. Or maybe the winter blahs have
taken hold and you're ready for a new look.
Replacing your windows can help you save on your
energy bill, provide a stylish new look to your
home, and can be a strong lure when it comes time to
sell.
Remodeler Magazine says that changes in technology,
including alterations designed to increase energy
efficiency and convenience features such as tilt-out
hardware, can make recently installed windows a
prime selling point for prospective buyers.
The magazine's 2002 Cost vs.Value Report says an
upscale window replacement project (replacing 10
existing 3-by-5-foot double-hung windows with
double-glazed divided-light windows with interior
finish of alder or cherry and exterior finish of
copper or aluminum cladding) cost a national average
of $15,502 installed and yielded a slightly higher
return of 77 percent over replacement windows at a
mid-range price point.
The mid-range job (replacing 10 existing 3-by-5-foot
double-hung windows with vinyl-clad double-glazed
replacement windows and not disturbing existing
interior or exterior trim) had a national average
cost of $9,424 and the cost was recouped at 74
percent.
But new windows do more than just look good. They're
also a source of heat, and need to be tinted or
shaded to reduce heat, but those options also reduce
natural light. And not only do windows increase a
room's temperature fluctuation, but incoming light
can also cause fading of carpets, fabric, wallpaper,
paint and wood.
By using energy efficient replacement windows, you
can reduce light and heat transfer, as well as
heating and cooling costs.
Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star
program, which began in 1992 as a voluntary labeling
program designed to identify and promote
energy-efficient products, the average household
spends more than 40 percent of its annual energy
budget on heating and cooling costs. You can save 15
percent of that with Energy Star-qualified windows.
The Efficient Windows Collaborative, a group that
manufactures and promotes energy-efficient windows
and receives support from the U.S. Department of
Energy's Windows and Glazings Program, says the most
harmful sunlight rays are ultraviolet (UV), which
are the most energetic and most likely to break
chemical bonds, leading to fading and degradation of
materials with which the light comes in contact.
The EPA says that windows with Energy Star labels
are energy efficient all year long and are twice as
efficient as the average window produced 10 years
ago. They're available in aluminum, fiberglass,
vinyl and wood, and include design styles such as
single-hung, double-hung, casement, horizontal
slider, fixed and picture, as well as patio slider.
All Energy Star windows are labeled by the National
Fenestration Rating Council, a non-profit,
public/private organization created by the window,
door and skylight industry and comprised of
manufacturers, suppliers, builders, architects and
designers, specifiers, code officials, utilities and
government agencies. The NFRC provides unbiased
energy performance ratings on window, door and
skylight products.
The NFRC suggests looking for the following when
choosing replacement windows:
U-factor, or how well a window keeps heat inside a
building. The lower the U-Factor, the greater a
window resists heat transfer. A good U-Factor to
look for is 0.35 or lower.
Solar heat gain co-efficient (SHGC), or a window's
ability to block warming caused by sunlight. The
lower an SHGC number, the less UV rays that cause
heat gain are coming through a window. Look for an
SHGC number of 0.40 or lower.
Visible transmittance (VT), or how much light gets through a product. A VT number is a direct percentage of available light coming through a window - the higher, the more light coming through. A good percentage is about 55 percent.
Air leakage, or heat loss and gain by infiltration through cracks in the window assembly.
Low-E coatings, a
microscopically thin, virtually invisible metal or
metallic oxide layer deposited on the glass during
manufacturing. Low-E coatings reduce heat transfer
through the glass, and can reduce UV rays that cause
heat gain by up to 75 percent and reduce fading of
interior furnishings.
And of course windows offer style as well as
function. Design options from manufacturers include
Pella's integrated crank that features a fold-away
handle for casement windows, KML by Andersen
architectural windows in radius-top casements and
double-hungs, and Andersen Art Glass in 11 original
patterns including Frank Lloyd Wright series
designs.
Window manufacturer
Owens Corning suggests choosing a window style
that complements your home's current window system.
And keep in mind that the windows you select express
your personality and can give your home a great new
look.
New windows are a feature of your home you're sure
to enjoy. And with products like Energy Star
windows, you'll save money now by reducing heating
and cooling costs, and in the future by using the
windows as a selling point when you're home's on the
market.
Contact our Home Improvement Specialist today to help you with your home improvement needs.
