You may not realize that low quality or poorly installed windows in your home are costing you a fortune in heating and cooling, and letting sunlight ruin your furniture and carpeting. Spending a little bit more up front on higher quality windows and installation, or on replacing your currently inefficient windows, can save a lot in the long run.
Make sure to choose the windows that are best for your home. (What is the climate? Do you want more or less sunlight? More or less heat?) Clear, single-pane windows can let out as much as 84% of the heat in a room, according to the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), the leading experts in window rating. The three common ratings to consider when purchasing a window are U-factor , Solar Heat Gain Coefficient , and Visible Transmittance .
The more panes in a window, the less outside noise you will hear and the less heat will escape. Multiple-pane windows are even more efficient when they include a low-E coating. Material makes a difference too: heat passes through aluminum frames faster than through vinyl or wood.
If for some reason cannot replace your windows, here are three ways to improve insulation:
1.Caulk around all the stationary parts of your window and weather strip the moveable parts.
2.Install insulated drapes or shades for the winter.
3.Install solar screens or awnings in the summer.
Take Action / Next Steps
The "window selection" at www.efficientwindows.org can help you pick out the windows that are right for you, your purse, and the environment.
Did you know that replacing an inefficient window could save you up to $700 on heating and cooling every
year?
The government system for rating energy efficiency of home products, ENERGY STAR, reports that
average homeowners spend nearly 50% of their yearly energy costs on heating and cooling. A study by the Efficient Windows
Collaborative found that window replacement can reduce that amount to only 20%.
Did you know that
cooling generally costs about three times as much as heating?
If you live in a hot climate and find that
you always seem to have the air conditioning on, then you have even more incentive to improve the insulation in your home,
saving money and energy.
Did you know that fossil fuels still account for 85% of the United States’ energy
supply?
According to the United States Department of Energy, fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas)
are our primary sources of energy. These fuels are nonrenewable and produce harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases, which
are responsible for global warming. Cutting down on the amount of energy that you use by cutting back on the heating and
cooling in your home, or switching to energy from renewable sources, helps keep the air and the earth clean.
