Summer is a tough time and very difficult to cope up with, without a good air conditioning system. It may cost a lot to run an AC all the time to keep the interior cool. So, how can you save some money by replacing your windows? It is very difficult to save money if you have got windows which are old and airy. These drafty windows can cause so much energy loss and it will increase during the summer.
To protect your interior from overheating the best option is to do a new custom window installation. These are energy efficient windows designed to lock the interior air from going out. The same happens with the weather outside. These windows come with a thermal barrier that avoids the transfer of energy from your home to outside. This can help to keep the air inside your home cooler.
Do you feel warm inside your home during summer? The reason could be your windows. If they are old and drafty, you can immediately contact a window installation contractor and get them replaced.
New windows come with tight and rigid window framing and strong insulating glass. Summer in some areas can be hard and the heat can come through windows and make your rooms hotter. But now you don’t have to worry about replacing your windows. These windows have the power to reflect the sun’s heat and help you to control temperature.
If your home has a good air-conditioning facility, then there’s no need to worry about the outside temperature after installing thermally efficient windows.
How can you find best windows for replacement?
This is a very important factor everyone should know when they want to purchase new windows for their homes. There is a private agency that measures the quality of windows known as NFRC (National Fenestration council). This agency tests replacement windows for its efficiency and gives a rating to it. You can check NFRC rating of the window before purchasing it.
Most window manufacturers test their window rating with NFRC and put them on the label. If you cannot find this on what you purchased, then consider some other window option.
How to measure the energy efficiency of windows?
As I said above energy efficient windows can help you to keep the interior of your house cooler in summer. It can keep your room hot in winter too. The reason behind it is its ability to keep away the outside weather from inside weather. We can measure the energy efficiency of a window using 3 factors.
U-factor -: This measures the insulation of windows. U-factor generally ranges from .25-1.25 BTU/h.ft2.oF. Better U factor means better insulation.
Solar Heat Coefficient-: This tells about the capacity of glass to deflect solar energy. SHC is measured between the scale 0 to 1. Typical values could be .25 to .85. Lowers the value of solar heat coefficient lesser will be the solar heat transferred through windows.
Air leakage-: Air leakage is the rate at which air passes through joints of the window. It should also be a lower value to ensure less air leakage. 0.3 is the standard AL value for most industry and building requirements.
These are some standard terms when it comes to measuring the performance of windows. If you know about these factors, you can check it before buying. Make sure to buy best custom-built replacement windows for your home.
Features of Energy efficient windows
Low-Emissivity
Other than the above-given features there is one more feature a good window needs to have - low emissivity. A glass with Low E will have a microscopic coating that can reflect Infrared energy. This transparent coating will help to reduce the amount of UV or infrared rays that can pass through the window.
Thus, a good window glass with Low E value filters out Infrared and ultraviolet rays from the sunlight and only allow visible light to pass through glass.
Gas filling
In most of the energy efficient windows, gas will be placed in between window panes. Gasses that act as an insulation barrier in windows are Krypton and Argon. These gasses help to slow down the transfer of heat or cold through the window panes. This is one of the main plus points of energy efficient windows.
Low conductance spacers
This is used in between panes to keep the gas in place and reduce the transfer of heat or cold through windows.
When you consider replacing windows make sure you pick multiple pane glasses if you want to reduce the energy waste. All the above factors are very important to energy efficient windows. Make sure to check NFRC rating to know the overall performance of windows. Replace those old windows which make your home hot with new energy efficient windows.