SAHBA Home Hints
November 16, 2008
Break Into Savings, Update Old Windows
Each year, millions of homeowners choose to remodel their homes to make them more energy efficient. One way to conserve energy and cut down on heating and cooling costs is to upgrade old windows.
Consider replacing poorly insulated single-pane windows with more energy-efficient windows to improve the home's energy use.
“A typical home can lose up to 30% of its heating or air-conditioning energy through its windows,” Danny Butler of Stan Greer Millworks said.
Today, double, triple and even quadruple window panes are made with gas inserted between panes to insulate and resist heat transfer.
The type of glass and type of spacers used can improve energy performance.
A Low Emissivity (Low-E) coating is a thin layer of metal or metal oxide on window glass that reflects warmth back into the home in the winter and prevents unwanted heat from entering the home in the summer. Low-E coatings can help to decrease U-values (a measure of heat conductance).
“When shopping for windows, look for the overall U-value rating. The lower the U-value, the better the window's energy performance will be,” said Butler, a SAHBA member.
Window frames also can be a culprit in energy loss. Before dual-pane windows, the material used for window frames was not of great concern. However, with more efficient window panes there comes a need for more efficient window frames.
Today, wood, fiberglass, vinyl, or vinyl-clad wood window frames will generally perform better and provide more comfort than metal frame windows. They also have a thermal break, a piece of non-conductive material sandwiched between the metal parts, to cut down the flow of heat.
“While the cost of replacing a home's windows may seem too high over time, they end up paying for themselves,” said Butler.
However, if window replacement is not an option, there are other steps to improve current window conditions. Caulking and weather-stripping along the window's edges to stop air passage will help its energy efficiency.
Homeowners also can let the sunlight in to naturally warm a room during the colder months. Or, use exterior shading by the windows to keep the inside of the house cool during hotter months.
Details: www.stangreer.com
SAHBA represents about 750 member businesses and 40,000 jobs serving the residential construction industry in Pima and Cochise counties.
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