Windows make a significant contribution to how comfortable a home is in winter, with an estimated 22 percent of energy loss literally going out the window.
If your windows are old and energy-inefficient, they are adding to your energy bills and reducing the comfort of your home. Here’s how replacement windows can help.
Replacement Windows Make Winter More Comfortable
There are two main ways windows are manufactured to make them more energy-efficient: building the windows with insulated glass and increasing the window frame’s energy-efficiency rating. A top-quality, professional installation job is also crucial.
Double and Triple Pane Glass
Double pane glass is now standard in new construction, but older homes often have single-pane windows still in place. In houses with older dual-pane windows, the seal around the window frame sometimes breaks down, resulting in condensation developing between the sheets of glass. This annoying problem reduces visibility and also allows for energy loss.
Insulated glass is made with two or three panes of glass set together with a space separating them. The space is filled with air or another gas like argon or xenon for added insulating value. A larger space between the panes also increases the insulation.
Window Frames
Window frames also contribute a lot to the energy-efficiency rating of a window. Some window frame materials, such as aluminum, transfer heat more readily. Wood frames provide the best insulation, and vinyl frames are somewhere between wood and aluminum in their insulation R-value.
Besides the material used for the window frame, the methods used for putting the frame and window together is one more factor in the overall energy efficiency of a window. New replacement windows come with an energy-efficiency rating label to make comparison easy.
The bottom line is, if your windows are old, under-insulated, foggy, or drafty, replacement windows can keep you more comfortable in winter and all year long. For an estimate on replacing windows in your High Desert home or business, contact Vern’s Glass in Victorville.
