Home improvement projects can serve several purposes. You might want to fix something that has been a problem, or make part of your house more comfortable, or reduce the time and money you spend on maintenance, or increase the resale value of your house, or save on heating and cooling expenses over the long run. Energy-efficient windows help you achieve all those goals at once.
No matter how large your house is, or how small, windows account for an important part of your heating and cooling costs. Because most window surfaces have lower insulating values than the surrounding walls, and because the frames around windows are often poorly sealed, you can lose as much energy from all your closed windows as if one was left wide open.
When only a few companies made windows with multiple panes, low-emissivity coatings, exterior cladding, and so on, shipping could make up half the price of a window. They are large and heavy, and many have to be custom-built to fit a particular opening. But because energy-efficient windows benefit homeowners in every climate, they have become very popular for both new construction and remodeling projects. Manufacturers and distributors now offer them across the US.
Just about any existing single-pane window can be replaced with an energy-efficient model. The price of replacement windows may seem high, but they bring greater savings for a longer time than other improvements of similar cost. They also make your house more comfortable in all seasons. So, while most updates to your house count as investments, this one brings real returns as soon as you finish.
Few other home improvements yield as many benefits as energyefficient replacement windows. In addition to savings on heating and cooling, and noticeably greater indoor comfort, new windows add to the resale value of a house. In fact, the increase in resale price is often greater than the price of installing the new windows.
Every major window manufacturer offers energy-efficient options. Each has its own set of design characteristics, but most models share the following properties:
Insulating frame materials: Newer wood composites and synthetic lumber provide strong frames with better insulating qualities than traditional wood frames.
Multiple panes: Two layers of glass will reduce heat transfer, and three can provide both added thermal insulation and soundproofing.
Thermal spacing: A gap between the panes further improves insulation. The material used as a spacer can also help reduce heat transfer and condensation.
Gas fills: Inert gases like argon or krypton between the panes will provide better R-values than regular air.
Low-emissivity glass: Outer surfaces treated with lowemissivity coatings allow light to pass through, but reflect infrared and ultraviolet light. This keeps heat out in the summer and during winter, and protects your furniture and artwork from sunlight.
Some replacement windows also feature exterior cladding - an extra layer of vinyl or aluminum that offers protection against the elements. Clad windows provide slightly higher R-values than windows without cladding. Even better, they might never need to be painted.
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01072011
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