Quality windows which are installed correctly will bring you a substantial saving on your monthly energy bill. The degree of savings depends on the replacement windows you select for your home. The average American home loses about 38% of its heating and cooling energy due to leaks and gaps around doors and windows. Older homes with aluminum sliding single-pane windows can actually lose up to 50%. That’s a lot of wasted energy and money!! Just think, the amount of money you will be saving on your energy bill annually will help you to afford the cost of installing your new energy efficient windows!
The NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) uses a rating system, called a U-Factor, to help consumers better understand the effectiveness and energy efficiency, however not directly the durability of a window because they can not account for windows leaking, warping, and loosening over time or from poor installation. When these things occur, the windows U-factor ratings will fall drastically. This system does measures the heat transfer rate to determine how well the insulation of the window is. With a typical range of 0.25 to 1.25 Btu/h. ft² °F. The better the insulation the lower the U-factor.
Here are a few things to consider as well before purchasing your windows, to determine how much you want to invest:
Think about installing low U-factor double-pane windows if:
- You will not be living in the home for very long.
- Your energy costs are not that expensive and will remain about the same or could drop.
- You anticipate your income will increase over the next 10 to 15 years.
Think about installing low U-factor triple-pane windows if:
- You will remain in your home for more than 10 years.
- Your energy costs are high, especially if you have electric heat.
- You know that your energy prices will continue to rapidly increase.
- You anticipate being on a more fixed or decreased income within the next 10 to 15 years.
Contacting a professional and knowledgeable window installer here in the Howard County, MD area will be your best guide in selecting the best windows for your home. Selecting high-quality windows with a low U-factor rating will only get you so far if the installation is not done properly. Give us a call today at 1-800-673-3034 and let us help you select the perfect windows for your home.
