Energy Star Replacement Windows
What You Need to Know about the ENERGY STAR Certification for Windows
For over 20 years, consumers have turned to the ENERGY STAR certification to determine the energy efficiency of a particular product. There are many products on the market that the EPA has certified through this program. One category of ENERGY STAR-certified products is windows. Read on to learn how windows can be a powerful tool in maintaining an energy-efficient home and the benefits of choosing ENERGY STAR-certified windows.
How Do Your Home’s Windows Impact Its Energy Efficiency?
Three types of energy flow through windows: non-solar heat gains and losses, solar heat gains, and airflow. How do these energy types affect your home?
Windows help the home shed heat in the winter while gaining heat from the outdoors during the summer. As a result, you spend more to heat and cool your home. The term “solar heat gains” refer to the sun’s heat passing through your windows. While the sun can warm your home in the winter, it makes it much hotter during the summer months. And opening windows allows air to enter your home, making it cooler. However, cracks around a window’s frame let air in unintentionally, making it difficult for the home to retain heat and increasing your heating bills.
ENERGY STAR Certification for Windows
Choosing ENERGY STAR-certified windows makes your home more energy-efficient. These windows are designed to keep hot air inside during the winter and cool air inside during the summer.
The EPA bases the ENERGY STAR certification for windows on two factors: the rate of heat transfer and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). The rate of heat transfer is known as the U-Factor. When the U-Factor is low, the window has better insulation and a lower rate of heat transfer. The SHGC measures the fraction of solar energy the sun transmits through the window. This measurement tells you how well the window blocks solar heat. When the SHGC is low, the window transmits less solar heat, so your home stays cooler during the summer.
Energy-Efficient Windows Save You Money
You might be thinking, “Replacing windows is expensive. Is it really worth the hassle?”
The EPA estimates that replacing a single pane window in a home in Boston will save owners an average of $366 per year. In addition, many ENERGY STAR-certified windows come with coatings that reduce UV ray damage to your home’s interior. So, your floors, carpeting, and window treatments will all last longer. And if you install ENERGY STAR-certified windows in your home before December 31st, 2016, you may be eligible for a tax credit.
King Shade & Window: Your Window Replacement Experts
Are you considering replacing your windows with ENERGY STAR-certified models? Turn to King Shade & Window. We’ve served Boston and its suburbs since 1948, so we have the experience and knowledge to get the job done right, the first time. We’ve also got a wide variety of ENERGY STAR-certified windows. Call us today at 617-323-0600 to learn how we can help you.