Window manufacturers are producing ever more efficient glazing systems, plus adding new features that enable passive ventilation and increase durability.
Window technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years. Today, you can get a high-performance window that looks good and performs well at any price point.
The windows you select for your house— whether retrofit or new—must meet your local energy code requirements at a minimum, and ideally should be Energy Star-qualified for your home’s climate.
ENERGY COSTS THE RIGHT WINDOW
If you want to reduce utility bills, you need to consider the impact of windows. In climates with a significant heating season, windows have represented a major source of unwanted heat loss, discomfort, and condensation problems. But today it is possible to have lower heat loss, less air leakage and warmer window surfaces that improve comfort and minimize condensation.
Similarly, in climates that mainly require cooling, windows have represented a major source of unwanted heat gain, but low-E coatings that reject solar heat without darkening the glass have undergone a technological revolution and significantly reduce solar heat gain and improve comfort while providing clear views and daylight.
As an example, a study by the Efficient Windows Collaborative (
www.efficientwindows.org) shows that the annual heating cost of a typical house in Boston drops from about $750 a year to $550 (24%) by switching from double-pane windows to triple pane with high solar gain, low-E glass. Keep this in mind when you are assessing the “first cost” of new windows.
COMFORT KNOW THE SCIENCE
For homeowners, how comfortable a house feels can be just as important as its energy efficiency. An older window with a lower glass temperature feels colder because more heat is radiated from a person’s body to the window.
CONDUCTION
is the direct transfer of heat through the window to the outdoors
RADIATION
is the movement of heat as infrared energy through the glass
AIR LEAKAGE
is the passage of heated air through cracks and around weather stripping
CONVECTION
occurs when air gives up its heat to the cooler glass and sinks toward the floor. This movement sucks new, warmer air toward the glass that is in turn cooled, creating a draft.
MILGARD ULTRA SERIES
Constructed with fiberglass frames that expand and contract at the same rate as glass (reducing stress over time). Ultra Series windows look like traditional wood windows, but have the durability advantages of fiberglass. They come in several factory-painted colors and a full lifetime warranty.
www.milgard.com
MARVIN INTEGRITY WINDOWS
Ultra-durable and requiring very little maintenance over their long life, Marvin’s line of “Ultrex” fiberglass windows have many special features such as built in sheetrock returns and numerous hardware configurations. This gives contractors the ability to install them right the first time, and buyers the flexibility to create the look they want using a high-tech product.
www.marvin.com
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