How Windows Affect Energy Efficiency

How Windows Affect Energy Efficiency

An effective way to save money and protect the environment is to make your home more energy efficient. Choosing the right windows and maintaining them well plays a huge role in this approach. This is because the wrong windows can be one of the weakest points in your home when it comes to insulation.

Windows & Heat Transfer

Heat always moves from warm areas to cold areas, traveling through your walls, roof, and windows. This brings heat into your home in the summer and means losing heat during winter. Your walls and roof are usually filled with insulation to slow this process. Your windows may be only a single pane of glass between your home and the outdoors — a much less effective barrier for energy efficiency. Even the frame may contribute to heat loss, as aluminum is an effective heat conductor. With every bit of heat energy lost to the outdoors, your furnace has to work that much harder to maintain your home’s temperature, using more energy and costing you more money.

Window Replacement Ideas

Thankfully, modern window options offer more effective insulation, like the ones Engstrom’s Siding and Window offers from Renewal by Andersen. Many varieties use two layers of glass with a gap between them to effectively slow heat transfer. This gap can be filled with a non-conductive gas such as argon which provides even greater insulating power. Combined with a wood or vinyl frame, you can dramatically reduce the heat exchange between your home and the outdoors, saving energy and money. Often, new installations will eventually pay for themselves in savings.