Home Improvement Articles, resources and tips
Windows And Doors
Both for environmental and financial reasons, replacing old windows should be at the top of any homeowner's to-do list. In fact, new windows can cut heating and cooling bills by up to 40 percent. The main reason is older windows were made using just one pane of glass. Modern windows use two panes with inert gasses filling the space between them. Low-e coatings are also available. In warm climates, low-e coatings are applied to the outside of the pane to allow in visible light while blocking heat (also known as solar gain), thereby reducing cooling costs. In colder climates, the coatings are applied to the inside of the pane to keep heat inside the house. Low‐e coatings for high‐, moderate‐, and low‐solar gain are available.
To get the most bang for our buck, look at the U‐Value, which every window is required to list on its label. The lower the U‐value, the better its energy efficiency. To make things even simpler, many windows now carry an Energy Star label, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. The windows that carry this label are 15 to 40 percent more efficient than windows that don't.
You should also know a bit about frames. Vinyl is very affordable, requires the least maintenance and no painting and is also very energy efficient. Wood is the preferred choice of many homebuilders because of its warm look, but it does need to be painted periodically. To overcome this hurdle, consider windows with a vinyl exterior frame and a wooden interior. Aluminum offers the low cost and low maintenance advantages of vinyl and is more durable. Its major drawback is its high U‐value. The newest options in window frames are fiberglass and composite-frame. They are strong and have no maintenance issues.
Your design choices are just as varied. Double‐hung windows, which have two sashes that slide vertically up and down, look best in traditional or colonial homes. Modern homes look great with large metal‐frame window grids can add a great value to the design look.
Installing replacement windows was once much more difficult. Today you can choose to replace just the glass (known in the building professions as glazing), rather than the entire window. Even if the entire unit needs to be replaced, installation should take no longer than an hour each.
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