With the thick of winter here, you may be experiencing leaking or drafty
windows. Maybe it's time to replace those old single-pane windows. Or maybe
the winter blahs have taken hold and you're ready for a new look. Replacing
your windows can help you save on your energy bill, provide a stylish new look
to your home, and can be a strong lure when it comes time to sell.
Remodeler Magazine says that changes in technology, including alterations
designed to increase energy efficiency and convenience features such as
tilt-out hardware, can make recently installed windows a prime selling point
for prospective buyers.
The magazine's 2002 Cost
vs.Value Report says an upscale window replacement project (replacing 10
existing 3-by-5-foot double-hung windows with double-glazed divided-light
windows with interior finish of alder or cherry and exterior finish of copper
or aluminum cladding) cost a national average of $15,502 installed and yielded
a slightly higher return of 77 percent over replacement windows at a mid-range
price point.
The mid-range job (replacing 10 existing 3-by-5-foot double-hung windows
with vinyl-clad double-glazed replacement windows and not disturbing existing
interior or exterior trim) had a national average cost of $9,424 and the cost
was recouped at 74 percent.
But new windows do more than just look good. They're also a source of heat,
and need to be tinted or shaded to reduce heat, but those options also reduce
natural light. And not only do windows increase a room's temperature
fluctuation, but incoming light can also cause fading of carpets, fabric,
wallpaper, paint and wood.
By using energy efficient replacement windows, you can reduce light and
heat transfer, as well as heating and cooling costs.
According to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Energy Star program, which began in 1992 as a voluntary
labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products,
the average household spends more than 40 percent of its annual energy budget
on heating and cooling costs. You can save 15 percent of that with Energy
Star-qualified windows.
The Efficient Windows Collaborative, a group that manufactures and promotes
energy-efficient windows and receives support from the U.S. Department of
Energy's Windows and Glazings Program, says the most harmful sunlight rays are
ultraviolet (UV), which are the most energetic and most likely to break
chemical bonds, leading to fading and degradation of materials with which the
light comes in contact.
The EPA says that windows with Energy Star labels are energy efficient all
year long and are twice as efficient as the average window produced 10 years
ago. They're available in aluminum, fiberglass, vinyl and wood, and include
design styles such as single-hung, double-hung, casement, horizontal slider,
fixed and picture, as well as patio slider.
All Energy Star windows are labeled by the National
Fenestration Rating Council, a non-profit, public/private organization
created by the window, door and skylight industry and comprised of
manufacturers, suppliers, builders, architects and designers, specifiers, code
officials, utilities and government agencies. The NFRC provides unbiased
energy performance ratings on window, door and skylight products.
The NFRC suggests looking for the following when choosing replacement
windows:
U-factor, or how well a window keeps heat inside a building. The lower the
U-Factor, the greater a window resists heat transfer. A good U-Factor to
look for is 0.35 or lower.
Solar heat gain co-efficient (SHGC), or a window's ability to block
warming caused by sunlight. The lower an SHGC number, the less UV rays that
cause heat gain are coming through a window. Look for an SHGC number of 0.40
or lower.
Visible transmittance (VT), or how much light gets through a product. A VT
number is a direct percentage of available light coming through a window -
the higher, the more light coming through. A good percentage is about 55
percent.
Air leakage, or heat loss and gain by infiltration through cracks in the
window assembly.
Low-E coatings, a microscopically thin, virtually invisible metal or
metallic oxide layer deposited on the glass during manufacturing. Low-E
coatings reduce heat transfer through the glass, and can reduce UV rays that
cause heat gain by up to 75 percent and reduce fading of interior
furnishings.
And of course windows offer style as well as function.
Design options from manufacturers include Pella's integrated crank that
features a fold-away handle for casement windows, KML by Andersen
architectural windows in radius-top casements and double-hungs, and Andersen
Art Glass in 11 original patterns including Frank Lloyd Wright series
designs.
Window manufacturer Owens Corning suggests choosing a window style that
complements your home's current window system. And keep in mind that the
windows you select express your personality and can give your home a great
new look.
New windows are a feature of your home you're sure to enjoy. And with
products like Energy Star windows, you'll save money now by reducing heating
and cooling costs, and in the future by using the windows as a selling point
when you're home's on the market.
Published: December 23, 2002
| Based in California, Michele Dawson
has extensive experience as a reporter and editor and now
specializes in housing and real estate matters. |
Copyright © 2002
Realty
Times. All Rights Reserved.
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