Finding energy efficient windows that fit your style
After you’ve lived in your home for a while, you may start to see certain costs creeping up.
Electricity costs when the days get shorter. Air conditioning costs over the summer. Heating costs over the winter.
One of the common culprits for costs associated with higher-than-expected energy bills…? Windows.
If you’ve been living in an older home, or recently bought an older home, windows that don’t seal well end up leaking out heat. When you have to keep heating the air inside your home, you end up paying more.
With the weather getting nice again, it’s a great time to consider replacing your windows, especially if you still have single pane windows. Double pane, energy efficient windows can even help you save up to $465 dollars a year.
So before the weather gets cold again, we wanted to give you a quick overview on which windows are the most energy efficient. As a part of the Anne Arundel community for 100 years, we’ve seen our share of winters. Below are our tips on what to look for in energy efficient windows, and how to get the most out of preparing for next winter.
How To Identify Energy Efficient Windows
Windowpane Construction
Upgrading your single-pane windows is a good start to a more energy efficient home. Next you’ll need to decide between double-pane and triple-pane windows.
Planning on being in your home for a few more years, but not for the rest of your lives? Then double-pane windows could be an ideal middle point between cost per window and efficiency.
Settling into your forever home? Triple-pane windows are by far the most efficient when compared to single-pane windows, though it’s an efficiency
What happens with your home’s heat in the winter is that it’s lost through the window’s glass. With a single-pane window, that glass is right up against the cold exterior air. Double- and triple-pane windows create pockets of space that keeps a barrier between the cold exterior air and the cozy interior air. Lessening the temperature transfer means less money spent on your heating bills.
The Window Frame’s Construction
Beyond the glass, the material framing your windows will also impact your home’s heating bills. But they also have a big impact on how your house’s exterior looks.
Wondering how to choose the right combination? Read on.
Metal Window Frames
As sturdiness goes, metal window frames are hard to beat. They’re strong, lightweight, and require very little maintenance.
Like you remember from junior high school science class, though, metal is a poor insulator and a great conductor. In housing terms, that means the heat absorbed from inside your home gets sent right out through a metal window frame.
Wood Window Frames
For a storybook house, a wood window frame is going to add an undeniable charm. It’s also not a great conductor of heat so it helps with insulation.
Still, as a natural organic material, it will degrade over time, especially in areas with more weather extremes. To keep up the charm and the insulation, wood window frames need maintenance and replacing.
Fiberglass Window Frames
An interesting hybrid between the above choices, fiberglass window frames have a number of advantages. Simultaneously more durable than metal and more insulated than wood, they’re a natural fit for a more energy efficient home.
They can also be crafted to fit custom shapes and sizes. They can even be used with double- or triple-pane windows to help hold in argon gas, which in turn helps with insulation.
Buying Energy Efficient Windows For Your Home
As part of the Anne Arundel community for 100 years, we have plenty of experience in selecting the right windows for our clients. Currently, we work closely with Marvin Windows and Doors in offering their Essentials line of windows.
We’re big proponents of this line because Marvin uses a patented fiberglass in this product line. This results in a window that’s stronger, more durable, and more reliable than traditional glass.
Also, they come standard with double-pane, Low E coatings, and with argon-insulated gas. This results in a leading design and a highly energy -efficient combo.
Installing Your Next Energy Efficient Windows
At Johnson Lumber, we have years of experience providing our clients with the just-right windows for their homes.
Whether you end up with the Marvin Essentials line or another one, we’re here to help make your family’s home more comfortable and more efficient.
When you’re ready to improve your window situation, feel free to contact the expert team at Johnson Lumber today.
