Gone are the days when people used to consider only look and style of a window while purchasing windows for their home. Today people completely realize the impact of their window selection over electricity bills, so now people consider the energy rating of a window over its style.

What is an energy efficient window?

Energy efficient is different from the usual windows people install in their homes. These windows come with a special glazing that keeps the homes warm in winters and cold in summers, thus, bringing a considerable fall in energy bills. If you install energy efficient windows, it helps reduce your home’s carbon footprint, which is good for the environment.

How energy efficient windows work

Either energy efficient windows have a double-glazed or triple glazed pattern. A double-glazed window has two sheets of glass. Both the glass sheets have a 16mm gap that works and an insulating barrier. You can choose from a variety of window frame materials depending upon your requirement and the material’s energy efficiency capacity. Each style has its own positives and negatives; here is a description of the most popular and widely used window frame materials:

Wood

Window frames made of wood score real high if you judge its insulation value but still something interferes with its significance, i.e. higher level of maintenance it requires. Rain and humidity are the biggest enemies of a wooden frame, to avoid this situation; you require investing a lot on its maintenance. If you can afford to spend that much on its maintenance then there is nothing better than a wood frame.

Vinyl

Vinyl is a material used to make window frames that have affordable prices. Their inexpensive nature has nothing to do with their quality because vinyl window frames are one of the high quality frames. Insulated glass used and the tight construction procedure make these window frames highly energy efficient as they reduce air leakage. Reason some people do not like vinyl frames is its restricted color choice, rest quality wise and price wise people love it the most.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a material that does not help much in heat transfer and loss but is still popular owing to its sturdy nature. It is durable enough to withstand rain, humidity, or other harsh weather conditions for quite many years. It requires least maintenance and does not warp.

Tips to buy energy efficient windows

Once you know what energy efficient windows are and why they are important, you must also know some tips that come handy while purchasing them:

Consider insulating properties

U-factor is the measure that determines a window’s insulating power level. The higher the U-factor rating, the higher will be the insulating power level of a window. Pick the one with a higher U-factor and leave the one that has a lower U-factor.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient is another measure that determines how good the sun blocking capacity a particular window has. For people residing in tropical climate, windows with lower SHGC work well, and for the ones living in cooler climate, windows with higher SHGC work best. Solar Heat Gin Coefficient is a wondrous tool that enables people to take a bang on decision regarding what type of window is good for them.

Enquire about the air leakage rate of a window

Amount of air that passes through your window in a minute is what we term as the air leakage rate of a window. While purchasing, you must enquire about this feature because it plays an integral role to maintain your home’s energy efficiency rate. Go for the one that has a lower air leakage rate over the one that has a higher rate of air leakage.

Installing energy efficient windows in your home is an ideal way to save money and to reduce your home’s carbon footprint altogether.